Gardening has, over the last decade or so, become one of my favorite things in the world. I love being outdoors. I love the breeze, rain, dirt in my nails, sun hot on my neck, the excitement of watching tiny green stems break through the dirt each spring, and the slow decline of withering plants in the fall, although the latter, less so. Unfortunately, I choose to live in a place with a shorter growing season than many. But every year I manage to find gardening tasks to fill all the months. Each year I find a way to extend my growing season a little more. And in the winter, I like to map out plans, repair weathered raised beds, and shop for bulbs and seeds.
Fall gardening has not been one of my great gardening triumphs. I always lose some focus by late summer. Plus, living in a river valley, the daylights hours shrink more quickly. And our rampant groundhog population become especially hungry in the fall. But this year, I think I've managed to do a little better. I have fall beans, broccoli, greens, dahlias still blooming, and some of the most beautiful kale I've ever seen. This ornamental kale has been growing since early May, but once our night time temps began to drop, the color just exploded!
I enjoy taking about gardening on Mondays. After my typical Sunday knocking out gardening tasks, I love to come home from work on Mondays, open a beer, and stroll around the yard. Soon enough I'll be driving home in the dark, and won't have my strolling time any more. Best make the most of it while I can.
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