Welcoming Fall

Today is a day of equilibrium.

Today, daylight and darkness bless us equally. And tomorrow, we begin the slow transition into the long night, into our time of rest and reflection.

Happy Fall Equinox.

Last year we celebrated by making blessing bundles to hang in our doorway (bouquets of that which reminded us of fall), but this year the day got away from me. I was in the middle of making tomato sauce, which I decided to can "really quickly." Ha! Silly me. By the time I was done, it was dinnertime and then bedtime. [I'm sure no one will mind if we bless Fall a day late.]

We did have a productive day, full of fall-time activities. This morning we planted overwintering cabbage, broccoli, and lettuce in our almost-finished cold frames that Anthony is building. A cold frame is essentially a raised bed with a window-top, providing cold hardy crops just enough protection to continue growth all the way to springtime.

Even on the first day of fall, the garden takes my breath away. We've already had a frost (an unusually early one - which was then followed by a week of 80 degree weather, of course), so our squash plants are looking pretty pathetic. Other than that, the garden continues to grow vivaciously. [The following pictures were taken this morning, as the sun was just clearing the trees to chase away the morning mist.]

I know that many people mourn the end of summer. I understand why; I too love that season of sunshine. But by the end of summer my energy is starting to wane; my enthusiasm for garden work is slightly less, and I'm ready to spend some quiet evenings in the house. I don't get excited about a 90 degree day towards the end of September - I am ready for cool, [I am ready for some rain even!] I am ready for apple pies and warm stews. I am ready for some quiet [can someone please tell that to my children??] so that I may reflect on all my harvests of the year.

Fall, I welcome you.

*Blessings*