Happenings

Been working like crazy around here landscaping and finishing things up for this year's season. My high-low thermometer last night registered below freezing for the low, but nothing looks hurt.

We had our neighbor's tractor again over the weekend, so still 'playing' with stuff (in fact, friends that come and spend the night with Dawson, like learning how to operate a tractor! and melt metal in a forge ...). 

I had MOPS today and ran errands all afternoon, so I  haven't checked my veggie garden. What will show suffering signs first would be the green beans. I'll see tomorrow.

I love nature's colors. I'm glad I'm not the Creator - I might have done colors that are 'tiring' to the soul. So often as I see wildflowers, I see color wheel complementary colors - like lots of yellows and purples. I'm posting a picture of my purple clematis, sunflowers- big (planted by chipmunks from birdseed) and small, lavender, and then there's the ripening crabapples (and grape vine, and borage, and russian sage, and ... I garden 'cottage garden' style - crowded!)

Monte and me got the plastic cover, like a mini greenhouse, put up for the tomatoes yesterday (The pic below shows the wood pieces up, without the plastic, which is on the south side of our greenhouse that's attached to the house). We do this every year and it extends the tomato ripening season at least another month or two. Then we pull them out onto a tarp, and pull it all into the garage to ripen more (getting red tomatoes into December). Monte says the broccoli is looking beautiful, so I'll be freezing it soon. Gotta make zucchini bread!!

We joined a 'local' family organic farm last weekend. Their growing season goes into December. So once a week we'll start meeting a truck for our 'family share'. We're thinking it'll have produce from here on out that we can't grow with our cool and short season. So, looking forward to picking up these 'surprise' boxes. Whatever is excess for us we'll share with our neighbors.

I'm posting more pics of Dawson's rock-beds I planted. A back bed of permanent bushes, some with a winter visual interest. Then a bed that's a designated herb bed. I transplanted lots of my scattered herbs from other beds and pots into this bed. Most are perennial, and the few annuals I'm hoping might seed.

Then there's a swallowtail butterfly Dawson captured while doing his rock work and posted on his photoblog. He's always got his camera ready, since he tries and post pictures daily - great practice - always 'seeing'.

Did I say we have more company coming? Monte's partner in geology, Stan, comes in tomorrow. Then two Norwegians come in Friday. They all fly out for Calgary Sunday morning. I'll be 'home alone' for 1 1/2 weeks (not really with Dawson still sleeping here).