Cooler Weather

 

A miniature cool front must have slipped through, because night temperatures now in the mid to high-60s and the daytime cool enough to leave our doors open and the AC off. I am considering a screen for the front door. With cooler weather, I am able to work longer in the garden without exhaustion. I have weeded most of the front beds, putting down more newspaper and pine straw. In the back, on the north garden, I’ve cut back the maypop passion vine, finding several passion fruit on it, to uncover the roses, sugar berry, and non-native blue porter weed. I’m removing more of the last to have room to add native shrubs. 

I’ve found 3 sweet potatoes from the vines I started, with probably more waiting for me to dig up. Very reinforcing.The white potato plants disappeared under the weeds while we traveled this summer. I wonder if they will resprout next year. They are on their own, because, if I do try more potatoes, it will be in a basket with hay, thus no digging.

The corn, Silver Queen and Burpee’s Triple Crown, is 6 feet tall, and I’m struggling to resist picking the ears too soon. Both varieties of eggplants, Midnight Moon and a purple striped, have lots of fruit and many more flowers. Once again, I’ve planted more than we need, but it doesn’t seem like that when I create their garden bed.

Today, Grant goes to the hand surgeon for what we assume is a final look at his snake-induced injuries, two rounds of antibiotics and an X-ray to check for possible foreign objects (none to be seen), and I attend a Tree Board meeting. Afterwards, we are inventorying our cool weather vegetable seeds in case we need to order more. I’ve already planted Big Boy, Cherokee, and Roma tomatoes and bell, jalapeño, and banana peppers. It’s too early for arugula and lettuce, but that will give me time to figure an anti-bunny solution that won’t kill snakes. Time for cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Thank goodness we don’t have to rely on our gardening skills to feed ourselves.

It has been 2 months since I had the cortisone shot in my shoulder. Meh on the improvement. However, I guess that is to be expected, the opposite of a perk of old age. The saving grace is that I don’t play golf, so I’m only so frustrated.