What specific variety are we talking about? There are several and tastes vary from variety to variety, not to mention from person to person. Yellow crookneck for example is rather bland plain. A bit sweet but no strong flavor. But summer squash is normally prepared and served with one of many different seasonings. Grilled with garlic butter brushed on it, baked in casseroles, roasted with onions, steamed and sprinkled with season salt or Italian seasonings, deep fried dipped in batter - literally hundreds of recipes available. So perhaps the problem is nothing more than the way you are cooking it. Dave

Oh, yeah sorry.. The culprits are the ones that I listed above. I saw 1 cucumber beetle and squised it, but could not find any more. I've seen the birds in there a bit and judging by the picture I shared, it shows more of a laceration than bug chew damage (I think at least). As for zone, I am in South Eastern Michigan.

No, not a swan song - the health and vigor of your plant shouldn't be diminished - but you aren't going to get your usual full winter display and will have to settle for enjoying the flowers now. When I was new to growing hellebores from seed, I was more than startled to find July flowers on 15 mo old Mrs. Betty Ranicar seedlings :) Now I almost expect some scattered summer bloom - I'll find a few (out of many) blooming in summer every year. Right now there are three or four double whites and a couple of pink in bloom, and unfortunately blooming when in full foliage so the blooms are hard to enjoy as compared to later when I've done a winter cut back.

Natal, they're *amazing*! I read on one of the roasted tomato recipe sites that someone just kept mopping up the balsamic vinegar caramel -- I've been doing that too -- I take a bit of greek bread or naan about the size of one of those litstle morsels of deliciosity, pick up the morsel with it, and swipe it across the caramelized vinegar on my way off the baking tray (thanks for the parchment paper tip, golddust!). Oh my GOODNESS. They're so incredibly delicious. Thank you, thank you, thank you to you and golddust! (DH loves them too--DD prefers them raw with the olive oil and a touch of balsamic, but not as much as we like) I'll do the next batch (this weekend LOL) @325. Less time to wait :) boop, green smoothies? I have a friend who eats nothing but raw, and she has a monster of a green smoothie every morning. I'd love to see your recipe to compare it with hers (maybe I can ask her if I could post it here, if you're interested?) And I just have trouble with dried pineapple, but that's just me. I've never taken to it as I have to regular pineapple. Now *watermelon*? Watermelon and balsamic? Watermelon cubes in salad with slivered roasted almonds and greens, etc.? I can't get enough of it! I'm like a watermelon junkie this summer, although the roasted tomatoes are #2 with a bullet...