August, Love it or Loath it?

The Accidental Locavore has really mixed feelings about August, so here’s my list of loving it or loathing it…

Love it:

1. Tomatoes. Finally the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Tomatoes that actually taste like…tomatoes! There’s just nothing like a flawless August tomato, the perfect argument for local and fresh.
2. Corn. OK, so corn comes earlier, but by August it’s at its peak, just in time to go along with tomatoes. Add a chicken hot off the grill and you’ve got my perfect summer dinner.
3. Easy cooking. Grilling makes everything better (and doesn’t heat up the kitchen).
4. Easier cooking. Raw food, and salads with everything coming from the garden (maybe not mine, but that’s what CSAs are for).
5. Hot and sunny. Although in these parts, usually not as hot as July can be, but with global climate change, who knows?
6. The determination to squeeze every last drop of summer, whether it’s food, beach, travel, you’ve got 31 days to get it all in.

Loath it:

1. The last month of summer. How did we blow through June and July so fast? And why is summer soooooo much shorter than winter?
2. Days are definitely getting shorter; something tossed on the grill at 7:30 is finished in the dark.
3. By the end of the month, days are not only shorter but cooler, and white clothing is back in the closet.
4. Even though apples right off the tree are delicious, I’ll trade you all the apples for tomatoes. Not even a close second.
5. Butternut squash. See above. Not even on the radar. And like apples, it’s around forever.
6. Down parkas in the store. Do we really need a reminder that the worst is still to come?

What’s your feeling about the end of summer? Are you glad it’s over, or do you wish it would just stick around for a few more months (like all 12)?