Fall has a way of reaching out with its bright colors and speaking to your soul. I find this time of year inspiring and so fleeting.

I try to capture the colors with my camera and incorporate this into my artwork. That way I take a part of this wonderful time with me throughout the year.

This U Tube video catches fall with the scenery and the music.

Tommorrow in between pressing cider and working in the gardens I hope to hit the trails in Warren County and capture the colors some of the last fall leaves that linger on the ground and trees.

I have to admit summer and fall are my favorite seasons but winter offers a peace and makes me appreciate my surroundings.

I woke to find the first snow this morning.
photo credit: mcthebest

We had a few teasing snowflakes one week ago but it lasted a mere 29 minutes and the sun came out. This morning it snowed until the ground was covered. I sat with a cup of warm coffee watching the snowflakes dance on the wind and appreciated the fact I was in a warm house.  My plans for the day changed with cold weather and I spent the morning bracing myself for a cold windy trip to town and cleaning off the car for the first time this winter season.

As I prepared to head downtown I would look outside and watch the snow cling to the trees and the few leaves that were left clinging to the trees. The white snow emphasized the reds and yellows and stood out against the dark foreboding skyline.

It snowed the better part of the morning and afternoon and we actually accumulated three to four inches of snow. As soon as the sun came out around 3 p.m. the snow melted but the reminder that the gardening season is over and its time to bundle up against the cold remained.
photo credit: mcthebest

One my drive home from town I had the opportunity to see the last remaining colored leaves reflecting brightly in the waters of the Conewango Creek. This reminded me that cooler days are ahead but its perfect weather for relaxing days and staying in the house and creating artwork or planning next springs gardens.

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Gourds are one of my favorite crops to grow. I grow them for the surprise, color and for crafting. They also have an amazing history that spans many countries and civilizations.

The smaller ornamental gourds I have already harvested. They have been cleaned, rinsed with a thinned down bleach to help with any diseases that cause the gourd to spoil and dried. I varnished a few for table decoration and Halloween. The rest will dry later in the winter and turned into crafting items or instruments.

The larger gourds are being harvested now. It takes about a week to collect and clean them all. This year my crop totaled over 200 larger gourds and 10 bushels or the decorative gourds. I will leave them outdoors on tables on a sunny day to take stock of the crop and sort them according to how they will be used. These gourds will take anywhere from four to nine months to dry and need to be stored properly to dry well.

How to dry a gourd.

• Clean the dirt and soil off the gourd.
• Check for damage to the gourd.
• Clean with a watered down bleach solution to prevent mold and gourd rot.
• Place the gourd in an area that get air ventilation and make sure the gourds do not touch.
• In my area I have to make sure mice cannot get to the gourds.
• Gourds should be turned while drying to make sure air is getting to all the surfaces of the gourds.
• When dry they need to be cleaned a stored until they can be used.

I usually let my gourds dry until spring then start to create with them. I have made jewelry boxes, musical instruments, plant hangers, wall décor and much more.

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