Hints of fall

Some of the sassafras leaves are turning red, signaling the waning of summer. All of the fruits have been eaten, and are fueling the activities of birds getting ready for winter, whether they're migrating or staying put.


The usually dry days, providing cool mornings and evenings, have given way to stickier air, with a promise of rain, perhaps. Squash, bean, and tomato harvesting is continuing, but I planted garden peas and spinach this afternoon, hopeful of cooler weather to come.

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Radicchio and squirrels

Last year, a nursing squirrel found the radicchio irresistable, but I was still surprised to come out the kitchen door this afternoon and see a squirrel scampering off with a radicchio leaf in her (presumably) mouth.


She left clear evidence behind. And, I had thought that clump was a bit bigger, but had absentmindedly thought perhaps I'd harvested some of it, and forgot? (the trio of greens)?

Hmm, not exactly. But I don't really mind. The beautiful red coloration in radicchio develops in cool weather, so hopefully the fall growth stimulated by the 'pruning' will be nice.

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Garden spiders

My gardening companion reports that the Argiope spider (AKA garden spider and writing spider) is happily ensconced to the right of the door to the garden shed.

I hadn't noticed her in the last couple of days, but had taken a picture a couple of days ago.

Late summer and early fall is prime time for these lovely garden spiders!

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Working Blues

I am loving everything about this image, especially the blue floral fabric on that lovely chair. Such a nice place to unwind when you need a break from work! -HousetoHome

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Extending the seasons

As a nature observer, I love watching the changing of seasons. The days are definitely getting shorter, the nocturnal symphony is getting quieter, and early signs of fall are signaled by changes in leaf color in tulip poplars, sassafras, and sourwood.

From a vegetable-gardening perspective, though, I'm a bit greedy (even though I'm planting fall crops in earnest now). Not content with the long (three seasons) that I have, I'm figuring that I need to put together the sturdy cedar cold frame that I ordered to replace a flimsy aluminum one I bought a few years ago.

If I was handy with tools, or my gardening companion was (and alas, he's not), I know I could make one myself. But I don't have power saws or fancy drills. My new cold frame, I'm sure, won't look like these high-end English made ones, but the pieces look very sturdy! My idea is to carry over spinach, lettuce, and tenderer salad greens that might otherwise be frosted in our Zone 7b (working on Zone 8) climate, and experiment holding some of them over cold weather (think Elliot Coleman's Four-Season Harvest), an inspirational book, to be sure.

And why don't we have more small greenhouses in the U.S. like this delightful one, in a rectory garden in Southern England?

Inexpensive (for a greenhouse), simple, and not too big.

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Twig Hutchinson

Desire to Inspire recently featured Twig Hutchinson of London who styled these absolutely gorgeous photographs. I love the colors and unique shabby appeal. You have to check out the online portfolio...its beautiful!

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More fall vegetables

I hadn't tried growing broccoli rabe before, but this experimental patch is flourishing. I'm waiting for a few flower buds before harvesting, but it looks delicious right now.


Maybe because the woodchuck ate all the brassica relatives last summer, the populations of cabbage whites didn't build up -- I've only seen one so far this summer. That's good news as far as the brassica leaf chomping goes -- a large spring red bor kale still looks lovely, and has been spared from being harvested for a stir-fry because of it.

I've already pulled out quite a bit of unproductive squash (the yellow squash/zucchini C. pepo sort), making room for kohlrabi, turnips, beets, lettuces, arugula, kale, mustard, and spinach (yet to be planted). Happily, I harvested some nice yellow, patty pan, and eight-ball (Ronde de Nice) squashes, actually my most successful squash foray to date, not counting my stalwart, delicious, and squash vine borer-resistant tromboncino squash.

It's hard to find the space for planting fall vegetables, when tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, and tomatillos are still hogging their spaces, but it requires being ruthless -- unless you're willing to dig up more beds -- a slippery slope towards gardening overextension.

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