the end of summer.

it feels funny to say on september 20th that it's finally feeling like the end of summer, but i think it's mostly about the weather for me. all the elements have been there these past couple days... evenings where you almost need a jacket, mid-days where you don't instantly break into sweat anymore if you actually move around at all while outdoors, hearing the school buses amble to and fro at the same time everyday... and today is just rainy and cool enough to warrant firing up the crock pot to make dinner.

even pontouf is on the lookout, smelling the coming changes on the air.

the tomato bushes are giving out their last summer treasures.

my father in law's garden has provided us so many this summer, i knew these would make way more salsa than we could ever possibly eat on our own. this batch is waiting to be simmered down into my first attempt at homemade spaghetti sauce. lots and lots of chopped up tomatoes, garlic salt, onion flakes, parsley, basil, oregano, and black pepper, and i'll probably add some ground beef after it has cooked down some. maybe if i scrounge a little i can find a bay leaf or two to throw in there. mmm and then i'll serve it over our favorite "healthy" angel hair and with a blob of ricotta (stellar idea i admit to stealing) and how hard can it be, right? we'll see.

all this week i've been trying to use writing in my blog as an incentive to get the errand-ish type things done that i'm avoiding. but of course, i procrastinate and will spend the afternoon finding every productive thing i possibly can to get done to avoid the things i don't want to do. so here i am again, lots of good things finished, but all the really important ones are still at the top of the list! guess i'd better go and just do it...