September 2024

Fall Crocus blooming kicks me into gear to harvest seeds, wind up hoses, dig dahlias, put tools away, and get used to the lovely days of fall, while trying not to think about winter coming. Especially when a "La Nina" winter is predicted.

The fall crocus blooms are mostly gone at the end of September, but I did manage to get a swim in on the last day of the month. The lake is cold enough now to qualify as "cold therapy" I think, but the sunshine still feels somewhat like summer.

The first real rain brought out an abundant crop of mushrooms. Lots of Chantrelle, and "new to me" edible Lobster mushroom. These first ones I found were identified for me by my mushroom group on Facebook, so I went back and found some fresh ones that were still edible.

We're still harvesting apples - this has been a bumper crop year for all the apple trees. I think we can leave the rest for the three not so little fawns. The mother deer has abandoned them. They no longer have spots and are wandering around the garden and orchard forlornly finishing off what they can reach. As big of a problem they are, we still get attached to them as we begin to recognize them. "Look, that one has tiny horns now" Ron said yesterday. So far we haven't named them...