harvest

 no doubt about it, harvest is early this year.

our winery grapes will start to come in this wednesday, turning the cellar into a hive of activity around the clock, the feeding and care of workers our paramount focus.

something changed in the air a couple of weeks ago, i sensed.  it made me want to wear sweaters and nest, cleaning out the corners and making room for things.  

today the first flock of geese flew south overhead.

and i started bringing in my own garden harvest.  this year's garden was all about letting go.  letting go of...control, perfect rows, even harvest expectations.  i let volunteer plants come up where they wanted to and climb all over seeds i sowed on purpose.  and you know what?  it was one of the best gardens i've ever had.  

as i stood back and watched, nature played out a wild yet naturally supportive community where each plant supported the other. climbing plants wound around tall stalks, more delicate plants found shade under broad leaves.  and over it all the happy hum of bees from the extra pollinator flower patch.   

pondering the metaphor of the whole thing, i got to work bringing in the food:  beans, blackberries, an apple or two to munch on, potatoes, edible flowers, hot peppers, onions, corn, and mounds of zucchini.  i didn't even plant these.  a friend of mine asked what my secret was?  sheer and total neglect.

i had so many zucchini that, after my back being turned on them for less than six days, i was able to fill four good-sized moving boxes with so many of this vegetable that i didn't know what to do.  many of them i could barely carry, heavy and as large as three feet!  fortunately a co-worker (and her entire neighborhood) wanted them for zucchini bread!  evidently theirs weren't growing.  happily ditching my load with them i promised not to give out their address.

my favorite thing this week?  it rained!  not for long, but enough that i went outside, face upturned and heart rejoicing, breathing in the petrichor.

give thanks with me for the harvest.