It was a bit alarming on Monday when the rapidly moving storm crossed over the Vineyard. All our cellphones went off to warn us of a possible tornado and to seek shelter. It is just such a time when I covet the basements of friends and neighbors. I wish I had one.

The odd thing was that even the old cellphones that are no longer in service went off in the junk drawer. I’ll never figure out the digital age.

Last week Violet took a photo of a still-blooming variegated felicia (aka Blue Daisy( in the nick of time. It froze that very night. I used it in some ornamental pots this summer. Besides an occasional dead-heading, it performed well and hung on until the bitter end.

This week Violet took a shot of some bread that my great-grandson, Zappa, helped me make. How I raised children is beyond me. I forgot what “help” from a two year old entailed.

I still have an inordinate amount of leeks. I sautéed up a big pot of them in a little cooking wine and olive oil. I added an entire stick of butter and hit it with the hand-held blender. I froze it in little containers as a starter kit for some soups and/or stews later this winter.

I grew dahlias from seed for the past several years. I’ve started leaving them in the ground to over-winter. Many came back this past spring so I am going for year two. I do store some large tubers for customers, though, and was pleased to have another use for the Covid mask. It prevented inhaling the dry peat moss in which I store them.

Speaking of Covid, my family has decided to forgo a Thanksgiving gathering this year. Sadly, I won’t have leftover ideas next week. I’ve made a commitment, however, to be grateful for all I do have. Giving thanks is the whole idea, after all.

The perennial beds are looking mighty sad. I like to leave some seed heads (is echinacea) for the birds but shabby could be a word to describe the overall effect. This is with the exception of heuchera, aka coral bells. They look great, especially the lime green and caramel colored ones. I put a few short daffodils (Tête-à-tête) around them to further highlight them in the spring.

It looks like there is a tiny crack in the dam. Trump has reluctantly begun to accept some transition to a new sheriff in town. In the interview with Barrack Obama about his new book, he called George W. Bush a good man and a patriot. He told of the help in his transition from the out-going President and the Bush twin daughters. Up until now this has been the American way. Those former Presidents are always remembered for the gracious way they leave office. In my lifetime the only transfer from the same party was Reagan to H.W. Bush. Nobody cares for the polices of the opposing party but most of us play nicely with others. We learn that skill in pre-school.