What's on the horizon?

The recent fires in the west alerted the whole country to the risk of nature interrupting one's life.

Our spectacular sunset may well have been brought about by pollution in the air from Chicago, as some say, or all the way from California. What it reminded me of, however, was that it is practically November and we have not yet had a frost. By now I would anticipate Indian summer, that glorious post-frost period where we get to experience summer one last time. One last lawn mowing. One final trip to the pumpkin patch.

Indian summer signals the time to batten down the hatches, too. Once a frost kills off all the tender plants in the vegetable garden, it's time to put the beds to sleep, pull out or turn under the remaining vegetation, maybe plant a cover crop to protect the soil from those west winds. It's time to clean up the tools and put them away for the season, move the potted perennials to the barn, put away most of the lawn furniture.

Never put away all of the lawn furniture, however. You want something comfortable to sit on when one of those beautiful Indian summer afternoons comes along. Make some mulled apple cider, aromatic with cinnamon and cloves (add a touch of cranberry juice for beautiful color), grab a thick book and soak up the last of the late summer sunshine!