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You are here: Home / gardening / The Autumn Garden

The Autumn Garden

November 13, 2013 by admin

We returned home from New York in the dark Sunday night, so I couldn’t see my yard. From the streetlight I could tell that my fruit trees still had leaves, but that was all I knew. Monday morning I started my grocery shopping list, so I took a tour of the back yard to see what food I could gather there. Only the hardy kale volunteered, though some cold-weather lettuces are getting close to ready. The strawberry plants are full and lush, though few berries remain. The zucchini has finished its run, and a single delicata squash provided a feast for a slug because we weren’t here to harvest it first. My first attempt at growing pumpkins was a failure. I make a note to take some soil samples to see if I can learn why. The rest is mostly cover crop, planted to nourish the soil and prevent erosion in the coming winter months.

Our massive fig tree went from a full crop of leaves to nothing in the two weeks we were gone, and the strong autumn maritime winds make it seem to shiver in its nakedness.

I find myself feeling startled. When I left, autumn was teasing us, but now she has taken over. I guess spending 18 days away will do that.

Inside, I shift gears to indoor projects. I have surrounded myself with stacks of manuscripts that need my attention. On the floor to my right is a pile of books about writing and permaculture. My iPad is stacked with novels waiting for me to explore them. In front of me are knitted pieces of a future bedspread, and I’m digging through the house in search of a cutting mat for a quilt kit that has gathered dust for too long. I hand hubby a pile of papers that need to be sorted through and scanned. You know there’s too much clutter when the stack of paper covers up a big chocolate bar!

After 30 years of living in Houston, where the seasons were hot, hotter, and a few days of bitter cold where the leaves just fell off all at once without changing color, I still feel a sense of wonder about being in a place where each season has its distinct flavor. I settle in. I plan my projects. I grab a comforter and a cup of tea.

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Filed Under: gardening Tagged With: autumn, change of seasons, garden, gardening

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Tina Fariss Barbour
Tina Fariss Barbour
10 years ago

Your planting and tending have moved inside! Your projects sound so inviting. I’m like you–I have different interests going on at the same time, and I love to plan what I’ll do on each one. Right now I’m working on clearing a space in the basement for a “studio” of sorts. I have always wanted to create art, but I never had the confidence. I thought I had to have a recognizable gift before I could do it. Now I want to play. Create with words, create with paint and paper.

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Nadine Feldman
Nadine Feldman
10 years ago
Reply to  Tina Fariss Barbour

A studio sounds so cool! It’s great that you’re allowing your creativity to blossom in so many different ways.

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