Samhain                                                         Thanksgiving Moon

Went outside this afternoon.  Something I do less and less as the cold time deepens.  The dogs’ paths stand out now with fallen leaves on either side of bare ground.  It’s possible to see to the far southern fence of our property through the woods, impossible during the growing season.

Checked the cardboard sleeve for the bees.  It’s fallen down and I had to prop it up.  I may staple it.  I wanted to avoid that because thumping sounds inside the hive tend to activate defense on the part of the colony and I don’t want to wear a veil.  But, I might do it anyhow.

The mulching, leaves, that I put down in the vegetable garden, partly as a weed suppressor and partly for soil nutrition, have blown off from the asparagus patch, the sun trap and the herb spiral.  We have more leaves and tomorrow I’m going to remulch those areas while I put down the mulch over the newly planted bulbs.  The soil has frozen so this is the time.  It’s also best to get it done before the snow falls and it looks like we may have snow next week.  At least I hope so.

When that’s done, the outside garden work is over for the winter with one exception: pruning the fruit trees.  We’re going to have Javier come in and do it since it’s a specialized skill and we’d like to get them on the right path.

This winter will find me outside, out back more than usual.  At least that’s the plan. Pruning the forest, building up cut wood stores for future bonfires.  Creating yet another beeyard.  I have a new pair of gloves, a new chain and a new bar on the Jonsered, so I’m ready.  I’ve got my felling and limbing axes, too, and I plan to cut down some trees the old-fashioned way.  I’ll limb most of them with the limbing ax.  Safer than using the chain saw.