Snow!

The snow has been accumulating around here for the past few days.  I love it!  I think the dogs are liking romping in it too.  I wonder if Jewel knows she's yellow, not white?

A Weekend Away ~ Resting up for Sunflower Beheading

I haven't been on too many excursions since moving to the Northwoods.  Last weekend found me traveling to The Cities for an overnight trip complete with an outing to a bookstore I've really been wanting to visit, a neat crafty shop with unique fabric selections, a Japanese hibachi grill {I'd never been to one before}, and a cozy place to overnight complete with a fireplace {and my own loft bedroom and bath that had me feeling very spoiled}.  Just picking up some reads from a favorite author and that fireplace had me breathing a collective sigh.  Honestly, things have been very busy lately starting up a wonderful new job and getting settled in a new home, plus making use of all that garden goodness.  Having a small vacation seemed just what was in order.

Upon returning it was crunch time to clear out the community garden before it was tilled for next season.  I've absolutely loved this garden space this year.  It exceeded all of my expectations in leaps and bounds--I'm already eagerly planning for Spring 2014.  The sunflowers standing sentinel around the plot were the last major project besides general raking and cleaning and some kale harvesting.  These things were like trees and took quite a lot of muscle to move.  I forgot to count how many grew around the garden this year, but when they were pulled and stacked they spanned the whole garden {easily +70}.

The largest heads were saved for saving, toasting, roasting, and feeding birds this winter.  They came from my tarahumaras--my absolute favorite sunflower variety.  I forgot to bring a container to put them in after the beheading took place so they ended up filling the whole floorboard of the back of my vehicle.  I'm absolutely elated I do not have allergies, because the whole inside is now peppered with sunflower pollen.

Fall is quickly fading up here.  It has reached this intriguing stanza where some die hard leaves attempt to hang on to their trees despite the wind, rain, {and snow!}, but the forests don't look so dark and mysterious anymore.  With the cold I'm still thinking gardening though.  I will be attempting some cold frame style veggies at the house and trying some potted herbs inside.  Before I know it it will be time to start those tomatoes, etc...!  I'm already excited for those seed catalogs to start rolling in.

And yes, snow sometimes decides to fall and coat the green grass in quick visits that still don't last very long.  Monday Jewel experience her first snow fall--which appeared to be a very confusing experience for her.  I must say I'm excited for it all.  Summer was like a wonderland, but fall's coming has been like the return of a long lost friend I had forgotten how much I missed.

There is absolutely so much to look forward to in the days, weeks, months, and even years to come that it's so important to take a breath once in a while, slow down, and remember this.  Oh, how wonderful to be up here in Zone 3.  The inaugural year has been deemed a success.