An Apron, A Fall Garden, A Car Battery, and Pistachios

Signs of fall are in the garden.  The tomato plants are gone as are the beans, basil, and cucumber.  I started trimming down the blackberry bush, too.  The only food left is the peppers.  They are still producing.  I also have a small amount of parsley left.  It's kind of sad, but also good to see the soil will get a little rest before winter crops get planted.

I tried planting 5 garlic bulbs, but nothing is up past the soil.  I may have ruined them because we've gotten a hot spell all of this month -so far.  It doesn't make sense because the Northern geese are flying in formation over my house every morning.  A sure sigh winter is on it's way.

I've been thinking about how to be more successful next year.  I started a compost bin, with some reservation.  It's working, but is slow to turn to soil.  I'll leave it do it's magic over winter, but I was wondering how to compost faster.  I did some research after I remembered I dried egg shell and coffee grounds all summer to pulverize and sprinkle around the plants.  Could I dry and pulverize other things such as carrot peels and potato peels?  The answer (to my relief) is 'yes'.  I got right on it.  One of my tomatoes needed to be trimmed of an area that was not very pretty.  It was still green so I will fry up the good part for lunch and the other part will go in the dehydrator with the basil and parsley today.

Yesterday was spent in an emergency (small) situation.  My grandson was off to pre school, but the battery was dead in the vehicle.  I ran over (they live about 2 miles from me) so my daughter could use my vehicle to take him to school while I stayed back to watch the little one.  She was so cute in her dress and black patent leather shoes.  She was 'jumping' for quite a while to listen to the sound of the shoes on the patio.  It brought back fond memories when her mother use to do the same thing.  As a matter of fact, I did as well.  I would walk along waving my arms back and forth the make my dress move and stomping the shoes hard on the sidewalk to hear the click, click, click sound.  It made me happy.  I stopped doing it when an old lady shouted from her porch that I was a slut for lifting my dress.  I was seven.  Quite a bit of  emotional damage was done with that simple outburst from someone I didn't know.  It is for that reason that I enjoy seeing little girls be happy in their dresses and patent leather shoes.  I will not rob them of the simple pleasure of an exciting sound.

We went on to Sam's club to purchase a few things.  I like nuts and they had a huge bag of shelled pistachios for just under $8.00.  Since this is one way I get protein, it was a bargain to me.

Just about every evening I check the front porch to see if any packages have arrived.  Every evening with the exception of last evening.  Wouldn't you know, when I went out to water the plant on the porch this morning there was a package.  A surprise package.  A friend sent me an apron.  Not just any apron, one with olive branches on it.  She knows I love olives!  I'll use every day and hang it in a place of honor.  Thank you to a woman I feel honored to call friend.

A close up (in a mirror) of the gift I received from my friend.  Pretty cool, huh?