Rain, rain, go away

We stayed in the house Sat and chose not to rake leaves on a perfectly sunny day. It was a bit windy, but generally dry. As quickly as the sun went down, so did the temperature and up came the forcast for more rain.
We had one of the dryest summers on record in Minneapolis, but somehow we've almost caught up to the average rainfall totals for the season, and it all came in October.
I love the soft cool rains we've been having, but it's not terribly conducive to raking leaves and winterizing the flower gardens. Do I need to cover the roses with leaves...or will that lead to additional rodents hibernating beneath the grass and leaves? I just want to get the slippery wet muck off the lawn before the white fluffy stuff falls, and then it's too late to do anything with it. When spring comes, I'd hate to see what black muddy muck is laying on the grass.
"Oh rainy days and Mondays always get me down."

Ragedy Ann - by Mindy Smith

Humming and feeling the words of this song in so many ways. Thank you, Jesus, for holding me together when the world feels so far away from you.
Putting my hope in eternity is so much deeper than just pretending and feeling like everything is okay. I pray my faith continues to be strengthened - and that yours would be, too, as you read this.

"Raggedy Ann"

These hand me downs I am wearing
Are worn at the knees, color faded...yeah
All the little children are laughing.
I'm trying to find a reason to keep from cryin'...yeah

I'm just a little girl,
I'm Rageddy Ann
Making Believe I'm happy, hey...Rageddy Ann
Falling apart at the seams.

The tears that I covered with patches
Red yellow paterns left in old matches, yeah
Where I have them sewn with black stiches
are made exposed to be soiled and tattered, hey.

I'm just a little girl
I'm Rageddy Ann
Making believe I'm happy, hey...Rageddy Ann
Falling apart at the seams...

So when did I get so broken?
I wouldn't notice...
Everything just breaks away from me.
Hey! When did I get so broken?
I wouldn't notice...
Everything important leaving me.
Falling apart at the seams.

All the busy people keep walking away
Cause they can't see me...anything...yeah.
Everyday it gets a little harder to believe in magic people, yeah.

I'm just a little girl
I'm Rageddy Ann
Making believe I'm happy, yeah...Rageddy Ann.
Falling apart at the seams.

The last edibles of the season

So I made some potato soup in the crockpot today - added a little ham and strolled over to the garden before the rain came and grabbed some very large green onions from the garden. They smelled so good, and chives and green onions are really the only thing still awake in that section. When I mentioned to a co-worker that I was going to pick onions, she quizzically said "Didn't you say you pulled everything from your garden?" Yup, I did, but these continue to survive the crazy fall weather.

So is my parsley. I had the herbs in a rectangular pot on the deck and the basil and cilantro are long gone. Wish I would have thought to bring them in before the first snowfall. But, the fresh parsley that was planted side by side to the basil is still a vibrant bright green and thicker than ever. It smells lovely and what a wonderful addition to make a garnish for othewise boring meals. It'll soon be time to let them go as well, and retire the pot to the shed for the winter.

Mmmmmm...warm potato soup on a cold rainy October night. Toasty baguette, a little olive oil and the family is happy. I'm so greatful for the earth and being able to harvest some goodies still.

Landscaping dreams

So we finally got the yard mowed today after 3 weeks of neglect. Last weekend we raked leaves, branches and miscellaneous debris from the front lawn, and I believe we put winterizing fertilizer down right after we mowed the last time. Our yard looks lush and green now, funny, mostly because our autumn has been so wet. The sump pump continues to push the ground water out of our basement and right into the back yard. I'm grateful that the system is working as it is meant to...but our back yard is really mushy and wet. The grass was hard to mow back there. My hubby even had the nerve to ask me if it was okay to mow over my hostas. I reminded him that he did that last time anyways, so what's the difference? We laughed. I have landscaping dreams for the backyard. These two little hosta plants are just starters anyhow. I got them from a friend, so not a big deal if they don't survive. I planted them beneath the back patio deck and I figured the shade would be a good place, but I didn't give them any special soil or put them in a place all their own. I simply dug a couple of holes in the yard and planted them.

I love our home, and the wonderful screened in porch and enormous patio deck that is attached to it. We live outside on that screened in porch all summer long, that now since it's been a bit cooler, I feel like my living space has shrunk...and in all practicality, it has. Maybe I'll now get motivated to clean up the lower level - naw - I'll wait a little longer.

Anyhow, I have dreams of making the space in the back yard even more suited to entertain in/on. I want to add paving blocks and create a terrace section off of the stairs from the deck, and down into the sand pit. You see, the sand was left when the previous owners removed the above ground pool. The large deck that we now enjoy is where the deck of the pool was, and they just finished it off to complete the rectangle. So, we get to enjoy the adjustments, and dream about what the area could be. All this summer, my kids played in that giant kitty litter box and really enjoyed digging, planting weeds and maple seedlings, and making sandy mud pies. The wood retaining wall that holds up the section that surrounded the pool and sand is slowly giving way. Eventually it will need to be replaced, and it's already becoming a hazard to whoever steps near it. I am dreaming of a beautiful stone or brick retaining wall surrounding a paved patio with a possible bonfire pit. I'm looking forward to actually creating something to hide what's under the deck, and bring it up to the bottom of the deck, and plant those hostas and some annuals right across the top of the wall. Hmmm...I wonder how some vines would look crawling up a retaining wall. Maybe some morning glories? The wall would also lead to ease in mowing, and no questions on whether or not to mow right up to the edge of the brick or stone wall.

A friend of mine has a beautiful home in Minneapolis that he had put in a large stone retaining wall in his front yard next to the sidewalk. The pictures are gorgeous, and I would love something like that. The rocks are about 24-36 inches across and stacked like the side of a huge cliff on the north shore of Lake Superior. Rocks are symbolically meaningful to me, and there's a huge one in our back yard and one in the front yard garden. They were signs to me to purchase this house. Signs that God was present, and that he would provide for us. So far, 10 months in, we're feeling settled, safe, and comfortable. If He is present in my dreams for this backyard like He is for me in so many things...then I'd better take it seriously. I mean, really, I love to dream. But, finances have always gotten in the way. We make a modest income and enough to pay the bills each month and put away a little money for emergencies. We need to budget for a project like paving blocks and retaining walls. This is going to require a large sum of cash. And since cash is the only way we pay for stuff now, I'd better get started. It may take us a few years, but if I can just consider doing one section at a time, and building on it little by little, perhaps I'll have enough time to really get educated and learn how to do it ourselves.

I'm also wondering about that wet, soggy spot in the grass. I wonder if we could manage a rock water run-off and a lower spot for another garden section for native plants that thrive on soggy conditions. Next year's budget may include money for a rain barrel as well. If we get any rain early in the season, it may help to off set the city water bill we pay. I'm planning a spot for a compost pile next spring, and if our neighbors stick around, it may be for 2 families. Grass clippings, dry leaves, branches, etc. I'm so intrigued by greener, more self-sufficient ways to live in the suburbs. It's not easy, nor is it cheap. But, theoretically, it will save money and be healthier for my family and the planet. That rock water run-off sounds pretty, but maybe difficult to mow around, too. We'll have to sketch it out before we make any real plans.

Speaking of which, I'll purchase some graph paper and get started on these dreams this winter. It should be fun to wonder about the spring while watching the white cover the world around us.

I'm almost ready for it now. A week ago it was too early. But, after having some Indian Summer this weekend, I guess I'm okay with letting the cold temps come. Maybe lots of snow would lend to better soil options for my gardens next spring. Oh, the possibilities.

So...what do I do now?

The first snow of winter has come only days after the autumnal equinox. MN is a crazy place to grow outdoor plants. And the wet, rainy, snowy, cold, yucky weather has not helped the end of the vegetable garden season. I did manage to gather the remaining (although small) green tomatoes, jalapenos, one green pepper and the only actual egg sized eggplant prior to any frost or freeze warning hit. They sit on my kitchen counter, buzzed often by fruit flies that I can't seem to get rid of, and they are dwindling in numbers as we continue to endulge in fresh produce from our own land.

I work at a full time job that I love, but it's keeping me from getting outside and even keeping me from staying inside to blog. The reality has been that I've not been electronically connected outside of work hours for a while, and I have neglected my own sense of writing. Yes, my sense of writing. I don't even know how to be creative anymore. I'm stuck in details and spreadsheets, room reservations and financial deposits. I'm troubleshooting and strategizing, looking at systems and wondering about possibilities and outside the box thinking all the while having to work within the box like a fence with no gate. It's not a big plastic bubble or a cage by any means...just a large fenced in box. Similar to the fence I keep around the veggie garden. It's not big, and it doesn't keep a lot of the pests out, but it contains the organized chaos of weeds, plants, and stuff that's been growing there for a long time but no one has had the guts to prune and replant in another place.

Yards and yards - (I haven't relaly measured the perimeter) of two foot tall green plastic mesh surrounds the space where I settled my vegetable plants with a large salvia momma and lavendar bush right in the middle of all the edibles. Although looking back at my first endeavor at growing my own food for our family has been interesting, I think I learned a lot about climate, soil, water, insects, pollination, organic and non organic gardening, tools, budget, seeds vs. seedlings, and types of food and herbs. Yes, I did have pests...ants, grasshoppers, and my least favorite rodents who actually chomped down on only the ripest of tomatoes while still on the vine. I have photos, but somehow they're just so painful to look at. I lost more tomatoes per day than I could count on one hand...and right at the peak of harvest. Bummer. Bummer. Bummer. They looked like they tasted good. I'll bet they did, and that's why the little buggers kept coming back for more.

So...where do I go? What do I do now? There is still so much gardening to be done...so I'm praying that the weather will be close to average this weekend so I can pull the rest of the dead brush and clean up wet leaves that have fallen in their green state only to be soggy brown or black on the lawn. Funny, but our gorgeous maple tree in the backyard still has most of its leaves, and they are, too, still greenish yellow.

No brilliant vibrant fall colors on the trees - but the mix of perennials in the front yard are a joy to watch. Even beneath a light covering of white - the sedums, purple asters and yes, fushia colored tea roses are still reflecting the light of God's glorious splendour. What fun to drive up to the house and view the hard work I've put into the landscape this year. So, our lawn hasn't been mowed in almost 3 weeks due to wet weather...so what? It's interesting to see the deep green show up when it was so brown and dry all summer long. The snow has melted for today...but it's going to come back, as it always does. Maybe I can do something to prepare for next year in the end of this one. Maybe I can gather some leaves, pull some weeds, settle some soil so it will overwinter well. Preventing some of the issues I had this spring so they don't happen as fully next spring is what I'd like to do. That means work outside - where God speaks to me as my hands touch the soil, and smell the organic remains of my once fruitful plants. Oh, I can only hope that I get a chance to get out there soon. I miss being in the garden, pulling weeds, checking for fruit, looking for the hole in the fence where the rodents came in...and planning a bigger better fence next spring.