Talena Winters

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Racing the Frost Giant

It might be just me, but it feels like summer and fall were physically shorter than normal this year. Like the teenager of Summer hit an early growth spurt and is now a towering youth with aspirations of becoming a Frost Giant.

After several heavy frosts and snowing all last weekend, I'd say he's already been doing pretty well at it.

This  morning, I looked out at the world through a softening white filter--all except a perfect, green circle underneath our trampoline. My phone said it was -5C!

Now I am fretting that my pumpkins in the shed may have frozen.

Except these two. They have been ripening inside, and I'm trying to decide if they are ready to be turned into pumpkin pies this weekend or not.

To pie, or not to pie? That is the question.

Mmmm. Homemade pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkins.

The boys all began swimming club this week. Between that and the children's musical that Jude and Jabin are participating in, the new writing critique group I started on Monday night, doctor's and vet's and hair appointments, plus all our regularly-scheduled programming, this week has been the most highly-scheduled week the Winters household has experienced in a long time.

On top of that, Jason and I had a very much unscheduled extra stressor that filled up any spaces that were left (and took over some of the other ones, anyway.)

Thankfully, my mom helped me pull in the last 1 1/2 beds of potatoes yesterday.

I've got three more bins like this. Except some of them are cleaner. But not less scabby. :-) It was a good year for root vegetables in my garden.

Now I just have to bring in the last 1/2 bed of carrots and put them... um, I've got nowhere to put them.

Want some carrots?

Herman, the 3/4 pound carrot. . #wegrowembig #gardentreasures #gardening #growyourownfood #garden #carrot #jawdropper

A photo posted by Talena Winters (@talenawinters) on

I'm hoping I can get these ripe tomatoes into a preserved form before they all start rotting.

To be dealt with today.

Next week's and the week after's projects.

I'll squeeze that in somewhere between play practice and carrot harvesting and writing and... it might just be time to take something off my plate. Or hold on with white knuckles until this month is over.

Because no matter how organized you are, there are times when you just need to take something out of the schedule.

Whew. I'm so glad it's almost the weekend.

How about you, friends? What is your October looking like so far?

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