Happy

A lot of October Happy Birthdays going out to friends, family, and mentors!  You know who you are!

We've had a beautiful year for foliage despite the drought.  You can see both in this post's photo taken ten days ago.

I think we have had 3/4 inch of rain since then, but the water level is even lower.  Go figure.  It's dry dry dry.

I had a chance to spend some time in the harvest fields-butter nut squash and green peppers.  I assumed the first picker I met was hispanic and started talking to him in Spanish .  Later he was insulted that I thought he was Mexican and told me he was from Albania.  Oops. (and they speak Albanian)

I wondered why I couldn't understand the other guys and gals and then I learned they were speaking Portugeuse- because they are from Brazil.  How cool is that?

All of them are here as interns.  One specializes in Dairy, one is training to be a food inspector, another in plant genetics.

We spent time discussing all manner of things from culture, perceptions, politics, farming and personal life. My head rang in deep Porteguese accented voices for days.

One of the hardest workers hails from Columbia, but his English is very good.  We occasionally exchanged niceties across languages-to his "Thank you," I would reply, "De Nada," to an eyeblinding flash of white teeth over the shoulder in appreciation. All of those I met from South America had the most perfect dazzling white teeth.

This property finally saw frost two nights ago.  Got the summer squash, zuccini, impatiens, marigolds and finished off the coleus which were already protesting the temperatures.

Yes folks, it's chilly.  Got a fire going a little bit ago, but I sit up here in the eyrie with the window open.  Freezing, I just went down to check the stove and it was out.  It was 55F in the kitchen brr.

I know the Brazilians will be glad to head home the end of the month.  One of them has never seen snow-if this keeps up, that might change.