It's been great to be back at home but it's amazing how after being away for a short time, there are so many changes noticed almost instantly after my return. The leaves are fading, the ground is damp and there has been a chill in the air. Just last night, I witnessed birds flying South! Beautiful as it may be, I'm not sure how ready I am to say goodbye to the gardens. In fact, they are in need of some care but the zinnias, marigolds and basil are still going pretty strong. I suppose harvesting the pumpkins should have been a queue: clean up the gardens and move on, get ready for the Fall Craft shows and hunker down, put on a scarf and have fun, enjoy the cool and bake something!
I've also started harvesting acorn tops. My pin oak in the front yard is producing substandard tops, so I find myself walking the dogs and collecting them from local woods. They're larger and prettier. There are a few scarves in the process of being knit and it's been fun choosing colors and fibers to make each of them special. I've been felting pincushions and keeping busy with a few special orders.