Getting Ready
Posted on | October 31, 2008 | Comments Off
About five years ago, I wanted to go into the Sierra Nevada before winter shut it down, and I asked a friend, Gary, to go in with me. He wanted to put it off a week, but since it was already mid-October, I pleaded my case, saying that if we didn’t make it in soon, we might miss the season.
As we headed south from the Leavitt Meadow trailhead — about ten miles east of Sonora Pass — we could feel the land shutting down. It was quieter, more still. I had not realized that there were aspen in the Sierra. The scenery was spectacular.
Upper Piute Meadow
After three days, we hiked back north to the trailhead. The aspen had shed their leaves, making the trail a magic yellow, and the coniferous trees looked as if they had been decorated for Christmas, with the yellow aspen leaves in them.
I have had a similar sense in the garden this last week. That life was slowing in anticipation of winter. The pear tree leaves are turning, as are the leaves on the fig tree. I had wanted to get beds 1–6 double-dug and planted before the first big rain. And I almost made it. The beds are dug, but I did not get bed 1 planted.
Double-digging bed 1
The rains are here. The lettuce is thriving. Life is slowing in the garden. The squirrels have abandoned us. So for a short time, we have more strawberries.
A fine walk today in Joaquin Miller Park. Yesterday’s rain brought down redwood needles which carpeted the trail.
Walk well. God is love.
