I have approximately twenty-four mosquito bites on my legs. No exaggeration. I went into the garden to get the zucchini I knew was there and discovered that I actually have cucumbers. Four, and several more almost ready. So of course I picked them, plus some carrots for dinner, and I thought I felt foliage pricking the backs of my legs, but no: it was mosquitos. Twenty-four. I give in. No more shorts in the garden.

On the other hand: I have cucumbers! And Zahra zucchini! And herbs and carrots and green beans in the fridge! I ate mostly from the garden tonight: grilled zucchini with oregano, lemon (store) potatoes with parsley and basil, carrots and cucumber slices. It turns out Dragon carrots are beautiful beyond belief, but Red-Cored Chantenay taste better. In the next few days we’ll be making pickles, and I’ll be checking the tomatillos because I think they’re starting to form fruits but I’m not sure, and I’ll be harvesting more zucchini and trimming its leaves and tying up the tomatoes. In long pants.