It is snowing as I compose this post. The forecast left no uncertainty as to our first frost and snow (today) so yesterday our home garden was harvested. It was a beautiful day, so the task was pleasant.
I'll share some photos taken Oct. 8, 2017 from here in Boulder, Colorado.
 |
| Peach tree leaves |
An early and untimely frost killed the peach buds this season so there were no peaches. That was probably o.k. since this young tree could use a rest after the huge crop in 2016. This snow will probably cause some tree damage since leaves are still on the trees around here.
 |
End of Season Bouquet
Oct. 2017 Boulder |
Picking flowers was important to me but it was slim pickings yesterday. Above, is a little bouquet I scrounged around for. I left the asters as long as possible for the bees and Painted Lady butterflies. It also contains lavender and purple penstemon.
 |
Hydrangeas, zinnia, hosta leaf bouquets
Oct. 2017 Boulder |
More scrounged stragglers.
 |
One of a number of Green Tomato caches
Oct. 2017 Boulder |
Usually we can eat our own garden tomatoes into December if we save enough green tomatoes. They are left to ripen in the garage.
 |
Summer squash, one of many tomato containers
Oct 2017 Boulder |
Above are a few containers of late yellow squash and more ripe tomatoes, ready to use, on the countertops which are full today.
 |
| Dinner: Chard with bacon |
Chard, it's what was for dinner, braised in two slices of cut up bacon.
 |
| Basic spiralizer |
Here's a show-n-tell of my favorite new kitchen tool from summer of 2017, a very simple spiralizer. My lunch was zucchini noodles almost every day these past two months. I will miss the zucchini noodles, after my remaining last half zucchini is gone.
 |
| My "Zen" garden |
"My" garden space looks tired, especially the buffalo grass. My husband gets credit for most of the vegetable farming at our house, and I'm very interested in plant collecting and landscape design. When we lived in Nebraska, I belonged to the Hosta society and the Dwarf Conifer society.
 |
1st Snow Boulder, CO
Oct. 9, 2017 |
UPDATE: 10AM photo of the same spot today, about 18 hours later.
 |
| Ready for Halloween |
This one was being fussy as I harvested green tomatoes and she kept looking up, so I placed her on the roof, where she goes every so often of her own accord. She continued to be fussy up there, so maybe her weather gut was making her so. Regardless, she's ready for Halloween, don't you think?
 |
| Simple Pedometer |
Gardening is good for us. It keeps us moving. I was an early adopter of the pedometer back in the 90s. After being without one for a decade or more, I purchased this basic one which only counts steps, about six weeks ago. It will be a motivator once cold weather sets in and the trails get icy here. Yesterday, I was near 15,000 steps at bedtime.
The seasons bring such changes to our daily routines as well as all of the living creatures around us. We marvel at the survival of both the plants and the animals. I'm not looking forward to short daylight hours in the coming four months, but it is good to change how we spend the hours in our days. Plus, it makes us look forward to a renewal next spring and excitement for the next gardening season.
