Highlight: Don’t ever, not ever, no, never, never ever go to Front Royal when the foliage color change is nearing full peak. The roads were congested, there were accidents, and virtually no one knew where they were going. Many of the Lookie Lous were fixated on their GPS screens – “turn left at the retaining wall and then drive off the cliff” – yikes!

Sometimes, there is both humor and terror when you live where many people want to visit. Despite all that, we had a great day working in the yard and driving to the Autumn Terror Town of Front Royal.

On a more peaceful note, this year the cherry tree presented itself in delightful array both at the beginning and the end of the growing year. Thank you, dear cherry tree and thank you to your Creator.

Our lone cherry tree

Weather: Heavy rain last night and early this morning. The cloud cover broke and the sun shone through. It was a windy day covering and recovering the deck with leaves. Just a perfect day for working outside.

2018-11-02: High/Low – 68º/51º (Details – click here.)

2018-11-03: High/Low – 53º/44º (Details – click here.)

Plantings: Reporting suspended until the first planting of 2019.

Harvest: Reporting suspended until the first harvest of 2019.

Highlight: Autumn is all around us now. But, it seems there’s little time to enjoy all the color and beauty. The old and browning hostas have to be cut down. The black walnuts have to be picked up off the lawn. The vegetable garden boxes have to be cleaned. The garden fence has to be repaired. Even our RV, El Camino Del Monte, has to be winterized. This is a time for storing away and making ready for the Winter’ long stay. Here at Serendipity Farmhouse we are reminded of Aesop’s fable about The Ants & the Grasshopper.

Despite the work and Winter preparations, we can still afford to take a short break and look around us. Even the industrious ants would have to acknowledge that there is need for a time to rest. So, a picture here, a picture there, and a brief look at an azure sky; then, follow that with a prayer of thanksgiving.

Weather: Sunshine, partly cloudy, partly sunny, and the Autumn color change is in full swing.

2018-10-30: High/Low – 64º/37º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-31: High/Low – 73º/37º (Details – click here.)

2018-11-01: High/Low – 73º/51º (Details – click here.)

Plantings: Reporting suspended until the first planting of 2019.

Harvest: Reporting suspended until the first harvest of 2019.

Highlight: Summer’s heat and humidity have been replaced by crisp and cool Autumn days. Beautiful wife’s face is now aglow with an unburdened smile. She quietly states that now is the time to make a warm fire with old wood and dead branches brought down by recent winds. Without the slightest hesitation, I agree.

The scrap wood and branches are formed into the shape of a small teepee in the old brick grill and a match lights a small blaze. Wonderful spouse and I come close together and enjoy the heat from the flames. From that warm and loving vantage point we look at the signs of Autumn in our yard, presenting themselves in festal array.

Many of these leaves, branches, and berries that we affectionately call “yard trash” will become the makings for many Christmas and holiday arrangements. Yes, we have turned the corner into that wondrous time of year. And every tree and plant at Serendipity Farm House affirms that this will be a time reserved for family, friends, and the Creator of all.

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Weather: Sunshine, partly cloudy, partly sunny, a little rain, calm, winds – it all = variable weather. The Autumn color change has begun.

2018-10-27: High/Low – 51º/42º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-28: High/Low – 57º/44º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-29: High/Low – 55º/44º (Details – click here.)

Plantings: Reporting suspended until the first planting of 2019.

Harvest: Reporting suspended until the first harvest of 2019.

Highlight: The featured picture, taken on the 19th, pretty much says it all. For this growing year, we have hit the bottom of the bucket. Thus ends the harvest at Serendipity Farmhouse.

Over the next few months, we will assess what went right and what went wrong this past year. We will make adjustments and modifications to our plans for the next growing season.

Weather: The seasonal cooling trend continues.

2018-10-23: High/Low – 69º/37º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-224: High/Low – 59º/35º (Details – click here.)

Plantings: Reporting suspended until the first planting of 2019.

Harvest: Reporting suspended until the first harvest of 2019.

Highlight: There it was on the roof, on the grass, and on the windshields of our cars. The sun rose on the morning of October 19th to the sight of the first frost.  This first frost of the the year brought with it a sense of relief. We at Serendipity Farmhouse are finally relieved from further worry over the ill effects of too much rain. We are relieved from concern about leaf curl, insect invaders, and fungus.

It’s now time to put the gardens to rest and plan for a better growing season next year. We’ll talk about that planning in coming posts.

Weather: First frost came on the morning of October 19th. The first hard frost was on the morning of October 22nd.

2018-10-14: High/Low – 55º/41º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-15: High/Low – 73º/53º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-16: High/Low – 64º/51º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-17: High/Low – 66º/44º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-18: High/Low – 59º/37º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-19: High/Low – 68º/32º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-20: High/Low – 68º/46º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-21: High/Low – 48º/33º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-22: High/Low – 60º/30º (Details – click here.)

Plantings: Nothing to report

Harvest: Due to the two recent frosts, the okra gave up the ghost and the habaneros suffered damage. The serranos continue on. Meanwhile, the jalapenos remain standing, but without peppers.

2018-10-14: 10 okra pods

2018-10-15: Nothing to report

2018-10-16: Nothing to report

2018-10-17: 6 small okra pods, 1 jalapeno

2018-10-18: Nothing to report

2018-10-19: 4 very small okra pods, 2 jalapenos

2018-10-21: Nothing to report

2018-10-22: Nothing to report

Highlight: No, the trees haven’t really begun to show their seasonal change of colors yet. That is still some weeks away. But, the black walnut trees have already lost most of their leaves. Their obnoxious and annoying green balls, along with their offensively malodorous, rotting husks, are littering the yard and endangering the windshields of our vehicles. And, as with so many of life’s contradictions, the unpleasant black walnut litter, in its own way, engenders a certain type of optimism. Yes,  the most highly favored season at Serendipity Farmhouse is now beginning to wrap itself around us – our dearly treasured Autumn.

Weather: The remnants of Hurricane Michael and a welcome cold front brought rain, wind, and a dramatic drop in temperatures. As has been the case all year, weather dominates our work in the yard and gardens.

2018-10-08: High – 86º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-09: High – 77º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-10: High – 78º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-11: High – 77º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-12: High – 62º (Details – click here.)

2018-10-13: High – 55º (Details – click here.)

Plantings: Nothing to report

Harvest: The harvest continues to slow.

2018-10-08: Nothing to report

2018-10-09: Nothing to report

2018-10-10: 11 okra pods, 1 jalapeno

2018-10-11: Nothing to report

2018-10-12: 5 okra pods

2018-10-13: Nothing to report