The oak leaves have their mature deep green, leathery appearance. The fog has a gray cast, rather than the golden hue it somehow gathers in the spring and early summer. We had a dry spell, but now the persistent heavy rains that accompany the promise of climate change in this region are here. I’m installing a gutter this afternoon. What’s left of Hurricane Ida may bring 5″ of rain Wednesday.
Fall isn’t here yet, so it’s perhaps early to make this a retrospective on one hell of a summer.
Here’s a summary of updates:
- The groundhog found her way back into the garden consuming peas, cabbage, milkweed, carrot greens, and kohlrabi. I’m not sure how much steam I have towards putting in yet another version of a fence right now, so I am pressed to let the groundhog have her bounty until I can muster the impetus to set 30 posts.
- The most reliable crop award goes to SWISS CHARD! Productive, still, and delicious. No insects seemed to find it. Next in line is chili peppers, corn, and taters. Mesclun did pretty well, too.
- I’m still rebounding from my various health issues. My blood counts and lipids are way off from fighting infections and autoimmune disease. I have three root canals and a mastectomy to look forward to in the next two months.
- Dogs and birds are well.
- I’ve been having some success further paring down on my belongings. Donating, ebay, and craigslist have become powerful aids in clearing house. Also upgrading, trading in a couple accordions of lesser quality to get a single very nice one was a great plan.
- Brood X has come and gone, and with it has the bird plague. We now have the go-ahead to put our feeders and bird baths out. The rain, and abundant seeds this time of year make feeders unnecessary, but I am ready to put them out later in the fall. The goldfinches are loving the salsify seedheads as they mature. I’ll definitely keep those in the wildflower rotation although they are not native.
- I’m still in social isolation. Sometimes I get lonely. It’s been harder to experience peaceful solitude with the stresses of the world and my health.
That pretty much sums it up. Wishing the world will soon get respite from the terrors of over population (Climate, plague, and war).