dismal and tender

Pulled a few of the largest Beets the other day, but they weren't nearly large enough. Some had not even formed globes yet, just thick roots. Tucked all the rest in with dry grass and coffee grounds.

Dismayed to find there are still cucumber beetles in the garden- I thought they were all gone. But some Nasturtiums have wilted leaves and I thought the ground was infected, they'd caught it from the zucchinis. Pulled out all the plants today that had wilted parts, and when daughter brought inside the flowers, a small cucumber beetle fell out. I don't think I could check those plants every day for beetles like I did the zucchini and cantaloupe; they grow in long, too tangled vines. Plan to turn the gound over rough just before freezes; I've read that disrupts the laid eggs and cuts down on number of pests next year.

Ate a lunch salad today, just Bibb Lettuce with shredded carrot, raisins and croutons. Delicious! The Lettuce is so rampant outside that I pick an entire head, discard all the leaves with spots or holes, and only save the perfect ones for eating. I'll throw two-thirds of each head into the compost with no qualms, as there's tons left over and we probably won't eat it all before snow.