Harvest

I love harvest time. The colors, the smells, the gold/ brown/ orange themed...everything. Its so beautiful.  It does remind me that winter is just around the corner after an all too short summer, but I try to just enjoy the beauty of this short season in Alberta.

I love the colors of the leaves as they change from healthy green to vibrant reds and oranges. Levi said to me just this morning when he was looking out our window "Mom, the bushes started growing red leaves now!"

We live on the edge of our little town (for now, until it is developed) and this has been our view for the past few weeks:

The boys love to watch the swather, combine and baler out in the field, each taking its turn to do its job.  I love the stripes of the crop drying and later the polka dots of bales waiting to be rounded up and hauled away.

I did my own little harvest a week ago. My humble little garden went from this:

To this:

To this:

My beets didn't fare so well- they were more bite size than anything but Chris and the boys still ate and enjoyed them (I'm not a fan). I got quite a few carrots and potatoes and an ample supply of onions. My tomatoes were slow to develop into anything other than small, hard green balls but I did get a few early and tasty ones (Chris and Luca tell me- I'm also not a fan of fresh tomatoes) and now have lost count at 25 that have ripened.

I think it is safe to say that this year's garden experiment was a success! Horray for raised beds and imported soil!

I know next year to plant less lettuce and spinach and more carrots and potatoes. I may try to find a spot for peas next year as well.

Do you garden? What do you like to grow?