It’s been downright hot for several days. I overdress in the mornings and by midday, the truck turns into a closet. I don’t know if it’s officially called Indian Summer? I thought it had to get cold first and then warm up for a few days?

I saw a shed on the roadside with a For Sale sign. The asking price was $5,000. I’m about to make an age-related comment. My parents bought my childhood home on more than an acre of land. It had a two-car garage, hardwood floors and a full basement. They had to take out a mortgage for the $5,200 purchase.

I digress before I even get started. Bear with me.

Because my spring/early summer tasks got away from me, I did not get the pasta tomatoes into the ground in a timely fashion. They languished in their flats for far too long. Nevertheless, they did their very best.

Just this week, Violet and I picked boatloads of still very green fruits. Some critter was starting to eat them and it is the middle of October for pete’s sake. At any rate, they seem to be slowly ripening on a table in the greenhouse.

I’m sorting through and roasting the newly ripened ones in order to remove the skins. I made a pasta with some shredded parmesan and the watery, olive oil infused tomatoes. We enjoyed a fine pizza. I noticed Ghost Island still has quite a few, as well as Island-grown wonderful apples from Hay Path Orchard. Carved pumpkins and Charter School scarecrows are decorating the downtowns.

While cleaning up some flower beds, I noticed an impressive amount of nicotiana seedlings. Those and the Verbena bonariensis reseed in such large numbers, they could self-perpetuate an annual flower bed.

It’s a bit early still but a reminder is in order. When putting away the hoses and sprinklers for the season, do not be tempted by the frost-free spigot. It’s a fine invention, however, if a hose is left attached it will not drain properly back into the house. Sorry but the hose needs to be put into place each time it is needed.

Oh! Another tip—if your clippers are rusty or not working smoothly and you cannot locate the WD-40 or 3-in-1 oil, bug spray will do the job.

There seems to be some name-calling now that we are in the home stretch before the presidential election. I thought it would be appropriate to quote the dictionary definition of the word fascist: “a political philosophy movement or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation and forcible suppression of opposition.”

I’ve voted in every election since 1964, when I pulled the lever for LBJ. I do not believe I ever heard the word fascist used in reference to a candidate for President of the United States of America from a high-ranking officer in the military.

Have mercy!