Here’s the scene that met me when I got to Avdi’s yesterday.  The sukkah is down, but not wasted.  It will be reincarnated as winter wildlife cover, and then the beginnings of a raised garden bed in spring.

Happily, it’s been lightly raining on and off for a couple of days, and looks to continue that way this week, as if to make up for some of the drought.  I love the refreshed misty air.

Things are quiet at the Avdi’s, though that can be deceptive.  The mood is mercurial and unsettled, just under the surface.  Lots to deal with for Avdi.  I just try to stay out from underfoot, but it’s hard to find a place to land or a way to help.  I spent the night, but then walked home early and went back to bed.

As cool air and longer nights move in, I try to keep things shiny and festive inside and out.  I made sweet spiced challot again, this time braided.  Dinner was a hearty PA Dutch-style chicken noodle veg stew, which the kids, even Y, liked.  Y is experiencing continuing concerns, but A is managing it.  It just adds another layer to stay on top of.

I got to rat-sit while A took Y out to Savers to get Halloween raw materials.  These rats are quite the characters.  They all tried to climb up me to get out of their “playpen”, so I guess I’m a rat ally now.  This is what animal-deprived looks like.  I would have to draw the line at tarantulas and scorpions, though.  Snakes are ok.

The sukkah is coming down as I write.  But look at all my defiant lights and décor!

Never uneventful at the Avdi’s, with so many kids with so many neurological conditions.  There’s always another layer or level to discover.  Y had to be seen by a doctor for some strange severe symptoms and prescribed yet more meds, and probably another specialist.

Later in the evening, the symptoms subsided, and he and I sat together watching a show and playing with a rat, while Avdi tried to catch up on work.

For dinner I made homemade mac’n’cheese and harvested a pile of assorted greens from the garden.  Nature is carrying on with its fall business, with no need of interference from me.  If only humans could be that uncomplicated!

I suppose ” a mischief of rats” is an appropriate term for a pack, although mostly they seem to like to pile up and sleep.  (I wasn’t in Y’s room again collecting dirty dishes.)  They’re starting to know me now; “like” may be too strong a word.

I’ve been feeling exhausted lately, and “under the weather” as it’s changing.  I did my usual housecleaning, but had to walk home early and get some rest.  I watched the animated film “Flow”–beautiful and gorgeous.  The animals don’t “talk” as such, but are so much more relatable than the usual tedious humans in movies.  The animation is a work of art.

Meet some of the rats.  Don’t they look innocent and squeaky clean?  The rat condo is actually cleaner than the rest of the room.  Don’t tell Rat Daddy (Y) I was in there (retrieving dirty tableware).

Flowers continue to bloom.  The veggies are looking good.  It’s so perfect outside, it’s hard to stay in.  The fat hawk seems to live here, and there’s plenty of critter action going on around me.  I’m hoping by next year wildlife will take over!

Hopefully for the last time this year, I mowed the lawn, before all the leaves have fallen.  This way I can let nature take over and do its thing all winter.  Sadly, the sukkah will come down soon.  But you know me, nothing will go to waste in the landscape.  Including all the festive sparkly stuff.

I made dinner, which was Bombay potatoes, curried mushrooms and vegetables, and basmati rice.  I stayed till dark, so I could see my latest garden glow addition–the blue-and-white sukkah lights and other glitter relocated to the garden.  It was spectacular.

And behold, there was summer and fall, overnight!  Like it thunderstormed for a day and night, and the next day was a whole different season!  It is officially hoodie time.

Saturday was No Kings, and an incredible millions of people turned out across the country.  Here it was tens of thousands!  Even in the pouring rain, St. Louis and many smaller towns came out to protest the fascist takeover.  Avdi and Jess went to a local No Kings, though I stayed home.  I’m so proud to witness millions of fellow Americans peacefully rallying against trump.

So back to the miraculous spectacular scene I woke up to, having spent my own peaceful night at Avdi’s.  Everything was sparkly and shimmering in the cool wind.  Words don’t even…so photos will have to speak for me.  I got out there early and got a lot done woodchipping various beds.  The leaves will do the rest.  So much light and air!

Later, A and Y and I went pumpkining at a local market, and came away with quite a haul.  It’s looking very harvesty and festive around here.  I’m starting to get why this is Avdi’s favorite time of year in MO.

With the kids home, I waited my turn for the kitchen, but it was all good.  K gave me the idea to make the challah sweet again, so this time I filled the dough with pumpkin-spiced brown sugar and twisted it instead of braiding.  It came out like a sweet cinnamon roll and was gobbled up in one sitting.  I also tried kabobs with middle eastern-spiced chicken and veggies including eggplant and assorted peppers from the garden, served with basmati rice.  There was something for everyone’s tastes, even Y.

Our neighbor Angela dropped by to give me some of her homemade elderberry syrup, which was excellent.  She and I sat in the sukkah, her first time, and talked for a while, mostly about gardening.  We also had in common a case of exhaustion!  Sitting in a sukkah turns out to be a good remedy, or at least a momentary respite.

It’s supposed to [gasp] rain today (Saturday), a lot, with heavy storms possible.  This severe drought did in fact set records, so this will be a relief.  A cold front may accompany it, but I loved the extended bonus summer while it lasted, and made the most of it.  There won’t be much fall color, due to the drought.

The ferny-looking photo is the asparagus!  What started as a few spindly seedlings a year or so ago has turned massive.  I hope to see spears next year.

I had more dental work done yesterday; my mouth makes local road construction sites look trivial by comparison.  But hey, my insurance continues to randomly pay for parts of it.  Back in temporary debt again.

Back at the funny farm I mean the Avdi’s, the kids had two days off from school, and I did usual chores.  The big news is, I was able to harvest a whole pile of new assorted greens from the successive planting already!  I lightly steamed them with a vinaigrette marinade.  Drinks were bloody marys with garden celery.  I stayed late so Avdi and Jess could go to a trivia night.

This “summer” is lasting a long time, and this severe drought must be setting records.  It’s still perfect gardening weather, like a whole bonus season.  Yesterday I planted some random tree saplings in more appropriate places.  I’m trying to plant and nurture more native trees, like redbud, dogwood, catalpa, sassafras, and anything else I can find.

Today I did a lot.  I managed to drag the two bins full of wood chips out of the way, and neatened up the hosta shade garden.  I hoed and mulched E’s secret garden flower beds with leaves and wood chips.  I woodchipped where the tropicals used to be.  I weeded and top-dressed Y’s rock garden with garden soil.  I woodchipped part of the former melon raised bed, except where I’ve planted passionflower seeds.  I watered in everything well.

I forgot to mention the gigantic hawk the other day that was perching on the swimming pool and diving in every so often!  It was beautiful.  Avdi and Jess and I were fascinated.  It was one more dramatic sign that turning even just one yard into a self-contained balanced native ecosystem creates an essential source of food, shelter, and habitat for a whole network of wildlife, in an otherwise barren manicured desert.  I’ve seen so many more beneficial native critters and pollinators just since I’ve been here gardening.  It makes it all worthwhile.  I have a good feeling about next year.