We had our first frost last night. Our morning walk included seeing our breath, very chilly. I wore my Cowichan sweater and was toasty warm, it is such a great sweater, it is thirty three years old this year.
And the Hollyhocks are still managing to boast blooms. We love Hollyhocks!
Attila harvested all of the tomatoes, and all of the peppers, a few days ago, saving them all. Tomatoes cannot be canned if they go through a frost on the vine, so we will be able to can all the rest of our tomatoes as they ripen in the basement. The peppers will be frozen for winter meals.
Attila worked hard yesterday evening covering some areas of the garden, squash, zucchini, bush beans, and strawberries were covered for the night, and appear to be fine this morning. He covered some of the flowering plants as well, so that we can enjoy the blooms a little bit longer.
Today will see all the canning supplies, equipment, and newly canned food put away for the season. A steam canner sits ready on the range from June until October, and some years it sits out until the middle of November. Every year is different.
For the last week or so we have been in full gear harvest and preservation mode. We only canned about half the number of jars as we did last year, due to the drought, so we were lucky to get this much put by.
I’ve been so focused on canning and preserving the last few days that I forgot entirely about my appointment at the bank. They called me and seemed somewhat put out with me, but I managed to get that sorted out. I also misinterpreted a message about another appointment, which led to much confusion and apologies from me, it did get sorted out. Anything outside of getting the food put by escaped my notice this past week. There have been lots of little things that have been neglected, and now need my attention. In a few days the chaos will settle into routines again.
Today I am jarring a batch of Kombucha, and starting another batch. Attila is bringing in bouquets of flowers from the garden, I am surrounded by colour. Yellows, and oranges, and pinks, and deep reds, mugs and cups and glasses full of flowers.
The day began chilly, and as the sun is setting the temperature is falling once again. A heavy frost is expected tonight, the plants have been covered once again. We are hoping some of our favourite plants survive the night. We may or may not continue to enjoy fresh garden vegetables for another week or so!
Worldly
Weather
11°C
Date: 5:00 PM EDT Thursday 9 October 2025
Condition: Sunny
Pressure: 103.4 kPa
Tendency: Falling
Temperature: 11.2°C
Dew point: -5.5°C
Humidity: 31%
Wind: NNW 7 km/h
Visibility: 24 km
Quote
“Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy those are who already possess it.”
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
1613 – 1680
On has only to spend time around the financially wealthy to see what very good advice this is.
We’ve also had a busy week this week and I’m sure things have gotten by me. I know I’m having problems getting a thyroid test done as our blood test place has cut it’s hours and only wants people coming in for appointments, but we’ve been so busy that’s been impossible.
On Tuesday, our Skye went to the vet to have her front left leg removed, as her cancer had returned. We’d been trying for 8 months to heal a wound where the first cancer had been removed but never got the elbow completely healed. The vet offered to keep her overnight as Wednesday morning DH had his second cataract surgery. Both surgeries went well.
We picked Skye up on our way home from DH’s second surgery. She was quite maudlin and confused by all the drugs they had her on, but we got her through it and she’s doing much better. She’s only supposed to be on pain pills for 5 days after the surgery, which surprises me no end.
Fortunately, the vet says this cancer is not the kind that travels to other areas.
I’ve pretty much stopped bringing in bunches of flower because of the bugs that come in with them. Not that it matters now, as all my flowers are frozen. Here’s hoping you’ll share some photos of yours brightening up your happy home. -Kate
Kate, the bugs are certainly unwelcome guests with the fall flowers! The stink bugs are the most annoying for me; Ginger hates them and suffers from anxiety when they are in the house, that is how I first become aware that one is lurking in here.
I ill add a picture of some of the flowers in the next entry, good suggestion!
Teri, wow, appointment only, that does limit your options! You have had a lot going on, and it is so great that everything seems to be resolving happily, so glad both surgeries went well, and that Skye’s cancer is not prone to metastasis!!
The holiday limits us, too. By the time we get to Tuesday, I’ll only have 3 thyroid pills left.
Teri, three pills left is cutting it fine, I hope you get a timely appointment for your blood test! Hopefully things will settle down with the surgeries and recoveries and appointments will be easier to manage.
Their appointments start 2 to 3 weeks out, so I’m going to do a walk-in anyhow. Pure and simple, there are always reasons that you might need blood tests more quickly – including that my doctor didn’t fax the request when she was supposed to.