Days of Summer are numbered

As we begin the ending days of summer, that will soon transcend into cooler, crisper days and nights, I only have one thing to say.

Good.

I spend a good six months, per year, bitching and moaning about winter, and it's incessant grip that we always seem to have here in Western PA., February and March, in particular. Feels like an icy cold purgatory of sorts. I remember calling my daughter, who lives in Georgia (Grrrrrr), and announcing on a chilly March day, " I can't believe it's 40 degrees today! I only have two shirts, jeans, boots, and a sweatshirt on, it's so nice out!"

My daughter's typical response....after stating it was a mere 72 degrees there," Move. To. Georgia."

It is during these particular months (Feb.-March) I start salivating at the thoughts of homegrown fruits and veggies, wide open windows, cook-outs, wading aimlessly on a raft in a pool, iced tea brewed by the sun, and my dry, cracked lips finally healing.

Then we get to April, which can be chilly and deceiving, and VERY iffy. But it does inspire what lays ahead in May.

May comes, and it starts warming up, literally everything. The earth, the dirt, our (formally) frozen hearts at the prospect that summer is indeed, just around the corner. The frost warning is formally history.

We start the arduous process of raking away the dead non-growth, to allow new growth. Re-tilling, re-mulching, and re-planting. We spend way too much money at Lowe's and start dragging out the porch/patio/deck furniture, in the hopes of finally being able to LIVE outdoors!

Then June hits. If ever there was a "crack" month here, it would be June.

June is the payload of summer months. Kids are just getting out of school, the windows are opened, humidity is hovering around 25 %. Everybody is happy, and trying to regain some color on their pasty white skin, while actually enjoying warm days. The trees are in full regalia, the dogwoods are in full bloom, and the once latent perennials, are coming back to life with a vengeance.

Then there's July. While half of the days are tolerable, the other half are miserably humid. The "Dog Days" are upon us. It's becoming increasingly difficult to function in an central air-less, home. Still, many functions to attend, vacations, pool parties, graduations, fourth of July parties, and a multitude of activities that speak loud and proud....Summer! Duda's corn is finally here, and the garden is starting to yield it's bounty.

Here comes August.

The one big regret I have, and continue to have, was to ignore the suggestion of putting in central air back in November. We just got a brand new furnace (free-long story), and we had the funds at the time. But, being it was 28 degrees, central air was the furthest thing from my mind.

Bad Kate.

Back to August. By August, we're still riding the, 'I'm so happy it's Summer mode,' the harvest hits mid-month, we start canning, freezing, still cooking out. But the mosquito's, fly's, gnats, bats....have become a little Army. Grown in size, and numbers. Unless you douse yourself with a cancer-inducing, pretty smelling pesticide, consider yourself tonight's Fillet Mignon. Kids are STILL out of school... even the flowers are starting to wilt. By the end of August, The humidity is in the 70-80% range, and spending many sleepless nights, tossing and turning in a hot house, picking gnats off my sweaty skin, and cursing the "damned veggies that keep reproducing, even though you've spent hours, canning, freezing, cooking, etc..." suddenly gives me the urge to crave cold days, hot apple cider, and homemade soups. Call me crazy.

August is hurricane season, even Mother Nature knows.

Yesterday was hell on earth. It was like, 94 degrees, along with, I swear 100% humidity. We went to a lovely cookout to celebrate Labor Day. Even when I chewed the delectable food offered, it made me sweat more. Bugs were in full force, and I couldn't even sit at the picnic bench with the six other people, as the body heat, in combination with the heat itself, was too much.

With a glorious storm rolling in today, and the promise of tomorrow's high at 70, that's right, seventy....I welcome September.

Yay, September! Don't you worry. It may take me a few months, but soon I'll be bitching about the cold.

It's a vicious cycle.

 Though I do LOVE Summer. Thank you Summer, for the wonderful memories, the great food, warm days, and friends, but I'm over it.

With the end of summer in mind, and leftover corn on the cob in my fridge, here's an easy recipe to use up one of summer's limitless bounty.

Corn Chowder (serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

1 lb. bacon-Cut into 1/2 in. chunks (reserve 2-3 T. bacon grease)

3 ribs celery-chopped

3 carrots-peeled and chopped

1 medium onion- peeled and diced

2-3 Bay leaves

1 t. dried Thyme

Fresh ground pepper-to taste

6 c. chicken broth(or stock)

4 ears, previously cooked, corn on the cob-sliced off cob

3 medium sized potatoes-peeled and cut into 3/4 in. chunks

1 c. heavy cream

Kosher salt-to taste

Saute bacon "lardon's" (that's fancy-schmancy talk for, chunks) until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper lined plate. Drain all but, 2-3 T. bacon grease into a heat resistant container for future use.

Add your mirepoix (that's fancy-schmancy talk for, celery-carrots-onions) to pot with bacon grease. Add bay leaves, pepper, and thyme. Saute, until slightly sweated.

Add chicken broth/stock and simmer, on low heat, with lid on for roughly 20 minutes.

Remove corn from husks with a knife. I even take the back edge of knife and scrape the cobs right into the pot. Let simmer another 10 minutes, then add those chunky potatoes.

Cover the pot with lid and simmer another 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add cream while stirring soup. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste.

I ladle this up in soup crocks, sprinkle with cooked bacon bits, and have at it.