The Muted Fall

The color this fall has been spectacularly lousy. The forest trees seemed confused. Green trees next to naked trees next to trees with a bit of color. That color tends to be muted and lacks any bit of vibrancy. It has been a crummy fall showing.

I don't have time for leaf peeping anyway so it isn't a major trauma. It does make the drive to and from work less enchanting and I do miss that.

I spend time contemplating single bricks and metal brackets used for center line reflectors on highways and other accumulating bric-a-brac and an upcoming master gardener garden tour. I'm thinking a midden out in the garden. I have to do something with this crap.

My spare time is spent painting the last bit of the service entrance stairs down to the basement patio. The last flight of steps needs a second coat. I ran out of stain though and need more. Once the second coat is done I can do the grey touch up where I painted over the lines.

I also got the roadside vegetable garden cleaned and ready to add a full load of the now well aged hobby farm manure. The plan is to spread it over the entire garden, let it freeze and thaw over the winter to kill as many weed seeds as possible then cover the whole thing with a fresh layer of wood chip mulch come February to further smother any remaining viable seeds in the manure. By mid March I'll be ready for the first round of sowing

The sunny utility meadow is going to sleep as a muted fall moves along. The grasses will be the last thing of interest left standing.

Green trees, naked trees and trees with muted color. Winter may as well begin.