The last of the garden

Fall has arrived with shorter days and cooler nights.  We probably have a couple more weeks before the first hard frost, but the garden is starting to slow down now. We have not had to water the plants at all in September due to all the rainy weather this month. Squash, tomatoes, peppers, sugar snap peas, and some sweet potatoes are still on the way. Scott even made a friend at one of the neighboring garden plots who has been sharing hot peppers with us.  This is particularly exciting because we can make homemade guacamole (gracias, Lupita, for teaching me!) using all community garden ingredients, except for the avocado!

We harvested 2 medium-sized pumpkins during the last week of September, and actually discovered that we also have two different types of gourds! They must have been mixed in the seed pack with the pumpkins and didn't produce until later so we didn't realize they were there. Not the biggest or the most perfect pumpkins I have ever seen, but we grew them ourselves!

Pumpkin in progress....to fall decor!

Our eggplant did not do very well overall, but it did produce a single eggplant which made for a delicious eggplant parmesan dinner!

 From garden to table (eggplant parmesan)

Working on the garden made for a worthwhile summer project- there were nights when we didn't feel like going over to water and weed, but it has been nice to have garden time outside and fresh produce that we grew ourselves.  We often joke that this eggplant (or insert vegetable here) REALLY cost about $300 with the time investment on top of the start up cost of the garden.  But, all jokes aside, we have enjoyed (and are still enjoying) the fruits (or vegetables) of our labor.

Garden State does Badger State

Mom and Dad came out for a visit for the last week of August.  I had a great time doing touristy things with them- ate Friday night Fish Fry at Leatherhead Brewing Company, toured the Packers Hall of Fame, and even a frigid dip in Lake Michigan at Neshotah Beach!  We had really nice weather for most of the visit; a stop at the Packers Hall of Fame and dinner at Titletown Brewing Company served as a great rainy day activity on the one day that was not as nice.  Unfortunately Scott was in Nebraska for a work trip for part of the time, but he was able to join us for some fun in Door County.

We both took the day off from work and spent Mom's birthday up in Door County, the thumb of Wisconsin, beginning with Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant for brunch, followed by an auto tour of Peninsula State Park, including a stop at Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, and finished the day with a sunset boat cruise/tour of Green Bay with Fish Creek Scenic Boat Tours. The tour was fantastic with the guide playing live music on his guitar, an easy breeze, beer in hand, and a beautiful sunset.

Mom and Dad did some sightseeing up in Door County while Scott and I headed back to work for a couple of days.  They were busy with wine tasting, farm stand shopping, and taking the car ferry out to Washington Island to check out the famous Schoolhouse Beach.  Then, they stopped back in Green Bay for one more night so we could enjoy dinner and a walk at the Green Bay Botanical Garden.  It was a very full trip, but everyone had a good time!  Thanks to Mom and Dad for making the trip.

Neshotah Beach, Two Rivers- voted the best beach in Wisconsin.  Dad and I got in- the water was about 68 degrees! 

 Packers Hall of Fame was just recently renovated- looks great!

Cave Point County Park

 Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in Peninsula State Park, from the sunset cruise

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Beautiful sunsets on Green Bay

                    

Thanks to Mom for sharing many of the photos, and Scott for his usual photographic contributions.