It's Cold Here Now

We had our first frost in late October. There's something magical and almost ethereal about a frost covered landscape although short lived. Now we're getting into the colder temperatures going into winter. The wood stove with its toasty warmth keeps us warm. The trees are beginning to look bare as they have shed most of their fall colors. A few still have leaves dangling and a good wind would probably blow them loose. The nights are mostly in the 30s-40s. Yes, winter is on its way. All plant life is settling in for their winter slumber.

Bye bye Bayonet 8/17

I pulled up the last of the unwanted weeds from the bunny patches. I left only the goodies they love to eat alone. The Spanish Bayonet that our hero Bobby dug up with his bobcat last August, came back with a vengeance this year by sprouting ten little plants from roots not dug up. I dug them up with a spade as they popped up. Matter of fact, since they are an evergreen, they are still popping up. I expect this to continue for several years until I get it all dug up. Anyhow, the unwanted weeds should be less next year.

The weather has been crazy this year. We didn't have much of a spring or fall this year. I think about a week or less temperature wise. It's very unusual to have 89+ degree temperatures in the spring and\fall,  but this year we did. It made for an early, wet, long, hot summer. It makes me wonder if we're going to have an equally cold, long winter too although it's been late in starting. It may drag on until May. It has before with snow falls in April.

Now that would be a serious kick in the pants, if I couldn't plant until June. Just when I was starting to get used to having four seasons again after thirty years of living in coastal GA and FL. It would be like living up north of the Mason-Dixon line with a very short growing season instead of the GA foothills.

I haven't gardened like that in forty years. My garden may look like the picture in order to get even half the harvest I got this year. That's insane for Georgia. I'm not equipped for that eventuality. It would take some major cash to buy row covers and insulated tubes. I couldn't do that in the orchard. But we'll see when the time comes.

There's no predicting or second guessing Mother Nature. I may be concerned for nothing. I need to take my own advice and not borrow trouble. Bad or not right things are going to happen. You can't be prepared for everything in the beginning, or even in the middle of homesteading. I mean, unless you have a million bucks (to possibly waste) and a place to store it all. That's not us or anyone we know. If you are that person, throw a little cash our way. Even another $20K would do it. Another $40K would put us totally off grid and 90% self sufficient (we can live very nicely without the last 10%). <laughing>

For now, I'll sit by the wood stove, bathed in its warmth, and let the temperatures drop. I have my fiber to blend, sort, and spin, or my hands busily working on this or that knitting project. Rest assured that after its slumber, spring will come again.

Y'all have a blessed day!

Jo