This entry will be doing double-duty since I just couldn't put yesterday down on the Blog! It was a wonderful day, just very busy
and intense energy changes as we took the show down at the Library. The shift of its coming down made me dizzy! And I was very
weary the rest of the day. Before we went to the Library, Su.Sane and I got a hugh wave of energy and started pulling up all the spent nasturitums in the the garden. They came out in hugh masses, with hugh root bases. The frost had melted them all down and they hung everywhere in total droop. It felt good to get them pulled and off the perennials that are showing new life with the cooler weather and the rain we have had - it is just amazing that they would bloom and flourish again.

Saturday:
After a wonderful drive along the coast and a stop at Lincolnville Beach, we watched "On A Clear Day" with Barbra Streisand and Yves Montand. Then we dove back into put the artwork from the show into its place in the house. The loft is wrapped up for winter and finishing touches are being done to make living comfortable for the season.

Joseph tackled the gutters today, removing years of moss in our wooden gutters. This should help them empty faster this winter. He was very brave to get up there with all the muck and mud accumulation. We thank him very much!

By afternoon we set a steady course to get the garden cleaned up, the tarps up, the plants cut back, and the furniture pads and frames tucked away for winter. And by dark - at 4:45 - we had it done. We have left the yellow chairs out to be able to enjoy warm afternoons and the blue tables, but everything else is in. I hope the tarps will take care of the whole season, surely they will.

We only have the front porch to cover and the garage doors, and then we should be in fine shape!!! They will be a snap - of course - I'm not the one who does it :) thats Robert's handywork, but Su.Sane and I do help in the finishing details. Suzanne fixed us a sumptuous meal and we had a glass of fine wine from Lilly Lupin & Fern...so what could be better to end a full day?

By the way, the island bird feeder is working - just the birds can eat from it. Of course the squirrel and chippies feeder is empty in one afternoon - they can wear a girl out!

Good night Dear Diary,
Sandra

Well, I am happy to report that Dracula was not the center of attention in my dreams last night, but that Full Moon in all her glory (though hidden from view by rain clouds) nevertheless kept me tossing and turning!

By 5:15 I was ready to start the day in an upright position, just like a morning glory blossom, I slowly unwound myself. And it has been a full day ever since.

After a beautiful sitting at the harbor, watching the clouds hover around Mt.Battie, we came home and worked on the crystal glasses that we fill with colored water and put in all our windows for the winter time. This has been a tradition for us for many years, as it brings full spectrum light into the home, when sunlight is scarce. This year I bought CRL which removes the calcium buildup that usually occurs over the season the glasses are in the windows. It will definitely help...but it is NOT INSTANT, as commented on the
bottle. Oh, well, at least it helps somewhat.

The Ravens came back today as we filled the feeders with dry bread and bagels - they love biscuits and bagels best! The size of these birds are amazing and the irredescent colors are something to behold. By winter the Seagulls will join them and the contrast in the two is worth a whole afternoon of window watching.

The finches have emptied two feeders and keep me hopping with refills. I think - notice I said THINK - that I might have found a solution to being able to keep at least ONE feeder just for the birds (full of blackoil sunflower seeds). By having it sooooo far away from anything for squirrels or chippies to jump to it....maybe the birds will get their share. Of course, the squirrels and chippies have their own feeder under the tree. I wouldn't doubt if either of those two landlubbers figured out a way to get to the island feeder,
but for now it is safe!

Well, it's been great, but I am sinking into the west very quickly...good night!

Sandra

It's raining, hey!! I'm sure all the little trick or treaters are home and fast asleep by now...if they have had
as much trouble as I have with the time change..they surely are pooped!

Today was grocery shopping day, so the garden got no attention from me. But we have a full pantry, and
still have garden tomatoes ripening in their little newspaper wrappings! Next year, they too
will be under the "glass houses" to get an earlier start on the growing season. We had some today in a tomato, cucumber,
onion and vinegar salad that SuSane prepared - wow - it was great and the tomatoes are sweet as honey.

After a day of watching "Monsterfest" - (every Dracula movie ever made), I'm ready to enter my own dream world
and hope he is not in there......oooh! Spooky! Happy All Hallows Eve to youuuuuuuuuuuuu tooooooooooooooo. :)

Sandra

Today was windy and sunny, a perfect day to work in the house, finish some sewing on a vest for Su.Sane, and
then play out in the garden. We still had a few dishes and pottery pieces that needed to be cleaned up and put
away for the season. I think our storage tables will survive the winter snows and keep everything clean and accessible
for their return to the garden in the Spring.

Speaking of snow, we are contemplating doing our own snow removal this year -- do you think we can?? A snow
blower would be very nice ......must study up on those things......never needed one before!

I got the spent nasturtiums out of the front yard bed and dead pine branches out of the shrubs, that felt really good so
that as we drive out and glance back at our home we can smile that all is well ! You know that feeling when you have
worked on something...you feel kinda proud....and just have to glance back to see your work well done?

The forecasters say that Saturday will be in the 70's so Su.Sane and I said "Hey" - great weather to finish up the yard cleanup!!

By the way, the signature of this journal is our Sloggers. Su.Sane and Robert and I all have Sloggers - the great rubber garden clogs that kept us dry and clean all summer. They are terrific, and they became our morning shoe of the season! You can see them on
their web page - www.sloggers.com. Of course, today, while I was out washing and spraying with the hose ---I forgot to put them on
and ended up with wet, dirty, muddy shoes --- so don't do what I do --- do what I did!

Happy Full Moon,
Sandra

Today we did another type of gardening, we planted black spooky cobwebs over the door and window to our porch, and placed white spiders in the strands. Then we planted luminaries of black stars and pumpkin faces. It was time to decorate for the All Hallows Eve, and our Salon gathering tonite. We let Autumn enter our home with orange pumpkins, candy corn, caramel popcorn in black cauldrons. One of our guests came with 2 sets of eyes.....she could read the left side with one set and the right side with the other...it was a miracle.

I sat for almost an hour at the harbor this morning, it was spectacular! I sense that this filling of the heart with the scenery in this village is what gives us the nourishment to complete our tasks as we prepare for the winter silence. The windjammers have been put to sleep with their white blankets, the harbor is ready for a rest. The land is ready to rest after the intense growth of this years plants and the small amount of rain to supplement our watering. We too are preparing to move into more silent moments for reflection and rest, following the way of the garden and the sea.

We priced the "tarps" at Reny's today, setting them in our budget, for covering the outdoor furniture and the front porch. These tarps are the greatest invention....their color alone makes them feel safe and protective! The small things that fill the garden besides the plantings and vegetables, feed us equally with their surfaces of comfort and relaxation. Oh, no, here I go waxing - goodnight :)

Sandra

I never made it into the garden today, but boy did I see breathtaking views of Downeast Maine. I rode to the Bangor Airport to take my son for his home-bound flight and we ooooohed and aaaaaahed the whole way. Which, by the way, we went the most direct route and made it in 75 minutes, instead of my 3-4 hour trip last Saturday to pick him up :). Its been a long time since this lady has been out of the safe harbor of Camden!!

It was a wonderful day and all of my senses were working overtime absorbing the color of this great New England drive. Now I can see where all those great calendar scenes were shot of NE autumns.....I love this place!!!!

Tonight is to go down to 27, soooo glad we got all our potted herbs in on Thursday. They are snuggled in the south window of my room, which has no heat source, so they should be able to winterize happily. I know I am very happy to have them join me for the winter!

Sandra

Saturday 10/27/01

Did we get the mileage out of our little bodies today...wow! After a successful yard sail, we sailed into our garden and cleaned the place up. Now when we clean a garden, we clean all the collectibles that go with it! I set up an outdoor kitchen inside our green window paned glass house, well equipped with wash tub, suds, hose that sprayed to rinse our dishes, scrub brush, dish drainer (compliments of SS) and a long table to stack the clean dishes after drying....all safe and snug for the winter. Boy, our little hands were chilled to the bone by 5 pm, and our backs felt like the pioneers standing over the old wash buckets...but we persevered :).

Now we have only a few more pieces to complete the job. Then the furniture is next, but we decided to keep it out and available for
our afternoon tea times, at least until the first snow!

So the garden is gradually going to rest....but this year it will be with careful tending.....last year caught us by surprise with the big snow falls in October, and we could never get everything done...BUT not this YEAR....it is our mission!!

Bastett, the black cat who loves our garden was seen eyeing the fish pond, upon which apparently she has feasted before. The pond got emptied today down below the 3/4 mark and alas...no fish....I think nature has taken care of the winter storage of the fish for us.

The front yard got its last haircut today, it looks great, and the clippings will feed the Spring growth, so all is well here.....The nasturtiums are still full of color and greenery in the front of the house....what a pleasure they have been again this year. The ones under the front shrubbery seem to be the last ones we get in the ground....but here it is almost November...and they are going strong.!I think the intuitive planting process is the berries :).

Sandra