Suddenly, it's summer

The rain that drenched Chattanooga and its surrounding towns for almost two weeks suddenly gave way to summer. A hot sweltering summer with temperatures of 95 degrees F. All week long. As a result of the inclement weather, our friends' mini farm got off to a late start.

Pole beans

Left: Japanese eggplant, Right: corn
Back: beets & brussel sprouts

This year, even I, someone who does not have a green thumb, planted a couple of Japanese eggplants. I thought the plants' result has been meager, having produced only one tiny eggplant, but this morning, I was elated to see several more eggplants hanging on the branches. The brussel sprouts lost the battle with the Japanese beetles, and the beets and peas are overwhelmed with weeds. The squash, zucchini, spaghetti squash, cucumbers, jalapeno and banana peppers are looking great; they always seem to do well, no matter what the weather. The pole beans, oh my Gosh, they thrived in that rain. We picked 4 pails of them this morning.

Pole Beans

Yellow squash, zucchini, spaghetti squash,tomatoes

jalapeno and banana peppers, beets

The wild blackberries along the riverbank are back. After the tornado last year, the marina cut back the blackberry bushes, so far back that there were no berries last summer. This year, they are back with a vengeance. The rain probably helped. I'm no blackberry fan, but I have the utmost respect for this plant. It is able to bear sweet berries while fighting for survival against massive weeds, bugs and other critters.

Blackberries along the riverbank

Wild blackberries

I'm tired from the picking. Next time, I'll post a recipe of one of my favorite dishes - chicken, pork or beef with jalapeno peppers. I'm freezing the blackberries for another boater, who has all kinds of ideas for them.

Care to share your summer harvest?

 
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