Bye Bye Garden

Over the last two months we have witnessed the demise of our garden. The extreme heat and draught were definitely challenges this summer. However, we still managed to have a full supply of veggies through August. The squash and zucchini finally bit the dust about August 20 which left us a few puny tomato plants and our okra.

Okra is amazing (not so much amazing tasting, but amazing in what a hardy plant it is...) Our okra is still producing, although I anticipate it will be done in the next week. Due to the fruitfulness of our okra, I do not want to eat okra until next year!

Overall our inaugural gardening experience was a huge success and I definitely learned how to improve for next year. Primary lessons learned include:
-Plant the bell peppers behind a tomato plant so they get a little bit of shade. With the direct sun the bell peppers burn before they are ready to pick. :(
-Plant the tomato plants a little further apart, they get really big.
-Hand in hand with this, we must stake the tomato cages on all sides because we get wind from every which way on our property and were continually picking up tomato plants.
-Do not plant moose neck squash. Half the yield was hard gourd type warty squash. Summer squash was MUCH better.
-Plant more red potatoes. By far the easiest thing to grow!

And here's my last big batch of okra....slimy goodness! MMM....

Dog Days of Summer, Reading List

I suppose summer is almost over (yippee for this small cool front in Fort Worth, TX!)

SMU did not offer any courses this summer, which allowed me some time to catch up on the stack of books my mom provided. Most recently, I finished Dog On It by Spencer Quinn. The story is narrated by Chet, a mixed breed K-9 police dog drop out with one crooked ear (it adds character right...?) Chet is the partner to a private investigator who didn't quite make it as a detective with the police agency, but who has a successful track record to fight crime, just like Chet. The story is fun, suspenseful in parts, and Chet's quips and observations of human behaviour will make you chuckle throughout the book.



However, Dog On It does not hold a candle to my all time favorite 'doggy' book, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. The story of Enzo the dog and the Swift family is endearing and uplifting, witty, and reflective. Like Chet, Enzo draws many observations about humans, life, and relationships. If you are looking for a novel to add to your list, I highly recommend you add The Art of Racing in the Rain.