Harvest Blessings!

 

Happy Autumn!

Our first killing frosts have arrived. Not just a little nip in the air but a blackening of just about everything that was in full leaf just yesterday. The air has taken on a chill that holds all the promise of a full winter to come. The focus has been on harvest. Slaughtering turkeys to fill the freezer, harvesting apples and pears, plums and pumpkins. We brought in baskets of green tomatoes, summer squash and seeds galore from everything grown in the garden this growing season.

All of the potted plants are nestled inside. The dining room table is a thing of the past. For the next 9 months, all of the potted plants will overtake the kitchen and live inside next to the wood stove. Next our focus will be on wood to keep us warm over the long winter. Soon will come the dust of ash, the smell of wood smoke and a long winter of chili, turkey and dumplins and stews. Along with it comes a comfort and warmth very different from the long summer months of being outdoors every waking minute, soaking up the summer sunshine and the busy-ness that comes with living on 29 acres and caring for animals.

Snow is not my favorite but I know that it will mean snuggling up to the fire and a nice break from the rush of throwing the doors open wide and throwing myself head-long into the outdoors and all that entails every morning. It will be a time to contemplate what worked this year and what didn't. It will be a time to exchange seeds with friends and plan next year's adventures.

As always, I long for summer to continue on forever. But I do have to admit that this year I am looking forward to the stillness that winter brings. A moment to reflect, to enjoy the quiet.

As always, many blessings of the season. Happy Gardening to those of you who still have the weather for it. I am beginning to put away tools, drag out the sweaters and think about recipes for pumpkin muffins!

Peace and Happy Autumn!