What? Summer is Almost Over?

I read on Facebook the other day a post where someone said they agreed with a consensus statement, "Well, after the 4th of July Summer is pretty much over."  The weather here in DC would suggest otherwise.
 
Six weeks in to the Farm Share, I'm still having fun--I have to say that I'm still impressed with my beet chips.  The only challenge is that they do not stay crispy--last week I got some normal sized beets and made lots and lots of beet chips with my newly acquired mandolin.  I gave most of them away in paper lunch bags so that I wouldn't be eating chips for no reason under the guise of them being "healthy."  Here's a photo of last week's harvest:

Beets, squash, new potatoes, cucumbers, pea pods, blueberries and one last garlic scape

I will say that while this past week was not as prolific from a culinary standpoint, I did do what I really hoped I would when signing up for the CSA:  I used the produce to inspire a meal rather than the other way around.  I planned to meet my friends Sandy and Rob to plan their wedding ceremony--rather than pick a restaurant, I looked to my basket for creative inspiration.  I made some more garlic scape pesto, put together a salad of beet greens, peas and cucumbers, and grilled the squash.  It was all delicious...except that Sandy found a little tiny slug on one of the greens.  YUCK.  A week later, I am giving away the beets and also the seven cucumbers in my basket.  Way too many.  But there's a nice sized zucchini and more yellow squash so I think I'll make some more zucchini muffins and grilled squash.

On the fitness front:  I'm still making progress in CrossFit.  One of my coaches returned from vacation and noticed that I've lost some weight--which is always the thing you want to hear when you are working so very hard!  The scale is moving in the right direction, I feel great and my clothes are fitting better (or again in some cases).  I also just began another 21 day yoga challenge and I finally went to the doctor to make sure everything is ok.  And it is.  No thyroid problem.  No medical reason for the weight gain...just one of the benefits of getting older...no wiggle room for vacations to Italy with lots of cheese, wine and gelato without copious amounts of exercise to balance.