Still life with Squash

Beautiful right? Like something you’d see hanging in a Parisian museum between a reclining nude and gaggle of ballerinas.  Just don’t look too closely or you’ll notice for sure the wine glass towering above the tiny squashlings. Shortly after I snapped this shot I downed the glass of wine.  I wasn’t exactly drowning sorrows, but I felt plenty bad that all of my hard work and eager anticipation was for naught.  Especially given my active involvement in squash reproduction back in the heat of the summer.  Well, upon serious consideration it looks like next year’s sex 101 will take place early in the spring. I’ll just clear the March snow from the garden and get to work, that’s all. Seems there’s credence after all to those birds and bees getting busy already by April and May.

Here’s the harvest from today, the thing that’s got my panties in a twist.

There you see my squash babes, some barely larger than a berry, growth halted and flesh withered from a day that began at close to 20 degrees and despite a blazing Colorado never heated up.  The berries could care less.  The squash, (and my toes) have called it a season.

As I am relatively new to the greenish thumb club there is something I don’t understand.  How is it that the raspberries are still going strong long after the time to toss them into a crisp has past? Why are my fledgling squash floundering just as the time comes for their ultimate sacrifice in autumn soup or my favorite pasta?

And of course, the age old question returns with gusto: how in the world will I keep my toes warm until flip flop season comes back?

• Category: Garden
• Tag: raspberries, squash, weather