Gotta Love Varmints

The first year of out strawberry patch has been great!
We have been enjoying strawberries all summer - about a pint a week of the marvelous Mara Des Bois berries.

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I posted in June about protecting the berries from birds, squirrels, etc.  June Planting

It was very effective, and in August we decided they patch was safe and removed the protection to make it easier to weed and pick.  We also removed the cover for another reason.   A nest of ground bees had been built at the edge of the garden, next to the driveway.  We did pick early in the morning when they were sleepy and dopey, but, just in case, we did not want to get tangled in wire and netting if we had to make a quick getaway.  We also only picked at the ends of the bed, leaving some lovely berries that we felt were too close to the nest.  We also abandoned weeding, since pulling weeds seemed to wake them up!

It began to look like our berry patch would end after this first year.

Check out the size of that hole!

We went out yesterday to gather as many berries as we dared to before 7am.  We started at each end, and as we approached the center, where the nest is, it occurred to us that we were not seeing bees!

Then we noticed that the hole, which is usually hidden by weeds was clearly visible.

Then we saw bits of honeycomb in the garden.

Hooray for the varmints!  We are guessing that some critter found the nest and pulled it apart, and enjoyed his/her snack.  Our first guess was skunk, but, although they are around, we have not smelled them.  A quick google search suggests it could be a raccoon.

Whatever it was, it did not eat berries.

But we did.

Fresh Tomato Sauce - Summer's Gift`

We had our very favorite dinner tonight.  Simple, easy, quick, and spectacularly delicious.

Fresh tomato sauce on buttered linguini.

This is a no-cook sauce.  Early in the day, chop heirloom tomatoes, garlic, basil, and add olive oil and allow the flavors to meld.  (We used two tomatoes - Bloody Butcher and Cherokee Purple.  Both are high acid, compared to supermarket tomatoes.  If I did not have an acid tomato, I might add balsamic vinegar.)  I don't refrigerate it at this point.  The garlic was pulled last month, so it's quite pungent and fresh.  The smell is fantastic!

A favorite pasta is Barilla Linguini Fini - it's a bit thinner than regular linguini, but thicker than angel hair pasta.  When the pasta has cooked to the right texture (not too al dente. . . ), toss with butter (about two tablespoons for 1/4 pound of dry pasta).    At the table add the fresh sauce and serve with a good cheddar cheese (We like Cabot Seriously Sharp.).

All gone.