An ode to late summer gardening

Late summer is a great time of year — a time to reflect and reap the rewards of all those gardening efforts.

Mid-September is a riot of colors — zinnias peak in fiesta shades of magenta, orange, pink and yellow, and they light up my table in ceramic vessels, lifting my heart and soothing my soul.




It's a time when I turn to soups and hearty one-pot meals, using what's left in the vegetable bin or cutting into the first slice of a winter squash paired with freshly dug potatoes.




It's a time to be grateful for what few tomatoes I did harvest, given the devastating blight that ravaged the plants in late June. This time of year reaffirms how humbling an experience gardening truly is.



Out with the old, cleaning up the beds, making room for fall crops that will thrive instead.




A time to let go and look ahead to new beginnings ...

and to savor the beauty that surrounds me.




A time for every season ... to enjoy nature's incredible palette of hues.



To all my fellow gardeners and food bloggers, let's salute the season — and give yourself a little pat on the back for the labor of the season.