Cleaning the Garden?

It seems as though our hot summer weather has departed. I don't expect prolonged heat to return so I've taken our two window air conditioners out. They're stored for the winter. If we do get an occasional hot day, the fans can handle our need for quick cooling. So now the windows need washing, but I'm not ready to take down the screens just yet. There are still flies and other flying nuisances that want to come inside. The yellow jackets gather on the south side, seeking entry. They will sneak inside each time the door is opened. They're hard to kill and keep moving after being swatted, even after being decapitated. They're pretty close to being zombies.

While I was away two days last week, the raccoons apparently had a corn-eating contest in and around my garden. I found half-eaten cobs drug out onto the lawn in all directions from the garden proper. Dennis did check and re-bait the trap, but those sneaky thieves have seemingly learned how to spring the trap without being caught. At least that's what he claims. I caught a raccoon two nights in a row upon my return. Talk about closing the barn door after the horse is out. There's virtually no corn left, and one whole row of stalks have been torn down. It's a mess. Last night the trap got sprung and there wasn't anything in it, so I guess I'll believe his story.

We've had measurable rain the past two nights, and it's drizzling as I write this. The weather is conspiring to make me continue trying to catch up on the housework. I have whipped the kitchen and both bathrooms into shape. Unfortunately those rooms see a lot of use so they don't stay pristine long. The laundry room also sees a lot of use, but it doesn't attract clutter like the rest of the house, so stays neat enough to suit me. The back bedrooms likewise stay clean as no one lives in them now that our children are grown and on their own.

Once I finish this column, I'll be tackling the living/dining room area. Our dining table is too near the front door. It's convenient to use as a surface to set everything that needs to go to town with us on our next trip (bills to pay, library books to return, etc), as well as a place to set things as we bring them in from our trip to town. I've given up trying to keep it totally cleared. We live in our house, and it looks well-used.

I had hoped to get more beets pickled and canned this afternoon. I won't go pull them while it's still this wet, though, so that will get pushed to tomorrow. I know I'll have to hose the mud off before bringing them inside. The deer have munched the tops off, so I don't have to think about blanching and freezing the greens. That makes life easier. I had planned to mow, but that's also on hold because it's too wet. Dusting and vacuuming get the upper hand today.

The onions and shallots were dug early last week and left on top of the ground to cure for a few days. In fact, I dug them the afternoon we finished combining the wheat. The machinery for harvest has been put away for another year. On Thursday, I looked at the forecast and saw rain predicted. So now the onions and shallots are in burlap bags in the garage, safe from the wet. I didn't put in as many as last year (really, there were way too many last year), so I don't expect them to last long. In fact, a good many of them will get pickled with the beets. I think I'll put in a few more next year.

There aren't many tomatoes left on my vines. Usually I'll have lots of those at this time of year, and would can a lot. The birds have pecked at and ruined a lot of them, and knocked several to the ground as well as broken off some branches. Not only that, but it seems as though the plants only formed so many, and then quit blossoming. I don't know why, but I'm disappointed. I was looking forward to making lots of sauces to can and enjoy all winter. I guess I'll look at the bright side and be happy we won't have to drag the tarps out to cover the plants in an attempt to prolong the harvest.

I do have lots of squash coming along. I'd been pinching off the tips of those vines to encourage the plants into putting their growth efforts into forming fruit. I planted several types and have a winter squash that turns bright orange. They resemble small pumpkins, but don't have a pumpkin flavor. The zucchini types got away from me during harvest. There is one out there that has to be at least three feet long. I don't know what to do with it. I can only do so many zucchini brownies.

A couple of those type squash have been partially eaten. I suspect voles, but maybe a raccoon or possibly the fox sampled them. After all, colored marshmallows tempted the fox into the trap. What do I know about their taste buds? A friend had a couple of his eaten and is blaming deer. But I didn't see any hoof prints near the squash. There were hoof prints near the beets and the Swiss chard that had leaves munched away. I think my electric fence doesn't get enough sunlight now to be very effective.

I still have carrots and potatoes to dig. Those are chores that won't happen while it's wet and muddy. Eventually the gladiola bulbs and dahlia tubers will need to be dug. They're still blooming. Once I get my table cleared, I'll reward myself with a bouquet of them. So, back to cleaning...