A Garden Fail

Though I always wish spring and autumn lasted longer, each year;
I am not one to lament the the change of seasons.
Hubbs, on the other hand, feels a touch of melancholy
at the end of each summer.
Me?  I am energized by the prospect of autumn and all of the lovely things
that accompany this time of year.



I tell you this because each spring I have grand plans for the garden.
Those plans always include an autumn garden filled with new
cool weather veggies.
But each late summer, as the heat drags on into early autumn,
and food preservation hits a frenzy,
I am much less enthusiastic about getting back out into the soil
for another go-round.



Yes... now you know it... I am a failed autumn gardener...
who is more enthusiastic about fires, and pumpkins, and sweaters,
and crunch leaves than I am about a continuation
of weeding, watering, and all of the tasks that accompany a garden.



Don't get me wrong...
dreams of gardening is what gets me through the winter.
But, autumn gardening?  Not my passion.
I need to hire myself an autumn gardener.
Because... it would be lovely to continue to have homegrown veggies
to nourish us.
I just can't seem to push myself in that direction.
No, I'd rather bake, and sew, and knit and concoct soups.

In autumn I am drawn toward cocooning myself,
creating, and caring for my home...
turning towards those things that are cozy and welcoming...
like a warm loaf of bread or a steaming bowl of soup.

Is there anything more cozy than freshly baked bread?



We baked these two loaves of rosemary/sea salt sourdough
yesterday.
I can go weeks without a piece of store-bought bread.
But, have a loaf of home-baked handy, and I am cutting off a slab
and slathering it with butter every time I pass the kitchen.

After the bread was out of the oven, I headed to the barn
to relieve Hubbs who was helping the farrier with our herd.



Every eight weeks they all get hooves trimmed.
Healthy horses start with healthy feet!

And then, there are these two...
bookends!
Hoof trimming happened without any temper tantrums...
so that's a good thing.


With freshly trimmed feet, the horses headed out to the front pasture.


Before heading back home, I checked the garden for things that needed
to be picked.
There were a lot of Mexican sour gherkins hanging on the vines,


so I picked them all... and will get them into brine to ferment.
These make just the perfect little dill crunchy bite.
I have three quarts of them already stored in the refrigerator.

The amazing thing is that all of these tiny watermelon cucumbers
(added to the three quarts previously picked)
came off of 6 or 8 plants that I grew from seed.
They are quite prolific.


Of all the flower seeds that I started in the greenhouse this spring,
my favorite has been the gomphrena (globe amaranth).


I pick this patch clean at least once a week, 
and by the time another week rolls around, it is filled back up again.
I have more piles of these flowers drying in the house
than I ever could have imagined harvesting.

It isn't until the end of summer that the morning glories really
come into full bloom.
 

They are one of my favorite summer flowers,
it's a shame we have to wait all summer for them.
I started seeds for this variety in the greenhouse
at the end of the winter...
and still, they are just now starting to bloom.
I will definitely plant this one again... it's beautiful!


 It's that time of year when I try to commit each and every blossom to memory
so that I can conjure up a bouquet in the middle of the winter,
when my world is colored in a palette of browns and greys.


After animal chores were finished,
I was able to finish up two more aprons...


and completed the first third of my challenge to make
thirty aprons in the month of September.
The first eleven are all on their ways to new homes.


Here we are again...
it's Friday!
Planned activities include a day with Tyler.
Unplanned activities... are dependent upon whether a new baby is born
this weekend....
We shall see!

Whatever your weekend looks like...
I hope it is a good one!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Beautiful pictures, have a great weekend
colleen said…
I never tire of seeing your beautiful flowers or sewing projects.
I think Sunday would be a good day for the baby to be born as it's my birthday :) See you Monday. xoxoxoxo
Lynne said…
I am identifying with your musings . . .
the stunning blue morning glory
sending me a grand message . . .
Beautiful post in word and view . . .

Excited to see each september day apron
knowing soon I will be saying, “yes, this one.”
You are an amazing, beautiful, talented woman . . .
jaz@octoberfarm said…
move over because i'm sitting right there on the failed fall planting bench with you! i dream about it but never get around to it. i get too excited for fall and fall always goes by too fast. planting just doesn't feel right. it's so exciting that you are going to be a granny again! i don't know that it is ever happening here.
That variegated morning glory is just magnificent!
Marcia LaRue said…
'Tis the season for soup and baking bread ... the other day I made up a pot of potato soup and yesterday, using a potato that did not make it into the soup pot, I made up 2 loaves of potato bread! LOL
Homemade potato soup and potato bread ... it just can't get much better then that!
Those morning glories are simply glorious!
Have a wonderful weekend!! Stay well ... wear your masks!
littlemancat said…
I'd be eating that bread too! Delicious looking.
One year I had the Picotee Blue morning glory and the stripey one - loved them. Have you ever heard of the Mt.Fuji morning glory? I had those for years too - they're a Japanese m.g., are huge. Mine was a bright pink and white. The leaves are a different shape that the usual heart-shaped leaf. Check them out.
Have a good visit with Tyler. And maybe a new little baby.
Mary

Anonymous said…
Does the gomphrena (globe amaranth) retain the color when dried? You probably will not need to plant your morning glory seed again. Morning glory re-seed, freely, on their own.
This N That said…
Not being a fan of hot and buggy weather, I am always happy to see summer come to an end followed by my favorite season...FALL... Love the colors, fresh air, falling leaves, pumpkins, gourds, I can go on forever.
For you it's a change of activity too... We all need a change from time to time..
Your morning glories are beautiful. They like a lot of room. My Geraniums become prettier in the fall as well.. I see the cooler nights and cooler daytime temperatures. They don't get as streseed..
Have a happy weekend. Hugs
Ann said…
Love the morning glories-- memories of my grandmother's yard! And enjoying your descriptions of fall elements and activities. My favorite time of year when we lived up north.
Karen said…
Your girls may not have had temper tantrums - but they look mighty put out:) Just love those two . . . .well ALL of your sweethearts! Autumn - my favorite time of year - I get positively giddy! Stay well . . . .Karen
I too am ready for fall and crisp weather. But I will miss garden produce and flowers.