The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

And the seasons all have their beginnings and endings. The season for driving through the Walla Walla Valley with my top down, the wind blowing in my face, is ending. According to my weather app, it looks like tomorrow will be the end of convertible weather, which coincides with my final push for tomatoes ripening on the vine. Sadly, I am watching my plants shrivel and wither away, as the days grow colder and shorter. I am glad that we at least did have a successful crop of cucumbers, peppers and butternut squash. Although frustrating at times, the garden was not a total disaster. Now we begin pickling green tomatoes and making butternut squash soup.

The cucumbers, carrots and parsnips have been yanked out, the tomatoes will be dug up and tossed out a little later this week. I’ve trimmed and culled dead layers of Irises and pulled out more dead wildflowers. The most frustrating for me, is that my herbs are still thriving so I know it will hurt that I will soon have to part with many of those. The basil and thyme won’t make through the cold; however, I may be able to salvage some parsley and sage. Some good news, arugula and oregano will never die.

I’m becoming more accustomed to the rhythms and seasons of the PNW. Spring and its vibrant greens and the summer harvest of whatever successes you’ve (not me) had in the garden, then come the blue gnats (torture). Next, it’s Halloween, luckily, I don’t have to grow candy, or there would be a lot of disappointed kids around here. Then comes winter, with very short days, and the necessary change to snow tires; OK, I know they’re safer, but they look ridiculous on a convertible.

I’m finding that as we turn back the clock and the weather and the seasons change, so does my mood. Even though I will miss sitting on my deck and waiting for a bird to show up and eat from the feeder, there are compensations.

I will not miss weeds! Snow-covered weeds are manageable because I have learned that if I don’t see it, it can’t be bad. Dirt on my apron, no problem, turn it inside out, I don’t see it – all is good. There are still evergreen trees around, a little green amongst the snow makes some of the dreary days easier to handle. The cactus in the restaurant is still alive. I may even learn to appreciate the gray green of succulents.

I will not miss the Sunday morning lawn mowers that wake me up too early after a busy night at the restaurant. Raking the fall leaves is quiet, and if there isn’t too much snow on the ground, shoveling a little doesn’t break the sound barrier. However, in large snowstorms, I appreciate the plowing, a noise I want to hear and I’m grateful for the plows.

This winter will be our first in the restaurant and I am both excited and apprehensive to see how well, or not well we do. If the weather is too bad, people may stay home. But we have been warned that there is a good chance we may be busy with Bluewood skiers returning home, and too tired to cook, and want a hot meal. Fingers crossed for lots of skiing this year.

To add insult to injury this week, along with my plants dying, my iPad keyboard died, another iPad battery died, as did my old iPhone used just for music. Not only does Mother Nature have a mean streak, so does Tim Cook! 7