Back in the Saddle Again...

I know, I know, it's been far too long since I've posted. And I've missed it terribly. Between some very busy family time, then a long stretch with a defunct camera, blogging has fallen away from me. But it's been in my mind the whole time. So enough talk of all that, I'm jumping back in, even though my camera is still broken and I'm making the point n' shoot span the gap. Good pictures may not be with me for a while, but the words still work.

I've put my garden to bed for the winter. Come October, I'm gardened out. Or could it be that I just really hate cutting down plants and doing that necessary drudge work? I think so. Although, once I'm doing it, I love it. I love the clean slate and feeling of preparation that comes from having tidy garden beds ready for foul weather.

Some late summer garden bits:

**Late blight hit my gorgeous tomatoes. I had to cut down all my big luscious heirlooms. Tears rolled silently down my face. My husband was very supportive and held the trash bag for me while I dumped my sorely afflicted beauties in. I diligently worked for days to save the others. All went well for weeks. Then I went on vacation, and the vile thing crept in while I was away. All was lost within a week or two.

**I was fortunate that my zucchini were never adversely affected by the squash vine borer this year. In fact, I still have two humongous mutants sitting on my kitchen counter. I just couldn't take them anymore, so there they sit, staring at me.

**No more traveling in August for me. Everything is ready for harvest in August and I was away for two out of three weeks, right during prime time. I missed too much of the good action.

**Somebody smack me upside the head before I plant so many banana peppers next year, okay? There are only so many stuffed peppers and pickled hot pepper rings a family can eat. And I've also decided that we only need a half of a jalapeno plant, too. Maybe those hybrid geneticists can work on that for me. The trials and tribulations of good dirt! :-)

**My heirloom bed around the vegetable garden was a raucous success. A jumble of interesting heirlooms, mostly annuals, but all huge. Beware mushroom/topsoil mix, you may get much bigger plants than you bargained for! I'm expecting an onslaught of nicotiana and amaranthus next year. Millions of seeds scattered themselves.

"My garden is never as good as it will be next year." Don't know who said it, but it sure applies to me!

Cheers,
Donna