A Good Year

The first snows have fallen in the mountains. The gardening season is officially over.

The highlight of the season was the new deck that John built. It is made of Port Orford Cedar with a spruce pergola and arbor. He also rebuilt the deck and the planters on the foot bridge over the stream.

One of the things I have tried to do in my yard is highlight the areas I see the most, be it the first thing I see when I drive into the driveway or the view out the windows at the back of the house.

The view out the window from the kitchen table of the new deck and back yard. 

John and I sit at the kitchen table and watch the humming birds and the occasional deer (boo, hiss.) At times it seems like we can almost see the plants grow.

The humming birds seemed to like the flowers right next to the feeder. They would flit from one to the other,
drinking from both.

John custom made the planters on the bridge to stabilize the railing and to fit my self watering pots. As usual he managed to envision and build something wonderful.

My gladiolas are in a bed that I don't see from a window in the house. Often the stems are broken and and the blossoms torn and ragged before I remember to cut them. This year I remembered to cut them at their peak. My mother never liked glads because they reminded her of funerals, especially her father's. But I have come to appreciate the perfection of their blooms.

I saw Cinderella pumpkins at the Farmer's Market a few years ago and loved their shape and color. I finally found some seeds and grew some. They made me smile. I also tried several new tomato varieties. Lemon tomatoes (too mushy), pineapple tomatoes (a keeper, sweet, big and great on BLTs) and Margarita tomatoes (a good, large plum that were great for salsa, marinara and chili sauce.) I still don't like zucchini, but John does so I will only plant 1 next year in stead of two. (I know what was I thinking?) But I do like peaches and our five trees gave us fresh peaches from August to the end of September as well as plenty for smoothies this winter.  All in all a good year.