Thursday, November 13, 2008

Expect rain.

But not today. The sun is peaking out now and then, and the dew will burn off right before sunset. Just because it is not raining doesn’t mean that it is not wet. We’ll need three or four days of “dry” weather before the moss slows its growth.

Days without rain also means that I can get outside and get some work done on the farm. There’s garlic that needs planting. The little dry creeks that run through our property are once again flowing, so I have to clear a path to the seasonal pond we have for the ducks.

As autumn progresses and winter lingers, I suspect I will be writing a lot about the rain. It is never far from my mind… our minds, even on days like today. We could still get a shower or two.

By April we will be thoroughly convinced that the rains will never stop. Come May, we will begin to slowly shed that belief. And in the meantime, if we are paying attention, or rather, have the proper attitude, the weather itself will tell us that the rain is not all-encompassing. Many evenings, just as the sun is about to set, the western sky will clear and we will have five minutes to enjoy a glorious sunset, purple and red clouds, maybe even a rainbow.

3 comments:

Memphis MOJO said...

Did you harvest your Jerusalem artichokes yet? Do you sell them or keep them to eat?

bastinptc said...

Thank you for asking!

I just returned from putting the ducks out for the day and was reminded that we can start harvesting the Jerusalems. We sell some and eat some, digging them up as we need them; yet they are so prolific, and the demand is so small, that many are left in the ground. Like many other edibles we have grown in this mild climate, they quickly become more like weeds than produce.

We grow a red variety and they are yummy.

Anonymous said...

You make me wish for a long ride in the country on a fall day.

But, what the heck are Jerusalem artichokes!! hehe