 |
| Autumn Greetings |
Song Time/Falling Leaves Time was ushered in with the September Harvest Moon.
 |
| An interesting moon shot |
Bob got a shot of it when the heavy cloud cover briefly parted.
This month has been very busy with the garden. Until this week we had warm and beautiful weather. It was ideal for finishing the harvest and cleaning up the garden.
 |
| Beet harvesting |
Beets and carrots have been pulled and stored. The potatoes are all in the root cellar.
 |
| Three kinds of potatoes |
The beans are all in the cellar waiting to be threshed (13 bushels worth). Threshing begins in about a month.
 |
| Applesauce making |
I made applesauce and both freezers are now full.
 |
| Bob helps dry apples |
Right now, we're dehydrating apple slices.
Bob's shiitake logs had one final flush for the season. These mushrooms were dried for tasty soups this winter.
 |
| A good mushroom harvest |
All that remains to be put up are horseradish and a crock of spicy sunchokes. We typically do these on Thanksgiving weekend.
 |
| Shoveling compost over straw |
While I was finishing the harvests, Bob began weeding and amending the empty beds with compost.
 |
| Pulling off bean vines |
I helped by pulling out the tomatoes, eggplants and peppers and cleaning off all of those bean trellises.
The upcoming week is supposed to be dry and warmer again, so our goal is to have the cleanup and amending all done by the end of October.
 |
| Firewood assembly line |
Bob cut his medium wood today. This is wood that is too large to break by hand, and too small for the chainsaw. He's come up with a handy way to cut it into stove length pieces. He sets up his compound miter saw and has the bin filled in no time at all.
On a warm day next week, he'll fill the wood bin in the cellar with regular stove logs which are already cut. We had our little "seasoning" fire in the stove just a couple of nights ago, so we're all ready for the cold weather.
 |
| Cayuga Lake |
We got away for one walk this month. We went to Cayuga Wildlife Management Area (formerly known as Bell Station Preserve). It was peaceful with nice views of Cayuga Lake.
We are now in the season when we readjust our balance. We shift from a focus on providing for our physical needs, to a focus of providing for our inner needs. From growing, harvesting and preserving, to rest, creative endeavors and activities to feed our inner selves.
So now we gather the books, and I pick up the needles and we sit by the fire. We take time to think and to listen. A pot of tea and good music will be our companions. Nature rests and so do we.
We hope all of you can practice at least some of this, for your wellbeing, as well as for those whose lives you touch.
We bid you peaceful rest.
Till next time,
Kathleen and Bob
 |
| Happy Shiitake log |
 |
| At Cayuga Wildlife Area |
