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All I'm asking for is a couple of 90 degree days

This summer—or rather what’s left of this summer—is becoming increasingly frustrating.

I’ve had my tomatoes ripen one or two at a time. After some nice fruit early on, my green peppers have been small and thin. Last year we had enough to freeze.

A short digression: Peppers really don’t freeze well. But if you’re going to use them for a dish such as stuffed green peppers, freezing works OK. To freeze, I just cut off the top, removed the seeds and extraneous stuff on the inside and then put them in freezer bags. That’s it, no blanching necessary.

It’s almost September. The average first frost date is Sept. 15. When will we get the warm weather we need?

Mark your calendar for these upcoming events and volunteer opportunities:

7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3: Rotary Gardens director of horticulture and smarty pants Mark Dwyer will present a program on spring bulbs. The program will take place main building, 1455 Palmer Drive, Janesville. Free for members of the Rock Prairie Master Gardeners and $5 for members of the general public.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 12: Rotary Gardens plant sale at the horticulture center just northwest of the grounds. Volunteers are needed for this event. Please call Rotary Botanical Gardens volunteer coordinator at (608) 752-3885, ext. 20.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12: It’s the Garden Festival! Hooray! The annual educational event features everything from fried green tomatoes to a display of heirloom beans and peppers. Don’t miss it!

8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 19: Volunteer workday at the garden. See director of horticulture Mark Dwyer drive around in a golf cart haranguing volunteers. If you’re lucky, and he likes you, he’ll introduce you to visitors as “a parolee doing community service.” Then he’ll say, “Try not to make eye contact.”