Garden Surprises

You might look at this photo and think it was taken months ago...

as green is the predominant color and small remnants of summer remain.

This was yesterday.

And though it seemed that Autumn would never arrive...

it has indeed.

A morning like yesterday- starting chores beneath a silvery moon- 

with 30 degree winds nipping at your nose...

might make you believe that winter has chosen an early arrival.

By mid-day, though it is clear that this is not winter...

just a mixed-up Autumn... who cannot make up his mind

whether he wants to stay or go.

He's not unpacked his suitcase yet... his colorful wardrobe

remains hidden from us.

I had two surprises yesterday when I went to the garden to work on cleaning up the 

raised beds.

First... I found this note attached to the garden message board...

It read:

Sure enough, Minerva was gone... no longer standing at her post

in the midst of the raised beds.

No longer was she keeping watch... discouraging pests

from stealing the produce.

It's understandable. 

She's a warm weather gal... the hotter the better, actually.

She had a tough summer... working through weeks of rain and humidity.

I'm sure she will enjoy drying out a bit on the other side of the globe.

She's assured us that she will return- as always- when Spring arrives...

(they often arrive on the same coach.)

My second surprise was this:

The saffron crocus has begun to blossom.

These lovely purple flowers are quite shy and if not checked daily,

have been known to bloom in secret!

I will pluck three lovely russet filaments from each blossom and dry them

for use in cooking this winter.

(Saffron is terribly expensive... growing your own is a good alternative!)

I spent about an hour in the garden filling the back of the gator

with spent vegetable and flower plants.

Summer is most definitely over.

A few more gator loads, and the garden will be stripped...

ready to slumber beneath a warm blanket of compost for the winter months.

On the way back to the house, I stopped by the front pasture

to visit with the pigs.

MaryAnn, my very bestest farm friend, came right over to me and laid

down beside me... as always.

(Ginger, of course, went right on eating.)

We laid nose to nose and talked about the day as I cleaned out the dirt...

in her little nosey creases.

This pig is special.

She and I are deeply bonded, and she will let me do just about anything to her.

It's always been this way... I guess we are just soulmates.

(That makes sense on so many levels, actually.)

I often get questions about the little tassels that hang from the pigs' jowls.

Tassels are exactly what they are called and they serve no purpose,

beyond beauty.

And because both of my girls are gifted with tassels on each side...

they are especially beautiful!

Goodness, I just realized that it is Friday again!

We are supposedly receiving dreadful weather this weekend from a Nor-Easter.

I plan to spend the weekend sewing.

Hopefully I will have something to show you on Monday.