Despite the rain and gloomy weather this spring/summer, my vegetable garden is doing great. Sure, some plants are not as far along as they need to be (and subsequently then may not be ready in time this year), but all in all, I've got a bumper crop. Interestingly enough, the insects this year have been extraordinary.

In huge numbers, they have descended upon the garden to devour the spoils. More kinds than you normally see and for longer periods of time. While I fight these thieves and invaders in the flower garden with non-organic (read more effective) pesticides, in the vegetable garden (because I have to eat the vegetables) I have to use organic pesticides (less effective and less long-lasting). In short, I have spent most of the season fighting first the weather, then the swarm upon swarm of insects, all seemingly insatiable.

Despite all of this though, I have reigned supreme. I have vegetables that are not only tasty, but are 90% whole and unaffected by bite marks and all related insect activity. I have decided that if I can grow vegetables in a year like this one, I should be able to grow them anytime!