PUMPKINS

I may never understand how pumpkins could be come so important to two grown men over 40. It all began when Shawn annouced that our garden was not complete with out a pumpkin patch. We spent the last day of spring running from green house to green house looking for a few seedlings. After a full day of hunting in the dark back corners and unwanted spindly plant tables we finally found six plants. The next day Mom and Dad came out from BC. Shawn and Dad decided they would plant the pumkin patch while Mom and I went grocery shopping. We returned to two very dirty, tired but proud men. They where like little boys when they dragged us down to look at their patch. During the summer Mom & Dad came out several more times and each time the boys would tour their patch together. They would discuss the progress and marvel at the growth of the larger pumpkins. Then they would come back to us again with gaint smiles and tell us all about their patch. I swear Dad came for a visit sometimes just to make sure I was watering their pumpkins while Shawn was away at work. The final result of all their hard work was the three pumpkins that are seen above and the proud papas' couldn't be more excited.

Winter Is Coming.

I'm waking up every morning to ice on the animals water dishes. Our two new kittens need to come in the house every night. Frost covers the fields like a silver blanket every morning till the sun hits it around noon. The cat is catching ever large amounts of food for her kittens. It started last week with 1 or 2 mice outside the door every morning. This morning it was 10 mice and 1 squirrel. Everyone around here seems to be preparing for a long cold winter. The farmers are feverishly working the last of their fields. The deer, rabbits, grouse and squirrels are also working feverishly to find the last of the harvest. It must be in the air when Shawn was home last he went on a canning spree. The kids and I have been baking and making comfort food continuously. Our incredible zuchinni crop I'm glad to say was not left in the unlocked trucks of town but was made into marmalade and many scrumptious baked goods and put in the freezer. There is something different about people that live in the northern climates. From the first crisp morning we awaken to till the first snow flake we feel a urgent need to gather food and warmth around us just like the animals. It seems to be an animalistic need. We have 3 cords of seasoned split firewood ready for winter and don't even have a fire place it is unexplainable. The new bamboo comforters we bought today where added to the beds and the programmable thermostat was reprogrammed for its winter cycle. I know that we are ready for winter but yet there is still a small voice inside to rush because winter will be here very soon.