“I know the year is dying,
Soon the summer will be dead.
I can trace it in the flying
Of the black crows overhead;
I can hear it in the rustle
Of the dead leaves as I pass,
And the south wind’s plaintive sighing
Through the dry and withered grass.

Ah, ’tis then I love to wander,
Wander idly and alone,
Listening to the solemn music
Of sweet nature’s undertone;
Wrapt in thoughts I cannot utter,
Dreams my tongue cannot express,
Dreams that match the autumn’s sadness
In their longing tenderness.”
-  Mortimer Crane Brown, Autumn Dreams

My garden is a sad, sad place now. I hoped the last of the tomatoes would ripen but they’re doing it so slowly that the slugs are getting more than me. There are still a lot out there and very green but I’ve decided not to hold my breath  waiting on them. A few summer squash are still growing too, and one lone zuchinni. I found last years old seeds about mid July and threw them in my flower bed. From those I will have 2 winter squash (yay!) They are small but better than none. Once I’m feeling better I need to get busy and clean up the mess from this years garden. Oh yeah, and there’s that long overdo (hopefully) last lawn mowing to do. The broccoli plants finally got huge but the broccolis didn’t so I didn’t even pick them.

^Winter Squash plants!^

I almost stepped on this lil guy yesterday. That would have been really really gross. Being that my garden is about finished and the fact that I don’t have the heart to kill him, I just moved him off to where I’m putting the tomatoes already eaten by slugs. I really couldn’t kill any of them, if they crawl into the beer I put out, that’s different. Apparently this one is a teetotaler.

Other things

• I have been cigarette free for 9 days. It’s getting easier.
• I have been going to the Y consistently. I average between an hour and an hour & a half each time.
• I am going into the advanced life skills class (I think that’s what they call it, the next DBT group anyway).
• I wasn’t perfect with my garden but I loved every minute of it and I followed through all summer long caring for it and preserving the food.

Things to do

• Figure out how to be social again.
• Make friends.
• You realize I have no clue how to do that?
• Find someone to haul compost and mulch for my garden.

I have come a long way this summer. I think my blog is great, if for no other reason than here is proof of my progress when I start to doubt myself. And I surely will It doesn’t seem to be appealing to many others and I wish it was but I can understand why it isn’t. For those of you who do read and comment still, I thank you for your kindness, it means a lot to me!

“Kiss of the sun for pardon. Song of the birds for mirth. You’re closer to God’s heart in a garden than any place else on earth.” ~ Dorothy Frances Gurney

I can go out there any day and not be sure what gifts I’ll be bringing in that day. They are always yummy though. Today, I found 5 ripe tomatoes, 1 summer squash, enough beans for a couple more freezer bags and yet another precious zucchini. It finally rained, I was watering because so many days it’s been a false alarm. This evening when it slowed to a sprinkle I went out to see what I might discover this time and it was more than I expected. And there is still more to come!