In looking over my garden from my computer room window, it looks pretty bleak. There's some kale, spinach, and Brussels sprouts still lingering, but that's all.

Most of the garden is covered with leaves and pine needles with cow manure and compost interspersed. Straw covers the strawberries (hence, the name). Winter dormancy for the berry plants and garden as a whole. Come April, it will begin harboring the fruits of my and Mother Nature's labors--veggies competing with weeds.

My persimmons are ripe for the picking, right off the trees. They are so sweet and delicious. Except for them, for the next four months, there will be nothing to pick or gather. The freezer is packed, the citrus fruit sacks loaded (with potatoes, onions, apples), buckets filled with carrots, beets, parsnips in sand, sweet potatoes and squash lined in rows on shelves. Bring it on, old man winter. I'm prepared!