I was brave this morning and forced myself out among the newly formed webs of orb spiders.  I detest spiders, especially what we have come to call "The September Spiders." I gave them this moniker before I knew what their proper name was due to the neighborhood kids dodging the webs on their way to the bus stop come the start of school. You know the kind, orange and meaty and dare I say...juicy?  *shiver* So big you can understand how they are in fact distant prehistoric relatives to crabs. I personally believe King crabs to be a first cousin.

One dropped an inch from my shoulder one late night in my pantry.  It was too late to call for sleeping male reinforcements.  I had to take care of the situation myself.  It involved the biggest flat shoe I could find that, of course, was not my own, lots of wadded up paper towels and a high pitched girlie scream that only dogs could hear. 

It was not pretty. 

Obviously, I have some inner work to combat my fear of gnarly spiders, but back to why I would put myself in such peril this morning—a backyard rabbit sighting and our garden finally hitting its stride.  The two are not compatible.  For the sake of my tomatoes I had to be brave.

Many of you commented on my tales of tomatoes woes, written in July, with your own similar stories this growing season or offered great advice of how you achieved success that I had to redeem myself with new pictures.  Our late starting tomatoes have now taken off, zucchini is the perfect size, eggplant are beautiful although I have no idea what to do with them besides eggplant Parmesan.  Maybe you can help out with suggestions?  We waited too long to harvest the corn but I'll use the stalks for the back drop for pumpkins that I'll put out on our front porch next month.  We have hicama to harvest.  I'm never too sure how to know when root vegetables are ready.  It'll be a surprise.

The tomatoes are growing almost wild.  They've busted through their cages and are winding their way onto the grass.  I am happy.  They're not as sweet as the few we harvested in July and August but as they say, "It's what's for dinner."

What's on the menu tonight?  You better believe BLTA's with thick apple wood smoked bacon and fresh white country bread.  And mayo.  Not the reduced calorie stuff either.  Not tonight.  I can think of no better meal to end the summer.