Some of the up-Island fields were covered in frost Monday morning. I had some spotty areas that were hit with a not-yet-killing freeze.
Part of me is glad. I would like to get the dahlias lifted and put away for winter. On the other hand, it is sad to say goodbye to the tender annuals and vegetables.
The vines for the sweet potatoes took a hit. Luckily, the underground crop was still good. They were smaller this year than in the past. I have no one to blame but myself. I did not get them planted in a timely fashion. I love growing them. They store well for months and can get a quick scrub and bake when the day’s tasks take up much of supper preparation time.
On the job sites, it’s time to begin the cutbacks and general clean-up. I love how fall work, as opposed to the spring chores, does not have the same sense of urgency.
Because of our proximity to the still warm ocean, we have a long fall of outdoor activities. Some of the gardens still look so nice, I don’t have the heart to cut everything, even though there is no one on the property until next late spring.
Perhaps the birds and bees are still enjoying the blooms and seeds.
Speaking of bees, I have a large ornamental pot that has some resealed tiny blue wild asters. Every morning, the flowers are covered with still-sleeping bees — both honey and bumble. I bet I could reach out and pet one.
I did come across a bedraggled Snow Fairy caryopteris. In its better days, it had variegated leaves and tiny blue flowers. Because of its unpleasant smell, it is never bothered by deer.
I hate it when I don’t know everything — I should live by the Olympia Dukakis role in Moonstruck. She told a man, “What you don’t know is a lot.”
Anyway, I cut the caryopteris to the ground — oops! Should have waited until spring.
What cannot wait until spring is the preservation of summer’s bounty. I grew many Connecticut Field Pumpkins. Originally, I hoped for a few fall decorations. The large ones for sale are going for almost $30.
Never did I expect such a harvest. Not being a person to waste food, I’ve been busy processing. It is a lot of work. After pulling the innards, baking and skinning, I hit the chunks with the hand-held blender.
The resulting purée can be popped into pint jars and placed into the pressure cooker. Pumpkin takes 65 minutes at 10 pounds pressure so a lot of time is spent puttering around the kitchen keeping an eye on the pressure gauge.
I wonder what Vladimir Putin has on Donald Trump? The latest two moves have shown Trump’s true colors. He has sided with the murderous dictator who launched the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Elon Musk cutting off Starlink so that Ukraine can no longer detect Russian incoming drone attacks.
Let’s remember that we (the Western alliance) pledged to protect Ukraine if they gave up their nuclear weapons in the 90s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
We have a long history of breaking our agreements, sadly. Just ask a Native American.