Ruth Marlene Friesen: Welcome!

This site is like Ruthe, the heroine of my novel, Ruthe's Secret Roses

Ruthe is . . .
intimate with God,
prays a lot,
a bleeding heart for the hurting,
a big sister,
rescues friends,
has creative ideas,
likes to give surprise gifts,
loyal to friends,
dreams of love and marriage,
dreams of writing a book
goes the extra mile

So this site offers;
good books to read!
help to become Friends with Jesus,
The One Ideal Real Friend
a cure for loneliness
An Older Sister's Coping Secret
how to pray Panic Prayers,
& regularly/daily
devotionals,
how to grow in faith
Christian mentoring,
how to share your faith
character development
how to become a writer

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Yes, the fall has come. I can tell by how the garden seems to be resigning itself to the changing season. The last few weeks I've put off the harvest because I kept thinking that I had plenty of time. I was going to start harvesting in earnest and cleaning up sections of the garden on the Labour Day weekend, but I didn't get very far. So I'll have to do it piecemeal over the next couple of weeks.

Unfortunately, I forgot to get a recent picture of the flowers at the front of the house. (I may add it yet). I did catch the comfrey plant - when I noticed how it had recovered after I harvested an armload of big leaves from it a few weeks ago. (I'm intending to make some ointment with this herb).

Notice that the little impatiens flower is still hiding under it.



You'll notice that my mint is thriving too after a huge, generous harvest of the leaves to dry for teas. I like the lush greenery it provides besides the fresh aroma.







Going to the back yard garden now, let's check on the tomatoes first. I've been pleased to get a good number of tomatoes from three plants and early enough so that I can let them ripen on the vine. Not indoors.

You can't see, but the middle plant has leaned over to the north. It just could not stand upright any more.

However, that may be over any time now. I'll have to watch for the forecast of frost over night.



These were the very first ripened tomatoes I was able to enjoy! Now they are coming much faster. I can make a whole meal out of tomato slices on my dark pumpernickel bread. Yum!







(Sigh) See how dried up and bedraggled the plants in the fridge planter look? I got rather spoiled with all the rains and in the last few weeks as we have had more sunshine, I was not always prompt enough in watering that container. I had sown some yellow tomatoes in there, and there are some small geen ones on it, but I don't know if they will amount to much.




Here's the view over the east side of the path. Not as lush and green any more, is it?


I've dug up the potato plants on this side already too, for eating and sharing. That's why there are dry patches showing.







This was the view on Saturday on the west side of the path. Before I tackled the digging up of some three rows of potatoes on that side.

What a change from mid-July when everything was waist-high in greenery, eh?





This is the section of potatoes I dug up on Saturday. I only had the oomph to dig up three rows. I had assumed I'd have time on Monday to dig up another three or four rows. (There's seven left to go). But that did not happen.






This is how the west side looked this morning as I was leaving for the office.



My two rows of zucchini have got tired and are lying down. I've left on the last few little ones in case they will grow some more.



I've given away quite a few, and have several in my fridge. I suppose it's time to start grating them for the freezer for winter baking. But they are quite delicious in a mushroom stir-fry right now.






Can you spot the carrot row there between the zucchini and the corn row that didn't have any ears?

In fact, there is a row of beets under the zucchini that were overshadowed to such a degree the plants are very puny and tiny. I had intended to give them to a friend who loves beets. Not sure I'll have even a handful to offer her.



On the other side of the corn is a short row of summer savoury that did really well this summer. Are you familiar with that herb? It can make people think you are a great cook. Just crumble a pinch of this dried herb into your soups and stews and even stir frys and everything smells and tastes terrific. Most never notice. They just know your food is terrific!




Here, from beside the car, we see my two rows of corn. They grey higher than my head, but only the row closest to the car had any ears. I've tasted some last week, and it was delicious. There are a few more ears yet.

The second row of corn was older seed, and it never really had any cobs of corn at all. It will just be compost for next year's garden.



Shall we turn to look for the pumpkins now?

Here's one small one trying to hide under the leaves which are seriously drying off.










A bigger pumkin, the biggest I have - is hiding over here by the fence. I didn't even know about it at first until my neighbour, Joe, told me about it. I'm thinking I'll leave it there as long as I dare, so it has a chance to get bigger - if it will.







On Saturday I picked some of the pumpkins, squash - and I found just one cucumber! I knew I had sown a row of them, but they were overcome by the volunteer squash and pumpkins that trampled over everything else. Next year I'm going to cut them back severely!




Want one more peek at the biggest pumpkin by the fence?

I don't really expect to do an October photo story on the garden, as I think it will be all empty by then. Smart Saskatchewan gardeners know that. However, if we have an Indian summer, it might still be there a while. :)

Perhaps - if I don't forget another photo in the blog when I do bring it in. Last year I gave it to the neighbour girl... perhaps I should make some pies myself though. :)



Take one last look at my pride and joy - the fence covered with pink morning glories! Isn't that lovely?

I do admire that, if I may say so!

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