Fall is now, and it is shaping up to be one heck of a nice fall, if only the dreariest summer weather pattern I've experienced in my life would not merge with my really favorite time of year. I noticed this morning my Basil crop is getting a tinge of brown leaves. Even though I've done one pass through, and put away more Pesto than we can probably eat in year, I have more, much more to go. Can't let it go brown. Low Temps have been in the 40s with no frost yet, but getting some termination dust (but nearly as much we had in July!!! go figure!). So our last garden hurrah is a beautiful bouquet of Asian yellow lillies, they have been so reliable and provide us with that last wink of floral color before the leafless twigs and mask of white snow dominate our landscape. Still, we have our root crops to pick. This year for potatoes we have Red Chieftans, Yukon Gold, and a third generation of a blue variety. I forgot at the moment. I'll fix that later. In addition, the Nelson F1 Carrots (Susie's babies) from Johnny's seeds, and the beets. Oh yes, can't forget the beets. Stars of the show are the Derwent Globes, a Tasmanian variety from Yates http://www.yates.com.au/about/ that did extremely well on our Alaska garden plot. Also, the standby Bolt Hardy from Denali Seeds, a Golden Beet from Johnny's and that other variety from Denali that is long and cylindrical (midlife memory moments, brought to you by the makers of teflon frying pans) . The sauna is progressing ever slowly, but still on track to provide a warm (hot) moments of escape from winter's embrace. Hopefully I'll get that last cast again, and hopefully again that with some close fishing friends and more pleasant memories of our last hurrah of our short, but intense Alaska summer.
