The Season

The Season...

Jeff's co workers getting the garden beds ready for us to plant

The garden is flourishing!

     As we come to the end of yet another garden season here in west Michigan I find myself both looking back and analyzing how the garden did this year (very well as these pics show!) and  thinking ahead to next year and planning!  The garden did very well this summer despite the heat waves!  I watered a lot to make up for the lack of rain and that effort paid off.  We had planted beans, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions and pea pods.  We also have rhubarb.   The peas didn't do as well this year as in the years past but we also planted them later that usual so that may have been part of the problem.  Jeff had wanted to to beans again but did not want potatoes this year.  I love to grow potatoes and next your will go back to that but will probably skip the beans.  I like beans but, they are cheap enough in the summer and I'd rather use the space for the potatoes.

Garden in mid July

     I did notice a curious "plant" growing among the lettuce this summer and decided to let it be and see what happened.  I suspected I knew what it was and if I was right, well, bonus:)  In Sept., when I was pulling up the last of the lettuce that had bolted, I pulled up the mysterious plant and to my delight, I was right!  I had potatoes:)  Red potatoes.  You see, we compost everything and then use that lovely compost to fill our raised beds.  It seems, a stow away potato must have taken root and grew a lovely bowl full of red potatoes for me!  Happy day:)

Oh so many green goodies:)

Another good day of harvesting:)

  Sadly, like so many others, Jeff's fruit trees did not produce any fruit this year.  The odd spring weather got the best of them:(  Hopefully, next year will be a better year for them! 

My herbs, which are one of my favorite things to grow, did very well! The time came, sadly though, to cut the last of the basil.  Fresh basil is one of the best things about summer!  I  froze some and made my annual huge batch of pesto to freeze as well so I can enjoy it all winter long:)

I grow my herbs by the back deck so I can dash out and cut it fresh while cooking:)

     I am hearing so much about folks canning again!  It is good to know it is not a "lost art!"  I canned for years and did a lot of freezing too.  Salsa and jams were my favorites.  Now, with it being just me, I recently sold what I had left of my canning supplies.  I love to garden and enjoy the "fruits of my labor" but will just enjoy it most of it fresh and share the bounty with others! 

Garden is "put to bed" for the winter

I will say, I am a bit sad to see the end of the season but I am also looking forward to a bit more "free" time.  The garden and yard eats up many hours of my time.  Chase has done the mowing for me which was wonderful but, keeping up with everything else was becoming difficult and it was starting to get away from me.
Give me a month tho and I will likely be planning next years garden (already am in  my head!) and other yard projects!  I know I want to pull out an old leggy lilac out and replace it with a tree that Jeff had wanted and also have an end of the driveway project in mind as well.  I really do enjoy spending the time outside, getting my hands in the dirt and seeing the "fruits" (or herbs or veggies or flowers) of my labors but for now I will enjoy the break.
For now, I will enjoy Autumn and its beauty and "Make every moment count!"

(((Hugs)))
 Brenda