Winter Prep

Even though we're barely a month into autumn, officially, I feel like it's getting rather close to winter this week. (So do the squirrels, apparently. Lots of activity there.) There was frost predicted for Thursday night, so in our Thursday lab at school, we ripped out most of the annuals and put them in the compost. It's much pleasanter and easier to take out green plants than slimy, post-frost remains. Our section is near the front door, so there were a lot of annuals - snapdragons, nicotiana, red salvia, zinnias, and ptilotus (which were new to me, also known as joeys, and look sort of like tapered lavender bottlebrushes with succulent leaves like a sedum.) Kind of felt bad taking things out, since they still looked nice, but we salvaged several bouquets' worth, one of which is brightening the coffee/tea corner at school. Apparently we have some vases at school for uses like this. I think I might try doing a bit more flower-arranging there next summer.

I picked my remaining beets and emptied the veg garden at home that afternoon. I guess it was just in time, since there were actually flurries around on Friday. Not a lot, and nothing stuck, but there was something in the air that was falling a lot slower than rain... Got the beets and some random radishes pickled yesterday and made a huge pot of stew with the veg I brought home from school the other week.

I finished the diagonal striped mitts I was working on Thursday, and they look very Christmassy, so right in theme with the colder weather.

I really like the way the idea came out, and I definitely want to do a whole pattern range with it.

And now...less than a week until Rhinebeck! I've signed up to play Bingo again, have to make dinner reservations tonight for Friday and Saturday, and do a little studying, since I get my quiz two days early, so I can leave town Thursday night. Tomorrow I'm at the Ottawa Knitting Guild vendors' night, with a load of pretties to sell, all packed up and ready to go.