Outside :: My favorite fall flowers

:: bundling up the onions to hang in the pantry for winter,

:: garden play

::the last of the zucchini and our tiny winter squash of which I am proud (we've never had any success, so three little ones is something!)

:: this little onion guy which Dorian became rather attached to. I asked Dori to pick an onion for our supper, but he thought the "crazy hair" was funny and wanted me to carve on a face. When I asked when I might be able to have the onion to cook he said "No Mama, you can't cook him- he is becoming a friend!" We didn't eat the onion guy.

Inside:: Processing the last food from the garden. We were quite pleased with our bean harvest this year- lots of fresh eating and many for the freezer. They were very happy in the hoop houses.

:: playing inside more now. Dorian takes any opportunity to play quietly on his own.

:: the game "Harvest Time" seemed very fitting this afternoon- the goal of the game is to cooperatively harvest all the garden veggies together before the winter frosts come. We managed to get them all in, just in the nick of time.

Hello Autumn,
I do believe you have arrived. We can see you in the piles of squash and the garden going to seed, in the little boys in wool hats on the swing set and the leaves just beginning to turn. Your scent always takes us by surprise-  high bush cranberries and the first wafts of wood stove smoke.

I am always glad to see you, though there is always a little melancholy, a little apprehension. Did we do enough out there? How much more can we squeeze in before the cold really takes hold? When do we let go and settle back, and just let it come?

And how long do we have, Autumn, before the cold is truly here to stay? Should I bring in these heaps of green tomatoes, for instance, and hope they will ripen inside? Or will you give us just a little more time? 

We felt you coming this weekend, and packed the boys and the swimsuits into the car after supper for one last warm(ish) swim in the lake. It felt like we were bidding farewell to a beautiful summer, a last splashy hurrah to this glorious season. But it was a welcoming too- a welcoming to the cool winds and quieter days, to apples and pumpkins and wool on the needles and books by the fire and good autumn meals.

Come in autumn, and stay awhile, if you may. We are glad you have come.

Oh, there has been much excitement in these parts, camping, music festivals, a big birthday party for my dad,  and the endless and wondrous garden adventures.

::hops  and sunflowers and a shady place to play,

:: carrots, onions, marigolds (and so far no carrot fly!)

:: drying tea herbs for winter

::playing and snacking in the pea teepee

::battling a nasty slug infestation,

::learning that sweet peas might be my favorite smell in the world- next year I am going to fill my garden with them!

::bidding farewell to my boys as they joined several other families on a camping adventure while I stayed home and got a whole bunch of things done. They had a wonderful time and I did too, but next time I will be joining them!

And now we will be sailing off again on another adventure. Looking forward to it, but wondering why we decided to plan a trip during this busy garden season, having to let go of some crops that we will likely miss, but glad to have some time to spend together as a family.
I hope you are having some lovely summer adventures friends!
(photo credits to Perry for the first and last 3 shots- thanks love!)