Where did the Summer go ?

  I know it is just July 25, but all of a sudden it seems like summer is drawing to a close. Many of the garden crops are harvested and preparations are underway for Fall plantings and Winter cover crops. I haven't yet felt that change in the weather where you just know Fall is around the corner but it will be here soon. School starts up again in a couple of weeks. When I was a kid, summer lasted forever, but I'm not a kid anymore! It's OK though; I really love the Fall.
  The biggest harvest underway right now is tomatoes...they are very nice this year and there are lots of them.

  We are employing everything we can think of to save the cantaloupe from a pesky groundhog. At least I think that's what it is, based on the gnawing he leaves on green cantaloupe. I've tossed 3 or 4 middle sized green ones so far. We moved Uncle Charlie the scarecrow down there, put up the water scarecrow, which is an impulse sprinkler with a motion detector, turned on the closest yard light at night and turn a radio on loudly to a 24 hour talk station. Today I harvested 4 melons including these Super Star. It is a new variety to me this year and I hope it tastes good because it sure looks good!

  These are from plants I planted on a fenced row. They climbed readily, though most of the melons are at the bottom, which is fine. They seemed to grow better and make more fruit than the same varieties planted in a bed row, which is how I've always grown them.
 
  We have been harvesting large quantities of blackberries for a full month now. They are finally slowing down and I am pruning away the old canes and tying up the new ones. I haven't weighed all of the pickings, but based on what I did weigh, I think we likely had over 150 pounds of berries. Rita has made lots of freezer jam as well as freezing berries for pies and cobblers. Katie has made a lot of freezer jam too, and the whole family as well as some friends have enjoyed the berries fresh.

  We have finished up the sweet corn for now....enjoyed fresh corn-on-the-cob Sunday with the family and some friends here for dinner. Rita froze some cut corn for next year. It is a staple at holiday meals. As noted in an earlier post, the corn that would have ripened in August blew flat in a windstorm, so this corn due in September is all that's left.

  I put up posts and string to corral the asparagus. I have never seen such prolific tops!

  These purple Morning Glory on the woodpile next to the chicken coop are sure pretty every morning.

  The pullets are laying about 5-7 eggs a day now, and some of them are getting larger. That big rough one in the nest this morning had to hurt!

  And finally, a baby update. Caleb is doing great and growing fast...almost 4 months now, over 20 pounds and getting teeth! As I've said many times before.....what a fine boy!