The pampas grass looks so pretty with its tassels on, but it’s one of many sure signs that autumn is here. Leaves are starting to fall from some trees. After a while our forests will light up with beautiful red and orange colors and the mountain sides will be tapestries of color. The robins are long gone, and in a while the little snow birds will come here, slate colored juncos. Carolina wrens that used to stay here year round had disappeared for a while, but a pair of them are back now. Our bright colored birds, cardinals and blue jays, stay here year round and they and others know there will be food for them that we put out in our yards.
Fall is a sad time for gardeners, since it means things will soon be done for the year. Some things are still producing, like Hopi Lima beans, grown by Native Americans in the south west for generations. They are heavy producers and sturdy plants that don’t have many bugs or diseases that harm them. I’ve picked a lot so far, and am freezing them for winter. Here’s a nice basket of them from today, and there might be a couple more pickings like this.
I grow purple jalapeños for my daughter in law, and most of them are now ripe and bright red. She likes to eat them when they’re red cos they’re hotter.
I have been eating some wonderful sweet peppers and they look so pretty on the plants.
There are some summer squash still trying, tho the plants have a lot of powdery mildew by now. I just picked 2 of these yesterday.
I’ve been gathering some green bean pods that I left dry on the plants for seeds. Hopis too, and then I cure the dried seeds in glass containers on a kitchen window sill just to be sure they’re completely dry.
The grass hoppers are big and so are the crickets. Some crickets have been singing their song as I was taking down tomato plants. After a while their songs will be done. Acorns are falling from the big oak trees at the side of the house. Just as I have been freezing Limas and tomatoes to stow away for winter, every day there are squirrels and chipmunks out back hunting the acorns from those trees. The squirrels run up the trees but the chipmunks are not climbers, so they have to find theirs on the ground. My neighbor has a huge black walnut tree and walnuts are laying around the base, and the squirrels gather and hide them them too. Chipmunks’ teeth aren’t big enough to get thru those strong shells.
Fall is sad to me, but it’s the natural turn of the earth’s wheel as the good earth gets ready to rest. And on we go. We grow older and look forward to more seasons to come. We are thankful for peaceful lives, family and friends, gardens, and the ability to have some good things from the blessings of the earth stored away for winter.
Sir Albert continues to guard his garden, hoping I remembered where I put his hat for winter. Even a sad time in the garden includes some fun. 🙂
Sarasin's thoughts....... 
The jalapeños and the sweet peppers are looking delicious. Fall is sad to me too, I’m already longing for spring 2019… 😉
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Same to you Herman; hoping you and Mr. Bowie have some fun and treats planned. Fall means the garden is ending and it’s such an important part of life to me. And winter is long and ugly…..oh. Be well my friend.
Is that pampas grass a species of Cortaderia?! I just wrote something about a Cortaderia recently. It is such a serious weed here that I can not imagine growing it in a home garden. What does Sir Albert think about it?
I don’t remember what kind it was. A landscaper guy got it for me when he did some ground work for me in that area. It’s spreading some but not a problem; it’s been there maybe 5 years. Albert thinks it really nice. He likes the tassels especially. 😉
Well, I do not want to argue with Sir Albert!
I don’t argue with him. 🙂
That is a good plan.
It is sad to see the garden season ending, but you can think back upon all your beautiful successes and the lovely produce that came into your kitchen and smile. You did good!
carolee thanks for visiting my blog and for your nice comments! I take garden pictures and enjoy looking thru them in the cold of winter. And when the snow and ice fly, it’s so nice to open the freezer and take out good things to eat, and know they grew right outside, with TLC as part of the process. 🙂 And when the land is flat and maybe white, gardeners sit and plan next year’s garden. I’ll checkout your blog; maybe you feel the gardening love too.