Monsters are lurking in my garden. They hide under broad
sticky leaves and creep over the soft, moist dirt. Overnight they have doubled
in size. There’s only one thing to do.
Cut them up into little pieces and bake them into bread.
Slice them in half and grill them. Portion them into quarter-sized coins, bread
them and bake them into chips. Dice them raw into salads. Layer them into lasagna.
Zucchini season has arrived in full force. Same with the
jalapenos – one small plant revealing 15 spicy pods. Cucumbers, beets, tomatoes,
bell peppers, basil all in full harvest. Cilantro has popped up, as have the
carrot tops and cantelope. Our new peach tree is making a valiant effort,
setting dozens of fruit. The neighbor’s raspberry plant creeps under the fence
and sets up shop in our yard. Their grape vines hang heavily above and we eye
the ripening clusters.
I go to a farmer’s market out of habit but just window
shop. Why am I here when it’s all grown at home?
The summer sun is blasting, pushing our crops to the limit. I
love-hate the heat that creates this season of plenty. Even as I hide away from
the intense temperatures that come with living in inland California, I am
grateful for this land of plenty.
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