Vegetable Heaven

Summer is wrapping up and you guys, I am getting so excited for fall!
I plucked J out of bed early this morning to run a few errands,
one of which involved robbing a bunch of pinecones from a perfect stranger's evergreen tree.
We discovered said tree last Sunday on an evening stroll.
It literally has the most perfect pinecones.  
Medium sized without the weird poky things that seem to cover every pinecone I found in Colorado.
Perfect pinecones for my wintery bridesmaid's bouquets.
Then we spent the morning with J's grandparents picking their garden 
and let me tell you, they reaped quite the harvest this year.
Mounds of tomatoes, bell pepers, squash, zucchini, and onions.
Not to mention piles of jalapeños, banana peppers, carrots, blackberries, strawberries, and green beans.
Literally, vegetable heaven.
We also got a little lesson in canning,
learning how to properly pit and slice banana peppers 
and the perfect blend of ingredients necessary for pickling them.
Such a fun new skill to learn!
Oh fall, please come faster!
I don't think I can wait another second for football games, chunky sweaters, steaming mugs of cider, and leather boots.
Yeah, hurry on up, won't you.
Happy Summer's End!  Oh Happy Life!