Alteration in Plans

While focused on the completion of the Rock Wall in the Family Room, a check of the Weather Forecast meant that we needed to head on the Run to the Garden. Rain was predicted for Thursday. Temperatures will be much cooler with a low of 29 degrees predicted for Friday night.

Local 1st Frost Date is October 10, so I guess you could say we are pretty much right on schedule. Why is it easy to overlook such things until they stare you right in the face? When Frost is imminent, Gardeners shift into high gear to gather produce and to put the Garden to bed. Other projects may be delayed a bit.

So this is what we have been up to in the last 48 hours:

• Melanie says she put on her Slippers. Slippers are good.
• We gathered the remaining varieties of Dry Edible Beans. Our hands were flying through those Plants as Daylight turned to Dark and Rain was on the Way.
• Melanie gathered Tomatoes and processed them so that they might be used for Sauce for projects in the coming hours.
• Melanie gathered Oats which she will use for Tea; apparently Oats are known as a good source for Calcium (and stress relieving). Both of those sound like very good ideas.
• Melanie gathered Anise. I can just imagine using our own Anise for the Springerle Cookies at Holiday Time.
• Richard gathered some of the Sunflowers. He cut the Heads from my big Arikara Sunflowers.
• Richard and Melanie gathered Cane Seeds from the Big Field. The Chickens will love that for treats over the Winter.
• Melanie and Richard did some rearranging in the Garage to make space for storage of Sunflower Heads, Cane Seeds, and Field Corn. As they were moving things about, they discovered that my collection of last year's Gourds are in super shape. They are ready for some wonderful Winter Painting Projects.
• Richard picked Green Beans. They are still coming on strong. Some are a little stringy but Boy, are they sweet.
• Melanie checked out harvest and storage for Celery, Celeriac, Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots, Leeks. Most are new crops for us.
• Melanie and Richard brought in a 5 Gallon Bucketful of my Butternut Squash.
• We made 23 Stuffed Peppers. Stuffed Peppers are a tradition in my Family, originating with my Croatian Heritage. We were flying. For the most part, the ingredients are at their Peak right now in the Garden (including Melanie's fresh Tomato Sauce). While I clatter away at these Keys, we are waiting for them to be done. We will put them outside for the Night in the "Outdoor Refrigerator". Then we will freeze them tomorrow for upcoming Winter Meals.
• Richard and Melanie gathered Peppers. We need to finish this tomorrow.
• We thanked my beautiful Red Geraniums for their Blooming over the Growing Season. We took them out of their pots, shook off the Soil, and brought them inside. I will string them in small bunches and then hang them upside down in a dark corner of the Basement. Assuming all goes well, they will be ready to go next Spring and Summer. That little practice has long been used by my Family. I would call it magic.
• Hollis and Deleta gave us Apples. We kept stopping by the Buckets on our way through projects today.
• We began to bring in the Garlic and Onions which are in the Shed; we should finish this tomorrow.
• We canned 9 Pints of Chicken (from 4 Chickens) today, making some more space in the Freezers. We need more room in the Freezers.
• Melanie ordered Wood for the Wood Stove, which should be installed next week.

I can imagine that we are a part of a vast collective of Gardeners and People of the Land who are doing the same things. Yes, we delayed the completion of the Stones on the Rock Wall. Hopefully, we will be back at that tomorrow. However, we will be flying tomorrow to complete a myriad of Gardening Tasks. We will get done what we get done and be grateful for every part of it.