The Gate Is Closed for the Season 2012

Winter Came to the garden October 17, 2012 and it never left. The snow got deeper, the wind got stronger and the temperature dropped steadily from that date on.

My helper, Jacinto, finally conceded and the poly was placed on the doors, the liquids taken to a warmer place and the tools put away until next spring.   Thank goodness my Son, Dean,  helped me to winterise the equipment . Thank you to Graham for helping with last minute jobs ....and.... friend, Bev helped me clean up and recycle used planter pots on the 12th of Oct.

Winter came with a bang.....and stayed!


There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savour belonging to yourself. ~Ruth Stout

 

........until Spring 2013

Rounding up the 2012 Season...

 

 

 A COUNTRY VENUE CREATED FOR YOU 

wheelchair accessible

 

 

Open May 15  2013   to  October  15   2013

'Weather permitting'

 

                                                       'A Place Where Life Is Good'


Lloydminster, Alberta/across the street from 'Saskatchewan'  off hwy 17 N.

thoughts: .......are?

 

•Aspire to inspire before you expire. Author unknown.

 

 

 

 

 

No...No...Snow !

........Still so much to do before the gate closes for the season!
We have already had two snow skiff's.  That really lets us know what is coming!  Managed to get alot cleaned up and by the 'weather-lady' we will have a couple more days that will give me a chance to attend to the equipment and tend to a final clean up!

My grape crop was very skinny this year..because of the very warm winter we had in 2011.  My bushes froze off and have had to start from the bottom again....that's OK by me...I need to clean up all the berries in the freezer this year into jelly and tasty treats!

ENDING BLOOMS: 

Dark Clouds in the Sky
Cooling Winds whipping by
Forcing my gardens beauty to
       bend and cry
Leaves swirling, branches bareing their
        souls
Moaning sounds of summer's end
the dawning of fall's entrance to
        behold

My spirit crys out No, No....
      I haven't finished
time, I need time, to build
Create, savor the joys of blooms.
Stems, brilliant colors that I, with
tenderness, my garden radiates

No matter how I brace
Against the season's end
Signs of closing nature al'round
          time, it is time
For rest, inside my gardens gate.

                               The last rose of 2012 summer.....

Thank You But Again....

Cold grey skies, a damp mist in the air
A slight shiver across my back as I stare
Across the tops of the shrubs and gaze at the ridge
        to the level above
remembering the blaze of bright colors and green.

The yellows, pinks and blues of purple sheen
The season once again has ended.
My blessings of good times, of proud moments
crowding the corners of my minds memories
As I close the gate on another year.

Roll up the hose's, hang up the shovels, rakes and trowels.
Above the geese noislily fly south, squawking loudly in their flight.

The season's snow chill is in the air.  It's time to say....
So long 2012, I'll be back once again....
Come the new dawn of spring time, ye adding but one.

....we're fallin....

I can't decide whether or not this is a season I enjoy or simply don't like and work through.  I for sure love the colours and that is probably the reason 'mother nature' gives us the final show!  Yep, she has it all figured out.  We are headed into the cold white season. Winter. Freezing temps. Gray dismal days peppered with (some) dazzling bright sunshine days. Well, guess I can relent and say it is time to rest.  Rest for me.  Rest for my garden.  Rest for the soils.

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water. ~Carl Reiner

We have our memories our photo's and our 'next year plans'

A final celebration of 'falling'  Fall time,  Harvest time..........

Memories!  as we move into the 'frosty season'

as I say...'The Changing of the Colours' 2012

Fall is reflection time....In the gardening world ....the political world...the business world....the end of another year world....

You might ask....how do those worlds align with each other...in my estimation, usually the fall time is election time....it is 'the season'  in my small city of Lloydminster.  Fall clean up time in the gardens.  Year end clean up in the business world.

...politicians and gardening...well...as I said it is clean up time.  The opportunity has come.  Local/provincial/federal/national elections are in front of us daily.   Political figures can be planted or removed.  If over the past 'season' the plant doesn't align with your visions for your garden....make the effort to remove 'it' or re-position 'it'.....sometimes it isn't that easy....roots still remain and can cause problems....so it will take extra effort to rid the garden of what you no longer want.


...and the business world vs gardening....year ends loom on the horizon.  How did the past year produce?  Did all your plans go accordingly?  Was the bounty fruitful?  What changes need to happen to begin a new 'season'

Business-Politics-Gardening which ever heading pleases you the reader....is how and where your reflections will fall....as your weeding out the 'useless'  'un- productive'
disappointing 'plants' a new vision emerges and the building will then begin all over again.

Fall is for the most part the last show!  The last great effort to message the observer.

It says 'Look at me can you see how 'important' I am in your garden'  and we may weaken and say Ok just one more season'  Show me what you really can do!

Autumn mornings: sunshine and crisp air, birds and calmness, year's end and day's beginnings. ~Terri Guillemets

Colors of 2012 Fall

Natures

changing of 'the colours'

 

 

September-Earth Sign-Sign of Virgo-Fall Season

Call it whatever you like.  It is Fall.  Termination of the growing season.  Harvesting of the season's bounty.  Fall labour.  Getting ready for winter.  Colourful blooms disappearing. 
Sounds like the end, right?  Well it is for the gardener's spirit. 
Turn that around and it can be the beginning of the 'next season'!  It is the time for fall planting of shrubs, perennials and trees.  That is why September starts of with the
Labour Day Holiday!  Fall is laborious! 
NOW is the time for Bargains!  Clear outs!  Half price Sales!  Planning for the NEXT season!

Exciting!

This is how I started out my NEW season! 

Colorado Blue Spruce- Colorado Green Spruce -Fat Albert Spruce (20 in total)
17 Sea Buck thorn trees
mixture of 34-mock orange/Amethyst-Coral Berry/Dwarf Bog Birch
Castoff Daylillies/  Iris and more Iris to be spread about on the grounds.

West side garden entrance view

 preparing for setting a walkway

 

                                         then the rains came! had to shut down the 'Labour'!

It was a great family weekend!

 

NOT ALL 'Labour'  Had some good quality fun and laughter!  Grandson Adam captured (momentarily)  his favourite 'critters' and joined in with helping his dad and aunties! 

A little bit of harvesting for the taste buds!  Cherry Plums