I wish I could stop myself from watching weather forecasts. By the time this hits the newsstands we should be in the throes of a northeaster. We’ll see. My problem is that I get riled up and start planning for the worst — locating candles, getting extra water set aside, picking up various wind-prone items in the yard and generally worrying. The irony is that I tend to enjoy a forced-to-stay-at-home storm. I love seeing Mother Nature at her wildest.
I try to live my outdoor life by the old adage, “There is no bad weather — only inappropriate clothing.”
This week we passed the fall equinox so now fall gardening can begin in earnest. I drove by the large field at the big curve near the West Tisbury cemetery. It was simply beautiful with its fully blooming buckwheat. How I wish I had planted my own. Like a nut case, I bought 50-pound bags of it and winter rye a few years ago. Good thing I have a large freezer.
Buckwheat, an annual cover crop, does not want to experience a freeze so it’s too late this year. However, I hope I haul out the winter rye in the next few weeks. In order to plant it, the vegetable garden needs some serious cleaning up.
Most of the summer crops have seen better days. I picked the best of the cucumbers and a lone zucchini. I take my life in my hands simply walking through the tangle.
Speaking of tangle, the pumpkin patch put out its best effort this year. I keep finding them as they turn orange.
As usual, my plans may be a bit ambitious. I washed tons of canning jars so they will be ready to receive the cooked pureé. There are so many uses of the product over the winter — soups and our favorite: a baked egg and pumpkin dessert.
I wonder how some foods are actually so cheap. For example, my black eyed peas finally finished drying. After opening the diced pods — no quick task, I barely have enough for a couple of winter meals.
We are still processing grapes. Again, the amount of work to produce a single quart jar of the juice is remarkable.
This is completely anticipatable but it seems apple trees only yield a decent crop every other year. My own tree produced just a few this year but last season I canned at least 50 pints of sauce. Good thing I still have tons of it left.
I am going to say another old person’s thing. Why are socks all made too tight now? I cannot find any that don’t cut off circulation. I have been noticing people’s feet of late and have seen many little cuts in the tops of their socks. It’s concerning and comforting to know I’m not alone.
I’m still steamed about the paving over of Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden. Don’t even get me started about the East Wing! Now The Kennedy Center is at risk.
JFK and Jackie were huge fans of the arts. He wanted a performing arts center and did a huge fundraiser for a possible institution in Washington. A seven-year-old Yo Yo Ma performed at that fundraiser in 1962.
What, I wonder, does DJT have against the Kennedys, other than his need to always be number one and the best of everything? Our country is in trouble.
This article appears in September 25 2026.