Strawberries in October

Two of them anyway. What a surprise. The weather was looking a little dark in the West so we spent the day cleaning out the garden, digging up the last of the yard turnips, cabbages, and getting the tires covered for winter. The lettuce, spinach and Chard still holding up in their tire cold frames.

Last season the mice got to the parsnips before we did and devoured every one, leaving just the tops - just like that rascally wabit in the cartoons. This year we had plenty of yard patrol with the cats and dogs and that definatly put a damper on the mice's vegetable smorgasbord. We found one little turnip that had been someones lunch but that was the only damage.

The moment we brought the last of the produce into the house the skies let loose.

The warmth from the fireplace was especially nice that night.

We are the most prepared for winter that we have ever been. Garden hoses all brought in. Yard tidied up. Snow dump paths cleared. Chicken runs and tractor all insulated. Even the winter tires ordered. None the less a few more things to do. The missing garage door one of the obvious ones. Might happen this weekend. We are also hoping to carve a door in the large shed so that we can use it to house the equipment. Everyone around us here seems to be in the same slightly frantic state: getting the stuff done before winter that needs to be done. I was just helping my brother and a friend put some roofs on sheds so they can put their boats away for winter. I have to say, and you will get to remind me of this later, I am almost looking forward to about a week of can't go anywhere snow. Although we are even a lot more prepared for that eventuality with the cat now running. I don't know why every year it seems a surprise when we get the first snow. last year it even happened on the same date as this year. Planner entry for August of 2009: " Get the stuff done that you don't want to do when it's cold".