The last couple of weeks have been lovely with crisp mornings in the mid-fifties, not reaching mid-eighties until late afternoon, but the last couple of days we've seen low nineties in the afternoon.  I've noticed that the leaves are slow to turn this year and the forest is still lush and green.  Fall colors are suppose to be a few weeks late with a brilliant show. 
I've started pulling up some of the old tired plants from the dry garden soil

I started three chocolate peppers from seeds in June and had a terrible time keeping some kind of pest from chewing the leaves.  This is the only plant that survived.  I faithfully sprayed leaves, top and underside, each evening and morning with a soapy solution but each day I found newly chewed leaves.  Then one week I noticed new blossoms and whole leaves with no chewed holes.  I got so excited! 

Picked and sauteed the last of the Swiss chard.

Starting to pick and dry herbs.  Fresh basil hanging to dry.

Fresh basil pesto. Ate some and froze the rest.  Also froze basil in olive oil in ice cube trays for winter use.

Salmon with pesto ready to bake.

Sitting in my Adirondack chairs overlooking the garden.  It's been nine years since we had the trees cleared for the garden.  Back then the garden received a good seven to eight hours of sun.  Since then the canopy has closed in and I'm lucky if the plants get five to six hours in the center of the garden. 

As the sun sinks lower in the sky with the changing season and the trees towering taller, the garden receives less sunlight.  We couldn't possible cut all the trees that shade the area.  Besides, my gardening days are changing.  I'm still going to plant my fall garlic in the center of this garden and some in wine barrels up near the house.  Cliff will gently (so he doesn't hurt his back) mix compost into the soil for me in the next couple of weeks.  Between the two of us we're one whole person.  

Wild flowers still thriving even without rainy days. 

 Lisa and Bill's bees are still visiting their three water dishes and drinking frantically in this heat.  I fill their dishes each morning and sometimes late afternoon.  They're so interesting to watch.  As I slowly add water to the dishes they buzz all around me, never touching me or brushing my skin, and as soon as I stop they quietly go back to drinking.  

Rumor has it we're supposed to get thunder showers in the afternoons through the week.