What Happened to Autumn?

It was lovely here over the weekend. Sunny, in the upper 60's/low 70's, perfect fall weather. Yesterday it was cooler and cloudier, today it's cooler yet and overcast. There's a storm a comin', supposed to arrive by midnight tonight. It's going to be cold and rainy tomorrow, and it's supposed to snow on Thursday. Might even be some accumulation Thursday night. It's supposed to stop raining/snowing by late Friday afternoon, but Friday night is supposed to be miserable - damp and very cold. The overnight temp on Friday is supposed to drop to freezing or below. Brrrrrrrrr! It's supposed to warm up and be more seasonable after that, but I'm afraid this approaching weather spells the end of my garden for this year.

So today I'm working outside. I finally finished draining my little pool. (Couldn't do it when the weather was nice, nooooo. Had to play in the sunshine!) It's draped upside down over some lawn chairs to drip off as much moisture as possible; before dark, I'll move it into the pole barn and let it hang in there for a couple of days. Then I'll use towels to remove any remaining moisture, fold it up, and put it back in the box until May. I'm taking a short break now, then I'm going to go out and pick all the green tomatoes. I've got a couple of good-sized cardboard boxes and a stack of newspapers, so except for the tomatoes I'll use in the next couple of weeks as they ripen on the counter, I'll wrap all the rest in newspaper and stash them in the boxes. With careful storage, I should be able to enjoy "fresh" tomatoes until December. I also need to review my green tomato canning recipes to see which ones I'd like to try. Might try to pick the rest of the chokecherries, too, though I might have a chance between rain showers tomorrow to do that if I can't get it done today.

I'm afraid my pumpkins might bite the dust with the upcoming weather. I'm going to try to protect the vines/pumpkins with plastic, and then with blankets on top of the plastic for the cold temps on Friday night and see if I can pull them through. If they make it through, there might be just enough time for them to get big enough to carve. (Note to self: start the pumpkins earlier next year!)

I took in a "free dog" yesterday. Young Blue Heeler. They said he was 11 months old but I doubt it; he's still got his puppy molars though his adult canines are fully in, so I think he's closer to 8 months. Very nice little guy, sweet and even-tempered, smart and affectionate, cat-safe and appears to be dog-congenial. I can't keep him, and I can't keep him here for long, so I've got some feelers out to several rescue groups to see if they'd be willing to take him. I sure hope someone can make room for him.

Half way through my Monday night obedience class for this fall. This is a really nice bunch of dogs, not a one in the class I dislike, and I like the handlers, too. Got a sharp little rusty-black Pom fellow - sharper than his owner, but sweet enough to wait for her to catch up. *smile* Sweet, happy, enthusiastic young chocolate Lab with the attention span of a gnat. Middle-aged black Lab mix rescue girl, never been off the dairy farm she used to live on, sweet and good-natured, her owner is a sweet, gentle, inept older man. A sassy young Samoyed who's mischievous but smart and sweet; I'm trying to teach her elementary-school teacher owner how to be a little more firm. A shy little pet store-purchased Jack Russell who's gradually gaining more confidence in himself and his handlers. (Mom, Dad, and daughter all come and whoever's not handling the dog is taking notes. They're putting in the daily training time, too, and it shows.) Incredibly smart, eager, willing-to-please, but very barky little guy who's the size of a Jack Russell but looks like a Red Heeler/Basenji mix. OMG, the sass from that one! But so smart and responsive, and a total blast to teach! (His owners are very nice, but not nearly as sharp as their dog.) And a young couple with a very sweet, smart, energetic young girl that I think might be an English Shepherd or mix. Very good class.

I've been checking my impatiens plants daily for seed pods, and collecting them when they're ripe enough. I should have plenty of seeds for next year's pots and hanging baskets. Picking impatiens seed pods makes me think of my dad; he used to get such a kick out of carefully picking them and handing them to unsuspecting victims, who'd inevitably put just enough pressure on them to cause them to pop and curl in their hands, startling them. It's a very odd sensation, feels like you just caught a bug in your fingers. As I carefully pick seed pods - holding a paper cup underneath to catch seeds as I pick, just in case I put too much pressure on them - I'm remembering my dad and his little prank, and grinning from ear to ear.

OK, I guess break time's over. Tomatoes, here I come!