Summer Means Gardening To Me!

The paddock in summer!

About this time of year, well usually, it happens in September....it starts feeling like fall is coming. The rain causes some of the leaves to fall from the trees. My goodness, some have already turned red or yellow! We don't hear our birds singing in the early morning hours as they awaken at five-thirty. Nor in the evening just before they go to the sleep. Miss that sound!

Fall!

As much as I love the colors of fall, the brisk air, the smells of the leaves in the forest and the fall crops such as apples, grapes, pumpkins, etc. I dread it too. It means winter is coming. Here in NY we have hard winters. Hard for us because it means snow shoveling and fire wood.

Paths shoveled, panels cleaned off!

Snow is pretty. Everyone ooohs and awwwws over it. Snow shoveling is hard work for my husband. At his age, and with a crushed right arm and a broken back, those jobs are now a major hardship. So right now thoughts of winter aren't so happy around the homestead. That is why I work so hard trying to bring money in to be able to make those jobs easier around here. But it is a constant struggle.

 August garden!

I am trying to squeeze every single second of summer in this last month of summer. Trying to get all the food from the garden I can. Even have replanted one my green and wax bean beds so far. Cherry tomatoes are coming soon. We ate our first cucumbers tonight for supper! Were they ever good! For me, summer IS my garden. I spend my time in the winter planning it. I love working in it all summer. And most especially harvesting our food from it! I am always sad when we have to put it to bed for the winter.

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole