A brilliant coating of hoar frost whitened the trees this morning. 
Category: weather
Winter greens
The temperatures have dipped into the teens for several nights recently but the greens in the hoophouse remain healthy and lush. I opened the row covers this afternoon in the sun to give them some extra light and air. While picking some greens, I found a soft green caterpillar munching away and a few grasshoppers, live and well.
Putting the garden to bed
Monday in the garden, putting it to bed. The job is not completely done, but good enough for the coming bad weather.
Iced grapes
I tackled a nasty chore today and was rewarded with a bowl of super sweet cold Concord grapes — frozen and thawed at least once, maybe more.
I had to remove and rewind the netting fence that we put up in the spring as a temporary chicken run. Bad idea in retrospect. The grape vines grew through the netting at the top and the weeds infiltrated it at the bottom. The whole mess had to be cut through and pulled out. The netting is lying in the yard now, waiting for me to get the energy to rewind it on the tall cardboard tube.
For now, can’t stop eating these tasty grapes.
Dusting
First snow of the year – just a dusting.
First frost
October 3, first frost this year. We covered the tomatoes after harvesting many of them. The squash leaves seemed the most damaged.
Whiteness
Snow is falling thickly and drifting off the trees periodically in great puffs of white powder.
I’m not thinking about plants or gardening.
I’ve been doing a lot of stitching, some drawing and painting, making some books, reading some books.
Walking in the winter weather. Taking care of the chickens.
It’s been a quiet, peaceful time.
When we return from South Africa in early April, it will be time to plant in earnest.