So long Summer.

The season is coming to a close. Summer is officially gone. And let me tell you, I am usually very happy about that because I don't like summer. But things have changed a bit over the last few years. Finally there's a reason to look forward to summer...planting a garden.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This is our last harvest of peppers from our garden for the season. We plucked them Tuesday night.

And then we made fresh salsa using the tomatoes I bought at the vegetable stand on Saturday. Tasty Romas. Close to the last of their season, no doubt.

The garden is pretty much dried up. The beans are scraggly. The tomatoes are gargantuan green plants without a tomato in sight. (That need to be pulled...yesterday.) The peppers are quietly and happily growing away and still producing little flowers and little peppers. (This may not be the last, actually...) The gourd has been long gone...the aubergine plants, too. (Why do I always feel the need to italicize aubergine? I guess I imagine I'm saying it fancy and with a bit of an droning accent...with a pinkie in the air...) (Does overuse of parentheses prove my self-diagnosis of ADD?)

The herbs in pots have been ravaged by my sweet, delicate, petite chickens. Ahem. The pecan tree is beginning to drop it's leaves...as well as my neighbors maple tree. Leaves, leaves everywhere. The only thing living are the succulents. And the rosemary...thank goodness for drought tolerance.

I'd mentioned before that I was wanting to plant a fall garden. At least a few things...just to try it out. But, as life would have it, I didn't end up planting a dang thing. I could make a million excuses why...or I could just be honest and say, "I didn't make the time to do it." And I could have. But I think I was done for the season. I think that my idea of "one new thing per year" was a good one. And this year it was the chickens. That was enough. Maybe next year I'll attempt some fall gardening. I'll do research over the winter and that way when it comes time to do it, I'll feel like I have some knowledge under my belt and will feel more confident in giving it a shot. (It seems that the more I read about something, the more I feel like I've actually done it. So researching over the winter has proven very helpful for me.)

Or, I'll be a full-time student working towards my Bachelor's Degree and will barely get a summer garden planted...! We'll have to see what life has in store come summer of 2010. A lot can happen in a year.

Either way, this summer is gone and winter is fast approaching. The air is cool and crisp...the leaves are falling...I can smell rain in the air every now and again...and I feel energized and rejuvenated. But I can't help feeling a little sad, too. It used to be that when summer was over I was happy and that was that. But when you garden there is always something sad about the season coming to an end. Endings can be sad. This is the end of a living, thriving garden. The end of a season. The end of another year, soon enough. (Where did September go, anyway?!) And with each year passing my boys grow bigger and bigger...and it's the end of life with little guys. Now it's life with teens and tweens...who'd have thought?!

Anyway...life. Endings. All good things must come to an end, they say. And this is true...so we can start all over again with fresh NEW beginnings. There's no time to be sad...it's time to start planning that summer garden!