11/10/08
We got lucky this year and enjoyed two Indian Summers — that time after first frost when the weather rebounds into sunshine and warmth, and being outdoors is the greatest joy.
The first of our two Indian Summers came during peak foliage, filling the woods and waters and backyards with enthusiasts enjoying a last hurrah. The second came almost a month later, after the first measurable snow, which promptly vanished as if it had never been. This gave an unexpected — and hurriedly exploited — final chance to wrap up the garden for its long winter nap.
I had managed, before the snow, to get the annual beds cleared and most of the perennials cut back, then ran out of time. When the second Indian Summer began, I had a chance to finish raking, trimming, mulching, and hauling pots and tools under cover. Just for jollies, I’m experimenting with a little cold frame this year, seeing how long I can keep lettuce alive, so I opened it up and let the pale plants have some real air and sunshine. We didn’t open any windows, though, needing to let the house soak up heat from outside to more easily reheat it from the inside when this lucky break ends.
Which it did today. Temps plunged back into the 30s, showers turned into snow flurries, and coats came back off the rack. Gloves and hats were rooted out of their hiding places, boots dusted off, T-shirts stowed away. But as I reconnoiter the yard (in the biting north wind), I see it tidy and ready for whatever winter flings at us. All the bird feeders are back in place — and getting emptied within 48 hours as the birds prepare for the inevitable, too.
Carolyn Haley
Author: Open Your Heart with Gardens
Posted by: Opening the heart — Carolyn Haley
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