The Touch of Fall

Here in the PNW, fall touches us at night soon before it rests it's fingers on other parts of Washington. In Spokane, my home town, it is in the upper 90s right now, probably will be in the 100s when I visit the second week of August. There is no cool air blowing at night there, no extra wrap is needed on an evening walk. Here, I put the quilt back on the bed the other day--will it stay there? I'm not sure. Since I keep the windows open at night, I smell the sea air, feel the chill that seems to rest on the surface of the heat. Fall, it says to me and I'm thinking I better get the kale in, better get more bok choy planted, and broccoli raab.

There are summer plantings one can do to reap fall crops and wintering-over crops. I like the Russian Kale, which I can grow all winter, even if there is some frost or snow. It is hearty. Also, like I said before, carrots, if covered with leaves will winter over in colder climates. Because the ground freezes, leaves are a necessary warm blanket. Even here, though I haven't tried it, but I imagine covering them would be a good idea. And of course, cabbage lasts if it doesn't bolt and the cabbage worms don't get it.

When I lived in Kingston, my crop of kale grew larger and larger until it was taller than me. In the very early spring it would bloom yellow flowers, and against the purplish green leaves and stems, a vibrancy exuded that lit up the sideyard closest to the path to the water. The deer came up that path from the beach. Usually two fawns and their mother to nibble the crop. It was sweet to see them grazing in the yard. I loved them and at the same time scowled when I saw them helping themselves to my garden.

A neighbor once said he loved the wildlife in the neighborhood: bear, deer, raccoons, opossums, squirrel, rats--I nodded thinking, I could do without the cat and raccoon fights that happened through the glass kitchen door around midnight. Raccoon families always coming to raid the food bucket, scraps for the garden, that I kept on the porch in a dish detergent bucket. It had a tight lid they couldn't be peeled open by little raccoon hands, but they still tried and my cat, Scooter, pummeled the door with his body, yowling like the tough guy he isn't. In fact, he's the least touch cat I know. Just look at him wrong and he runs and hides under the bed.

Anyway, saving food scrapes and digging them into the garden improves the soil. I don't do this here in my community garden, because it would mean hauling a bucket three blocks to the garden, did I just exaggerate the distance? Well they are long blocks, and some trail, to reach the garden. I could haul them in the car, but I don't. And the city may have a rule against such things. One problem with the food scraps dug into the garden is they bring pests to dig up the goods. Raccoons will dig and perhaps rats do too. You don't want rats around your house, I promise you that.

Okay, today I will tie up the beans. And listen to some music with Brenda at the sculpture park. Even with the chill in the air, it is still summer.

Ciao!