Clinging to the Final Throes of Summer

I am not one of the people who look forward to the end of summer and the beginning of fall, with the cooler temperatures. I love summer and I never want it to end. I wince at the first sight of a pumpkin.

A trip to the Farmers Market, last week, yielded what is probably about the last of the summer vegetables, which I made into soup for the winter. I got out my biggest pot and starting building the layers.

First the tomatoes

Then the onions

The okra

Potatoes go in

Tiny sliced eggplant are layered on

Corn is added

And lastly, the squash

I covered the pan and brought it to a simmer. After the vegetables started softening, I added some sea salt, and after about an hour, I had soup ready to be canned. In the winter, meat, grains, garlic, spices or other ingredients can be added to make a more substantial soup or stew.

The soup