Up before the sun this morning, an hour or so of cross-stitching on the couch, then breakfast and out to make progress on the garden clean-up.
Much still green and growin' in the raised beds but it's time to call it quits for anything but the perennials. Same with what is left in the field garden. We'll wait to dig the potatoes that are there for a while yet though.
I took a peek at the apples ripening and sizing up on the trees secure in their enclosure to discourage the Blue Jays that have been trying to get at them. Sorry, beautiful birds, we're not into sharing with you. (No enhanced color added to this picture . . . wow!)
Papa Pea came to find me in the garden to entice me with the invitation to go help him stack some more of the wood we had delivered recently. How could I refuse an offer like that?
Then he thought it would be fun to work with the wood splitter making some more kindling for the coming winter months. (Actually, I think I've finally convinced him that task goes a lot faster with two working at it.)
Now I've been sitting at the kitchen table squeezing in a little more cross-stitching time while sipping a warm beverage. If I procrastinate just a while longer, it will be time for our dish of probiotics for our mid-day meal and I won't have to go back to the garden clean-up until after then. Garden clean-up may not be as exciting as planting in the spring but the beautiful turning colors, crisp, clean air and very comfortable working temperature (54° right now . . . sweatshirt weather, I love it) make it all enjoyable.
It really is an invigorating time of year for me. Here's hoping you all have a wonderful start to this new month of October.
The last few days here as well, have been wonderful weather for getting the gardens cleared. I'm a bit stiff and creaky this AM! Your garden beds still look lush and green, and those apples! Ours are finished, helped by the bruins. Good to get that wood stashed away. Kindling splitting still looms on my 'to do' list. Time is flying, it is October, when did that happen?? The leaf colours here are really starting to pop. Do you do your stitching in an hoop or frame, or just as is?
ReplyDeleteRosalea - I know what you mean about, "OCTOBER already? Yikes!!" For some reason, we think the fall season will give us much more time to "tie things up" than it really does. Why is that? (Ever the optimist?) No, I don't use a hoop when working with cross-stitch fabric. But I find I do have to use one when doing stamped cross-stitch . . . which I don't do much anymore. Enjoy this month because you know November will be here before we know it!
ReplyDeleteGarden Cleanup: A MUST - note to self!!!
ReplyDeleteIn years past, when I neglected to do a proper fall cleanup, I regretted it all the way through the next year's gardening season. Everything has it's time.
I'm still cleaning up the debris from my roofing project this summer (half a pail of bent nails and screws so far. Thank goodness they're magnetic). I'm eager to get to the wood pile myself. Seasons, energy and propane costs are all motivating me!
Cheers
Tim - Oh yes, I recall a couple of years way back when I didn't do all the garden clean-up in the fall. How far behind it put me when it came to the following spring and planting! I'll never let that happen again. The garden is mostly my responsibility but yesterday hubby offered to help me in the garden for a certain amount of time in exchange for some help he needed. The amount two people can get done working together is more than double what one person can do. I am thankful every day for have a wonderful partner in all we endeavor to do.
ReplyDeleteIt’s been raining nonstop here is northern Virginia so the yard is swampy. No yard work for me … yet. I’m currently working on sugarless applesauce. I make two batches in my slow cooker then reheat on the stove top to can so I have a full canner of pints. Next is apple butter for Christmas presents. I like savory breakfasts better. BTW, the Smitten Kitchen blog has a good applesauce cake recipe with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Yum 😋
ReplyDeleteMy other canning project is enchilada sauce. We are growing tomatillos for the first time. Very odd. They start out like a hollow Japanese lantern and then the tomatillo grows inside it until the outer shell bursts. I should have grown poblano peppers too because I’m going to need them for the sauce. Oh well.
Katie C. - Sounds like you've been keeping very busy even though you can't currently get out to do yard work. Isn't it always feast or famine with the moisture situation? I've never even seen tomatillos growing. They seem like a strange vegetable the way they grow. Strange, but interesting! That applesauce cake recipe does sound good. Because I'm not fond of cakes, per se, moist ones are about the only ones that appeal to me and I would think the applesauce, let alone cream cheese frosting(!) would make this one a good one.
ReplyDeleteYou an me both Mama Pea! It's only 64 her today and I have the windows open and I'm loving it! Your garden still looks lush and those apples are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love your XS...I've seen that pattern but I can't remember the designer. Aren't there different girls for each month? Yours is precious I h ope to get back to keeping up with everyone again. Enjoy!
Sam - Thanks for the kind words! Yes, the series I've been working on is called Calendar Girls and the designer is Little House Needleworks. One design for each month of the year. So far I've gotten January, February and October done. Am 90% finished with May. Not much continuity to my months of the year, is there?! You've been through a lot lately so have a very good reason for not keeping up with all you usually do. Good to know the rough stuff seems to be behind you and you can go full steam ahead again on your busy, enjoyable life!
ReplyDeleteCooling off hete, but still 70s. Freeze is off a ways still!
ReplyDelete