Pedants and Scofflaws at Summer's End

Every year without fail, some quarrelsome pedant or other may be counted on to argue that the end of summer is actually the autumnal equinox and not Labor Day weekend. Woe is me, this Labor Day weekend I seem to be awash in pedants, more so than usual, and I am tired. Maybe it's the torrential rain, maybe it's the subsequent heat and humidity. How hot and humid is it? Hot and humid enough that gadgets large and small at the U.S. Open were malfunctioning, from the ticket scanners to the big video screens. But not to complain, I'm glad I could attend this year after missing last year.



Then again, I rather doubt heat and humidity explain the inane questions this interviewer put to rising star Naomi Osaka, who bore it with patient good humor and only a little side-eyeing. Edited to add: Naomi Osaka went on to win her first major title, decisively upsetting six-time champion Serena Williams in what also became the most controversial final match in U.S. Open history.



It also doesn't explain these tomatoes. I planted what was supposed to be an orange cherry tomato plant, that is, a plant that bears orange-colored cherry-sized tomatoes, but what grew was an orange-colored slicer. Oh well. They're tasty, strikingly colored, sub-acid, and sufficiently plentiful for a half batch of Orange Tomato Jam. It would have been a full batch, but some hungry pedants gorged on a few.



After a bit of cauldron work, I had – dare one say it? – summer's end in a jar. I used 20% less sugar than the recipe specifies, white vinegar instead of cider vinegar, and gochugaru instead of smoked paprika and cayenne. I'm happy with its flavor and especially that it held its color through cooking down and processing. We shall see how it holds up in storage – if the hungry pedants don't eat it first.



Some pedants insist on no white after Labor Day. Scofflaw that I am, I cast on a white linen Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig. Although it's hot and humid outdoors, I could use a little something in the frigid air-conditioned indoors.



It must be admitted the project involves a scofflaw's gambit – that it will be finished before the onset of cooler weather and so can be worn this season. Also a scofflaw's optimism that if not, it can be worn next season. Tralala.