I love fall on the Vineyard. Growing up in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania, it wasn’t unusual to have snow on the ground by Halloween. By Thanksgiving, my cousins and I would be sled riding before the big dinner. We have yet to have a freeze or even a light frost. I feel it coming, however and have been scurrying around hauling tender potted plants into the greenhouse. They can spend a few weeks in there before the move into the house. Often, it is shocking to them to go from cool nights outside into a heated house. I’m speaking as if I have a heated house. So far, a simple wood fire has only been set once or twice.

Big thanks to son, Reuben and grandson, Michael who spent a few Sundays splitting logs. Violet has staked several truck loads neatly. It pays off to have children and grandchildren (eventually!).

For years, I have saved some of my garlic harvest to replant in the Fall. I use the biggest bulbs. I noticed that my crop has dwindled in size over the years, so this year I purchased some new stock from a seed company. You don’t even want to know how much I spent. Yikes! The order arrived this week. I am so irritated. Each bulb was individually wrapped in a little plastic net bag with a plastic label attached to each bag. I spend so much mental energy trying to avoid plastic wrapping material and am smug about growing most of my own food. I hate contributing to global warming and/or pollution of our oceans. Sometimes it seems downright hopeless.

What is hopeful, conversely, is how hard nature fights back. I planted a tiny six-inch tall twig purchased at the Felix Neck Seedling Sale in 1977. It is at least 30 feet taller than my two-story house. Since it is a beautiful sugar maple tree, the fallen leaves are decorating the perennial flower beds. The sun lights up the leaves remaining on the tree. It is striking to behold.

I took apart some ornamental pots, which contained some impressive tuberous begonias. I tried repotting them for the house last year with no success. This year I’m going to save just the tubers stored in peat moss and hope for the best. It’s a method that works well for dahlias.

Last spring I started some lavender from seed and moved the tiny seedlings into four-inch pots. Then, as one does, I completely forgot and ignored them until this past week. They all lived, wonder of wonders, and hopefully I’ll fine them a new home in the ground. It’s funny how a person’s must do list turns in a might get to!

Is it just me or have we had an endless presidential election cycle? Maybe it’s just the non-stop coverage of DJT for the last nine years. I’m tired!!