Autumn is coming

October is gearing up to be a big month for our plot. We will be doing all the necessary earthworks, install swales and lakes, and plant a lot.

We are also going to be some home improvements, so we have an efficient way of keeping the house warm throughout the winter and improve the ventilation. The house is very well insulated, so much so that it traps all the moisture inside. Given we live near the ocean that means we often have over 80% humidity, vs the 50% we aim for.

So, right now, as Autumn arrives, we are just enjoying the quiet moment. The kids are napping (a little miracle), the weather is nice, and the birds are singing. I've been recording their sound every month and wondering if it would be interesting to share it here, on this site, for you to get a feel for how it is here. Maybe you can actually identify all the birds.

The last tomatoes are being harvested, and we are sowing a few additional crops that might growth during Autumn. When we set up our vegetable garden, we just wanted to get started and learn, we weren't expecting to eat anything out of it. Our expectations were far surpassed, and we are now giving away and drying more pumpkins, courgettes, tomatoes and herbs than we could have imagined. A succession planting plan was not in our minds, so now we are planting some cabbages, beets and carrots, as well as some greens (!) to feed the snails and maybe ourselves as well.

There are some seeds to harvest as well: sunflower, fennel, calendula, radishes. Will they make it through the winter?

Soon the leaves will be carpeting the floor, and we will introduce the kids to the pleasures of jumping on it. This should provide lots of fun, exercise and food for the soil. The tourists are leaving, slowing down the pace of the village. The waves will soon get stronger, the rains will come and there will be a strong sense of renewal. Autumn is, clearly, my favourite season. A time to slow down, take stock and think about what to create for the new cycle.