Cannellini and Squash

My brother treated me to a trip to Italy a few years ago.  Our plane landed in Florence, where we rented a car and drove northwest, to the Cinque Terra region and then down into Tuscany.  One day, we were in a tiny little town where there was only one tiny little restaurant open for lunch.  There were maybe 5 tables inside, and a few more on the terrace.  We chose a table on the terrace and discovered a fabulous view - a little valley below, with olive trees and grape vines growing on the opposite hill.  The dish I ordered sounded all exotic in Italian, but it was a bowl of white kidney beans stewed with chopped tomatoes, probably some onions, and a sausage link.  Little sprig of sage for garnish.  It was one of the best things I've ever tasted.

In remembrance of that trip, I planted some cannellini beans today - two short rows of 'em.  They're running beans, so I'll have to come up with a staking system;  I already have a plan for that.  I planted sage a month ago, but it has nearly drowned several times and looks puny.  We're beginning to feel the summer heat here, which should bring those beans right up and perk up the sage, to boot.

I also planted a few more hills of squash today.  Rather, re-planted some hills that never sprouted.  The squash is disappointing me.  Remember that I planted a "church row" of squash, the fruits of which I'd planned to donate to the local church pantries.  It needs to get cracking.  It took those seeds FOREVER to germinate, and all the rain has made the plants small and pale and sickly.  But they're beginning to bloom, and yesterday I saw one little baby squash.  Maybe there's hope for them.