Along with those falling leaves, pumpkins, and cooler weather comes the first frost. When it was so very hot this summer I worked on "indoor stuff" and made a list of tasks that needed to be done outside as soon as the weather cooled off and before frost ends the growing season. It was a long list for a small window of time and I'm racing to get it all done.

We've purchased our winter hay and moved it from trailer to hay shed on a cool morning. We had such a rainy summer that hay season was later than usual this year.

The next morning I was in the hay shed getting the goats' hay and was privileged to watch a red-tailed hawk land on the barn roof in front of me, not even twenty feet away. What a majestic sight that was! I desperately wished I could get a photo of this magnificent bird so close to me. The hawk didn't stay long; she saw me and took off to the osage orange tree on the other side of the barn. I watched several songbirds fly off quickly, away from danger.

We don't have much autumn color yet. Some years we have more than others, but this year doesn't look promising. It's a little early yet; this colorful photo is from a previous November. I do miss the vibrant colors of fall in New England and the upper Midwest, but once in awhile I can find a single tree or shrub that is a sweet reminder of our previous homes.
This week I'm cleaning up the garden, racing against the forecast of an early first frost this weekend. I'm sure many of you have already had frost and perhaps a freeze, but this is two weeks earlier than our average date. I've harvested the last of the green peppers (37 of them from six plants, bell peppers grow like crazy in my garden) and pulled up the plants. I'd much rather deal with garden clean-up chores before the plants are slimy from frost.

When I cut back the herb plants I found this garden spider on one of the lemon balm plants. I let it be, since spiders help control bugs and this one isn't in a spot where I'll walk into its web with my face. In fact, I have a laissez faire attitude toward spiders (as long as they are outdoors) as you can see in this post about another garden spider. And those baskets of herb cuttings are now scenting the guest room where they can dry without the cats disturbing them.

The sweet potatoes are unearthed and curing. Last night I made streusel-topped sweet potatoes for dessert, and we can't wait for sweet potato pie.

Today's task is the apples. Our dwarf trees have grown so tall that I can't reach all of the apples this year on my own and will need hubby and his ladder to help me out. This is the largest apple harvest we've had in several years, and we're looking forward to baked apples, Crock-pot pork with apples and onions, and jars of harvest apple jelly.

And then I'll mulch the garlic bed and bring in some potted herbs for the winter.

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On rainy days I've been working on the last quilt of my crib quilt project. It's rewarding to sit in my chair with a warm quilt on my lap as I stitch and pray for another grandchild soon to join our family. Providing for my family is the most satisfying job of all, whether it's through my garden, my kitchen, or my handwork. Gathering the fruits of our labor in autumn is a chore that is both joyous and satisfying even though it's hard work.