October Chores

I so look forward to the slower pace of fall. I take long, leisurely walks, pausing to listen to leaves fall, watching starlings flock, and marveling at the everchanging fall landscape and sky. Then we have our chores, which I truly relish. What a great excuse to be out of doors. Now that we're retired, we can work outdoors in the fine weather, take the time to do the job right, and work together as a team. As we clean up and stagger inside, we wonder how we ever did it while we were still working and taking care of our elderly parents.

Years ago, Bruce's Dad gave his used landscape timbers to us.
We recycled those timbers in our first garden beds and compost pile.
Over the years the boards began to sway and deteriorate, needing replacement.
Fortunately, our wonderful neighbors behind us tore off their deck and gifted their boards to us.
Here Bruce is removing the old timbers. My job is to prepare the bed for the boards, and make sure that the soil bed is somewhat level. Bruce would form the frame near the bed, then we'd drop it in place.

Our asparagus bed is nearly naked here, and hardly makes a pretty picture.
This is my favorite garden, requiring very little maintenance.
After the cold and drear of winter, the sun comes out, the ground warms, and green spears emerge.
For nearly two months we enjoy the blessings of asparagus, with minimal effort on our part.



Bruce adds the finishing touches to the bed, and what an improvement.
We love the clean, simple lines.
And doesn't that garden shed porch look like a comfy place to hang out?



Grace definitely sees the porch as a great place to hang out and be close to us.
Yesterday she too was busy with autumn chores, catching a sweet little chipmunk and depositing her trophy at our back door. When I woke up this morning, I thought I should have taken a photo of the 'sleeping chipmunk,' but maybe not.

Another of our chores. This is the 'before' photo of the triangle before our gardens.
There were so many spindly elms and berry bushes in there. In addition to mowing to keep the trails open,
we also had to cut vertically with loppers and weed whip. Bruce had finally had enough. Recognize the jacket?

Can't begin to tell you how many truckloads of brush we've burned this fall.
Bruce drives to the left on one pass and unloads, then to the right on another pass.
Sometimes I'm so far behind him in the burning, that he has to unload past the fire.
We're not thrilled with all the burning we do, but the ashes are recycled back to the gardens.


Mission accomplished. Bruce worked his way through the tangle of youthful elms, berries, and poison ivy.
Looks good for now, and we'll mow wider paths next spring. Pruning often encourages more growth.
We may have to do this on a periodic basis. We don't have these issues in the bordering meadows.





Sometimes the smoke gets too much for me, and I have to take a break and walk in our woods.
We have been delighted this year with the domination of the maple trees.
They really exploded in color the week after Bonfire.
Nature's gift to us, my gift to you.