Fall 2008 News
Dear Friends,
Fall is officially here and starting to show off the best it has to offer with cool mornings and abundant sunshine. My paperbark birch, that amazed me with its contortionist abilities during the ice storm when it bent completely parallel to the ground, is turning a brilliant golden yellow. A few of the maples are just blushing as a prelude to the hot crimson that is to come. As much as I love spring with the first asparagus spears, I love fall with its’ colorful end to the harvest season. I had my best growing season yet – the fruit trees were spectacular with their record yields. I still have tomatoes waiting on me to pick them, sort the greens from the reds, and store them in layers of newspaper in the garage. They should keep us eating real tomatoes for weeks to come. It’s the saddest day when there are no more summer-tasting toms left. But at least we will have lots of yummy canned tomatoes, salsa, and marinara well through the winter.
We have all but given up baiting the trap in the hopes of catching the fox, since all we ever catch is Midge, the neighbor’s boxer. She doesn’t mind spending the night stuffed in the trap when the trade off is a plate of yummy chicken livers! Jack and Odin are secretly friends with Midge when I am not around. When I come outside and catch them frolicking with her, Jack suddenly feigns aggression and chases her off back to her farm. Even though my boys are neutered, they still have a deep appreciation for Midge when she’s in heat. She is quite the hussy, sneaking around trying to spark their interest!
Yesterday, we cleared the long path through the woods in anticipation of Halloween when we host our friends for a walk through the haunted woods. Our friends come for dinner, and the moms and kids walk with lanterns through the woods while the dads provide the scares by hiding and popping out with masks and scary props. Everyone has great fun, but Jack and Odin do not like it one bit. Odin is afraid of the dark anyway. So, while walking to the woods yesterday, we noticed a dead critter by the herb garden. Upon closer inspection, we recognized it as a badly decaying cat. After finding the rear potion of a dog’s carcass last spring, we really thought nothing of it! It’s funny how country life hardens one to the horrors of death. Four years ago, I would have freaked. Now, Steve just casually says that he’ll need to go get the shovel for this one, and I agree suggesting he get a trash bag too. Ethan is intrigued by the small insects helping with the decomposition, and when Amy catches up, she hears about the dead kitty and turns back to go have look for herself. She pokes it with a stick in fascination, then goes off to the huge dirt pile to play with Ethan – no big deal.
Our construction is coming along. The drywallers are here today, so I sit writing in a haze of drywall dust. Even though we have plywood covering the entrance to the addition, the dust creeps in and covers everything! But, this inconvenience means we are getting closer to our first night in our old bed. Right now, we are sleeping in the guest bed and our big comfy bed is in pieces in the garage. I picked awesome plumbing fixtures, and I even dream about seeing them in their respective places in my new bathroom. To say I am anxiously anticipating using my new shower is understating things a bit. I am more excited than all of the Christmas eves of my entire childhood combined! Our pond is completed and I am waiting on the grass seed to grow so I can send a before and after picture.
Check the website for an update on what’s fresh from the gardens – www.lalasheirloomproduce.com
-Lori