Sliding Towards Fall

It's begun: that slow slide toward the next season, the cool weather of fall approaching. The past couple of evenings, the air has turned crisp as the sun sets.  Having two quilts on the bed is again mandatory, to ward off the 4 AM chill that breathes in delightfully through the open windows. The chickadees have started making their winter-time songs.  And as I drive along the back country roads, here and there you can spy a rogue branch, gleaming bright red or orange amongst its green brothers.

The garden is still growing strong, although the rest of the corn has decided to recline amongst the sprawling squash and climbing bean vines.  I don't know whether the vines pulled them over, but the tunneling mole certainly hasn't helped matters any.  The ears are still ripening, so I suppose it doesn't matter if they are sideways or not.  The second crops of bush beans, winter greens and peas are doing well, and my root vegetables are starting to bulb up.  I finally have successfully grown carrots!  It is so exciting to see the long orange roots emerging from the ground (and they taste deliciously sweet, too)!  Every day, more tomatoes ripen in the steamy hoop house.  I am looking forward to spending some sunny days in there in the winter time, basking like a lizard in the solarized heat.

With the meat chickens processed and in the freezer, my days are slightly less occupied with chicken chores.  I still have plans to do an overhaul of the Little Coop's yards, but that can be done this weekend (or next) on a sunny afternoon.  It is so nice not to have to haul around food and water to the birds in the fields, but it was a good experience for the most part.  When the time rolls around to next spring, I think I'll be ready to do it all over again.  Although with a few modifications...there's always something to be "improved"!

The sun is shining and the laundry is done in the washer.  Must be time to get out there and enjoy the day.  The garden is calling...