Farm Journal- October
Out in the October field we are often surprised by joy, to quote C.S.Lewis.
The color is profound in the stands of goldenrod, asters, and wild grasses against the rich blue of the fall sky. These wildflowers give sustenance to the honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies, mostly painted ladies now, that gather among them. The mugwort and milkweed in the meadow grow pale in comparison, their seeds dispersed. Pale mushrooms are everywhere underfoot and above the bluebirds and swallows mingle. Here and there, the leaves on the blueberry plants are turning red.
It is a restive time. Our chores are few but if there is any work left to be done with our nets or machinery we attend to it now. There is always a bit of weeding after the rains. The house garden will be turned over, the pumpkins and vegetables long harvested, though we allow the sunflower seed heads and impressive zinnia patch to retire in their own time.
It is as if a hush has fallen over the entire peninsula, it is quiet now and slow and it seems there is time for more things. We sometimes just sit still and take in all the quiet beauty of the field and that feels about right.
The color is profound in the stands of goldenrod, asters, and wild grasses against the rich blue of the fall sky. These wildflowers give sustenance to the honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies, mostly painted ladies now, that gather among them. The mugwort and milkweed in the meadow grow pale in comparison, their seeds dispersed. Pale mushrooms are everywhere underfoot and above the bluebirds and swallows mingle. Here and there, the leaves on the blueberry plants are turning red.
It is a restive time. Our chores are few but if there is any work left to be done with our nets or machinery we attend to it now. There is always a bit of weeding after the rains. The house garden will be turned over, the pumpkins and vegetables long harvested, though we allow the sunflower seed heads and impressive zinnia patch to retire in their own time.
It is as if a hush has fallen over the entire peninsula, it is quiet now and slow and it seems there is time for more things. We sometimes just sit still and take in all the quiet beauty of the field and that feels about right.