On the front page of the Wednesday, July 18, Life Section, in the large green box I quote, “Whoever made the statement, ‘It’s summertime and the living’s easy,’ must have been referring to putting dinner on the table during this produce laden time of year.”

Well, I choose to challenge that person. Yes, the fresh vegetables are wonderful. But, has the writer of the above ever gotten up at 6 a.m. — because it is cooler then — to pick the snap beans, cut the okra, pick the tomatoes, pick the peas, etc.? Once that is done, the snap beans have to be washed and “snapped,” the okra for boiling has to be cut carefully at the top of it, if for frying, it has to be sliced crosswise. The tomatoes sometimes need washing immediately, but they certainly have to be sorted as to ripeness and “laid out” on an appropriate cool place.

Then, they have to be peeled and sliced for eating fresh, or canned. The peas have to be shelled, checked carefully for bad ones, then washed and either cooked, canned or frozen. Now, depending upon the amount of each item collected that morning, the rest of the day will be spent in preparing them to eat or can or freeze. Then there is the corn. Once it “comes in” it only is ready to pick for about 10 days, so one must gather it, shuck it, silk it, then cook, can or freeze. Yes, the summer veggies are wonderful!

But the living “ain’t” easy getting there. Been there done that!

Silvia Waites

Woodville resident