Since I broke the handle on my wood splitting maul yesterday, it looks like I'll be working in the garden today. It needs attention. I've devoted far too much time to getting my wood supply taken care of.

I haven't talked about the garden for awhile. It's still there, looking pretty ugly this time of year. Corn stalks are unsightly, crabgrass sprawling in the rows.

Currently, I'm still picking green beans (from my original Spring planting) and tomatoes (free for the taking on a roadside stand). I have lots of kale and chard, but the broccoli never amounted to much. Fall spinach, lettuce, and peas are coming along. I'll have Brussels sprouts soon.

Then there are the root crops to be dug: beets, carrots, parsnips, potatoes--both regular and sweet, onions and garlic. Digging in my hard, dry soil won't be easy. I have gathered winter squash, what few developed. No digging required. I'll store all these in my root cellar.

I pick red raspberries every other day. Apples are wormy, but the pears look good. I'm using up the last of my dehydrated '08 pears before this year's crop ripens. The freezer is full--it never seems to empty! Help!