We were actually happy to have an overcast day for the annual barbecue, riding academy entertainment and tour of the gardens – the temperature was just right! The gardens, lush from all the rain earlier in the season, still showed the summer bloomers overlapping the classic fall asters, anemones, chrysanthemums and grasses.
It was a terrific year for fruit production: apples, two kinds of pears, Cornus mas, quince just ripening – and some wonderful jams, jellies, chutneys and preserves were put away. And veggies were turned into pickles, barbecue and chili sauces, stewed and dried tomatoes. Garlic and shallots were already hanging in the summer kitchen along with all the flowers drying. These will see us right through until spring!
