Getting ready for w-i-n-t-e-r

I follow a few small farm blogs and am comforted by their narratives about preparing for winter. While I don't REALLY have a "farm," I DO have a food producing 1/2 acre that has to be prepped for winter. I confess.....I also have a house and garage on that 1/2 acre and I DO like to have my fussy flower gardens but it all deserves some callouts when it comes to prepping for winter. And that is what I did today. And that is why I'm relaxing with my pants rolled up and my feet up.

Over the last few weeks, I have been running into this fellow and his smaller cousin (not photographed). I have no idea where it came from but I have been known to cut off some leaves to add to a sandwich now and then. I don't even know what it is.

I bought a cast iron thing-ie for a couple of bucks at a resale shop. I debated whether to buy it or leave it but decided to error on the side of "you can't have enough stuff" and purchased it. And now it holds my firewood right outside my back door.

These are the leeks that started out as fine, hair-like blades that I just put into holes that I made with my finger. If anything, it proves that you really have to try hard to kill things. A sliver of a leek into a hole in clay and voila!

They just don't quit! I still have some hardy fellows on amazingly tall and lush pepper plants. In the six years that I have been growing veggies here, I have never had a pepper season like this one.

Another shock. Where did this one Swiss Chard plant come from? I didn't plant any in this area. And it is so healthy and beautiful. I hate to eat it. Oh oh, sounding like my rationalization for not eating meat. I'm quite sure this plant won't mind if I eat a few leaves.

I'm getting ready for chillier times. My wood has been stacked for a few roaring fires and my kale is ignoring the calendar.

This guy amazes me. It's my asparagus plant. It's like a headstrong child. It just does what it wants to do.

I made this lovely confetti pattern by hauling piles of leaves over and digging them into the soil. Very intense.

If I didn't know that I just took this photo on October 29th, I would say that it is August. It was a beautiful day here in southeast Wisconsin. Now I know why my great grandparents decided to stop their journey west and stay right here.

Look at this soil! I am so amazed that this used to be my lawn. It has taken me a good 3 years in this part of the garden to go from grass to solid clay to something not that bad! Let me digress....this is why you can have whatever day job we all have and manage to find your real blessings and satisfaction coming from what you dig up and run through your fingers in your backyard. Cheers to me!

I raked and gathered some leaves to toss over my garden. I only had enough leaves for half of it but I was able to turn them over. This is the experiment for next growing season....does it matter if I leave the leaves on the soil or will turning them into the soil produce more decomposition for next spring. Something to live for.