Has the Homer Farmers' Market given up on summer? Nope. As long as there are potatoes or other crops to sell, they'll be open, officially until Sept. 26, but some farmers sell crops well into the fall. Have the sport fishing charters pulled in their boats? As long as there's a chance to win the halibut derby, they'll be out there until Sept. 30. Have the bear tours stopped? Have the downtown shops and art galleries given up? Have all the campers gone home? Have homeowners madly trying to finish their punch list called it quits? Have builders trying to get one last house closed in before snowfall laid down their hammers?

No, no, no, no.

We're Alaskans, tough as a moose's hoof, meaner than a sow grizzly protecting her cubs and hardy as a Fox River Flats cowboy. Sure, last weekend surprised us with glorious warm sunny days that felt like July (OK, August), but that's the wonder of the season. We had a bang-up summer -- are still having a bang-up summer.

The fireweed might be turning to fluff. The kinnikinick might be turning red. Steelhead might be running in the Anchor. Moose might be heading to rut -- all sure signs the season is changing. Alaska's late summer might seem like fall to you cheechakos, but it's not to sourdoughs. Fall means howling storms, huge tides and surf that batters the Spit. Fall means an inch of snow and ice on the puddles. Fall means you put fleece liners in your XtraTufs. Fall means another log on the fire and another blanket on the bed.

Never give up. Never surrender. We still have at least three more weekends of possibly fantastic weather -- time to get out and enjoy the world, perhaps with these Best Bets:

BEST BLESS THE BEACHES BET: If you've ever enjoyed a long walk on a beautiful bay beach, here's a way to give back: join the 25th annual CoastWalk. Today from 6-8 p.m. there's a kickoff celebration at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies building on Lake Street. This year's theme is "Life with Plastic: It's Not Fantastic." Speakers talk about how to keep plastic from getting into the seas.

BEST HOT DATE BET: Homer has some great restaurants, but we're lacking some ethnic cuisine. If you want Indian food, you might have to drive to the big city -- or, you could plunk down $10 for a curry dinner from 5-9 p.m. today at the Kachemak Community Center. The donation benefits Sprout Nicaragua, a program to send Nicaraguan children to school. Take a $2 chance on a raffle and win fine coffee or rum.

BEST GET READY BET: With those winter storms coming eventually, now's the time to update your emergency plan. See how the Kenai Peninsula Borough has your back should something bad ever happen to us. Tour its Emergency Communications Van from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at the Homer Public Library. Pick up emergency supply checklists, learn about threats to our town and how you can be a disaster response volunteer.

BEST BURN IT BET: Do something twice and it becomes an annual event. Do it six times and, boy howdy, we're talking a tradition. Help out with the sixth annual Burning Basket planning and construction. This year's project, "Sustain," will be another glorious art event. At 3 p.m. Sunday head out to Mariner Park for an organizational meeting, then drop in over the next two weeks from noon-5 p.m. to help build the basket.

BEST TIME WARP BET: Hey, if we're celebrating summer in what some people think of as fall, why not celebrate Oktoberfest in September? Get a jump on next month from 6-11 p.m. Saturday when Homer Brew celebrates Oktoberfest at its Brat Stop. The Alaska Blaskapelle Band provides the proper oom-pa-pa.

BEST PENNOCK PLAN BET: How boring Homer would be if we'd used Homer Pennock's last name. Pennock Spit? Ptooey. If we'd left it up to Homer, the plan would've been a bunch of old prove-up shacks and a coal shed. Things have come a long way over the past century. If you have a pet peeve about the Spit or a great idea to make it better, check out an open house from 3-5 p.m. and a workshop from 6:30-8:30 p.m. today at Land's End Resort when the second Homer Comprehensive Plan meeting is held.