Sweet October

Let me begin with one of my favorite quotes. It’s straight out of Anne of Green Gables. Lucy Maud Montgomery in one of her finest said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

My sugar maple is putting on its best show. There is a lovely stand of honey locusts in front of down Island Cronig’s. The yellow leaves are eye-catching even when driving by.

I’m not so fond of the house chestnuts this time of year. I made the mistake of parking under one recently. It’s a wonder that the falling nuts did not break the car window. Plus, walking was treacherous. There were many ankle breakers underfoot.

I had a job cleaning up a spent vegetable garden for summer residents. It was bordered by sad looking marigolds. As I was pulling them, much to my delight, I found many tiny seedlings. Some were even blooming at an inch tall. I guess they are trying to get their reproduction done quickly, what with winter approaching.

Now that goldenrod is finishing its cheerful bloom, the fields are full of tiny light blue asters. There are some along the stone wall at the entrance to Seven Gates on North Road.

In my own vegetable garden, I’ve been doing some serious harvesting. Finally the new growth on the collards is free of bug damage. I cut all the chewed leaves and tossed them into the chicken yard. 

I had a single Sungold tomato plant. It’s remarkable how much it has produced. I’m still picking a small container every day. I never staked or weeded it but yet here it is sprawled all over doing its job.

We’ve been cutting them in half and filling spaghetti squash with them along with our new favorite cheese from Ghost Island Farm: Four Fat Fowl. It’s a type of brie. 

I might be too old and now crabby for this world. I am so steamed about Verizon getting rid of land lines. I’ve had the same number and phone (a rotary) for over 50 years. It works even in the event of a power outage. It always has service and is comfortably by my shoulder while doing tasks with two hands. I cannot even imagine how folks feel about data centers going up in their backyards.

It’s a good thing I love working outside with my hands in the dirt. I must encourage you, dear reader, to grow something, if only in a sunny window. 

Now is the time to haul out some big jars and start growing alfalfa sprouts. We are fond of the fenugreek sprouts as well. SBS has some screen tops that fit mason jars. A simple rinse twice a day will yield salad makings in a weeks time. 

Also, pea shoots will grow in plant pots, or you could make a quick trip to Ghost Island. Rusty grows pea shoots year round.

The present day GOP has accomplished little to nothing of any value for the everyday American citizen. They have forgotten that they are an equal branch of our government. 

Under the so-called leadership of Mike Johnson and John Thune, they are incapable of shame and/or embarrassment. To wit: the hearings trying to discredit special council Jack Smith.

I’ll help them out here. I’m embarrassed.