dichotomy

unmistakable signs of autumn are visibly creeping into the garden...along with the maize die-back ( aided by our furry friends ) the tomatoes are beginning o wind up and the cucumber/bean wall ( top two photos ) is beginning to turn...an improvident grasshopper ( third photo ) is prowling about for a meal...their presence is another indicator of the lateness of the season...and yet the garden isn't ready to call it quits for the season yet...the second spear the resilient asparagus plant threw up is beginning to "fern" and help feed the roots to ( hopefully ) winter over...and the sugar snap peas are producing...pods...so there's life out there yet...we will be getting out into the garden ( irregardless of the swarms of mosquitoes )over this coming weekend to begin preparing it for winter...removing those plants whose season is clearly over and creating space for green manures, cover crops, and for some fall planting red inchelium garlic...there is enough to provide at least twenty plants for next season...we will plant this weekend and then mulch the beds as the season cools...always work and planning going on...the garden never sleeps...just slows down a bit.