Here it comes

Skeleton shadow on umbrella top

The change in the seasons from Summer to Autumn, I've been feeling it for the last couple of days, in fact I threw a small cotton quilt on the bed a couple of nights ago because around the wee early hours of the morning there is a distinct chill in the air, and I still have the windows wide open to catch the fresh air. Very welcome I must say from waking up to 80+ degrees I much prefer 60+.

I was out looking at my new vegetable beds that my husband is constructing and they do look magnificent, only two more to go as in filled with soil, then the timed irrigation/drip system. Will also put arches over the beds so that in winter I can place clear plastic over them and in the long hot summer shade cloth. Helps ensure that we get the maximum growing season out of the raised beds. I have my seeds lined up.

In fact, last week I got a spurt of organisation going and finally found a great use for the vintage bottle crate my daughter gave me several years ago. I am going to use it for my seed packages, looks very pretty. I have one more place I need to order some seeds from which just happens to be the oldest seed nursery in the USA. The seed company is Japanese owned and is located in Oakland, California. Be sure to read about their history, and is called Kitazawa Seed Company. In fact this year I shall be ordering some special things as holiday gifts from them. 

The raised beds are made from cedar and we had to wait weeks for a delivery to come down from Oregon, which means that my Autumn planting was delayed. But four are now done and only two more to fill with dirt and stuff. I'll still have to wait until the water system is in otherwise the seeds will burn up in the sun, it is still rather warm and sometimes downright hot at this time of the year.

Zadie's candy (Sungold)

I still have a good crop of small cherry type tomatoes, black cherry, sungold and green doctors. The sungold I am called Zadie's garden candy. She makes a beeline to this tomato plant steadies her feet and reaches up with pudgy little fingers and pops tomatoes into her mouth, seeds sometimes spurt out and you have to duck so that you don't get seed spurted on.

Black Cherry

Green Doctors

I still have quite a few vegetables that are producing rather well, Curly Kale, a volunteer Tomatillo that has taken over the pathway and I didn't have the heart to dig up when I should have. Several Peppers, Eggplants, and of course the lovely Okra. I have a new crop of Kumquats forming and this year I am prepared for frost, I've strung tiny globe lights over three sets of arches, hooked them to a timer so at night the heat will be just enough from the bulbs to keep the citrus from freezing, well that's my plan.

Yesterday was very productive in the kitchen, I made several batches of unsweetened applesauce, packaged them then popped them into the freezer. Also dried loads of apple slices, now they are stored for winter (I'm feeling like a squirrel all of a sudden). And drumroll made a batch of Tomatillo and Apple Salsa, all canned and labelled. Picked up all the apples that were on the ground, bagged them and gave them to Ted for Karen's chickens (her chickens lay wonderful eggs). All in all I am feeling rather chuffed with myself. I know it's awful to feel smug, but I do. Thank you world!!

Crazy Tomatillo

White Eggplant

Okra pods