Taste of fall...

It was another beautiful, warm day, but I know cooler fall weather is around the corner.  I left the house early this morning for some errands and appointments, and when I got home decided I should take advantage of the lovely temperatures and put my front flower gardens to bed for the winter.  They have been so riotously flower-filled all summer, I was sad to see them go, but had to admit they were looking bedraggled.

I pulled the dying plants up by big armfuls, filling my enormous wheel barrow to overflowing, twice.

I know most people must struggle with what to do with all those plants.  I have no problem, however.

The goats, styling in their blaze orange, hunting season finery,  mobbed me at the gate, tearing huge mouthfuls of plants off the wheel barrow as I tried to move it out to the manure pile. I gave up and dumped it about 15 feet from the gate, and they descended upon the mess as if it were a fabulous smorgasbord.

Our visiting buck found the rose bush clippings to be particularly delectable.

Halfway through the project I popped back in the house to get supper started. I tucked a roaster chicken, raised right here, some local squash and sweet potatoes, into my trusty cast iron skillet.  Then I poured a mix of melted butter, honey, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary over everything and slid it all into the oven.  A harvest season meal, for certain.  As I dug and hauled I could catch the occasional tantalizing whiff of it cooking as a breeze wafted the scent out of the open kitchen window.

The next time I have a little free time I will rake the beds to rid them of the last stems and leaves and smooth the dirt. I should also cut back the foliage from the lilies, I realize now as I look at these pictures.  But the bulk of this job is done.

I fed the animals, threw Bravo a ball one hundred times and locked up the chickens, while a blood-orange sun sank behind the ridge. The lights from indoors were warm and welcoming as I kicked my dirty boots off on the deck. I came inside to find supper perfectly done and the house perfumed with savory smells.

It was a good day.