Colors Are Still Lovely, Garden Work Is Not Done

Despite warnings that our autumnal colors would be muted and drab this year because of the summer's drought, I think they're gorgeous.  And they seem to be holding at their peak longer than usual.  But that could just be my wishing it were so.  I know one of these days we'll get a wind storm that will strip most of the leaves off their branches and our scenery will be much different.  In the meantime, I'm very appreciative of nature's fall display.

 

We're still receiving loads of cut and split wood, enough to fill the last tier or so in our make-shift wood shed and then the front half of our small wood shed.

 

Yes, that will block in the back half that still contains wood from a couple of years ago, but we won't have to touch this "new" wood we'll put in front until (at least) the heating season after this coming one.

 

The majority of my time seems to still being spent getting the gardens ready for winter.  I've been cleaning out the raised beds, then Papa Pea hauls wheelbarrows of our lovely, black compost to spread on them.  Next I till it in, rake it smooth and the bed will be in good shape for planting come spring. 

 

This past week I finished weeding the strawberries for the last time (one would hope).  Now all they need is the winter blanket of mulch I'll put on after a couple of hard freezes.

 

I harvested the last cabbage, some green peppers and cucumbers.  

 

I've made all the Stuffed Green Peppers we need so I'll use a couple of these last ones for fresh eating along with chopping the rest of them to freeze and use when a green pepper is called for in a recipe this winter.  Yes, there are a few insect holes in some of them, but I guess those critters have to eat, too.  I'll miss my cukes after these are gone.  Give me a salt shaker and a cucumber and I'll gobble up the whole thing.

 

Our apples (these that are protected in their cage) are looking good, but are not fully matured.  The ones we've sampled still show a tinge of green in the middle, are a bit on the sour side and don't have much "apple" flavor.  Here's hoping we still have enough time for them to make it.

 

I made this apple coffee cake yesterday with windfalls gathered from the ground and, as you can see, it turned out good enough to be deemed edible.

 

That's all from this little homestead for the present.  Hope all of you are staying healthy and happy during this exhilarating time of year.