Thursday, October 21, 2021
3rd Quarter Waning Moon in Taurus
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde
Celtic Tree Month of Ivy
Cloudy/Sunny and warm
The Thanksgiving/Christmas cacti on the front porch are blooming like crazy! They are beautiful.
The porch gets Southern exposure, so on sunny days, it warms up nicely, and there’s lots of sun.
Still no frost. We have plants out on the back balcony. We figured we’d let them enjoy it as long as possible.
We haven’t hit peak color yet, but it’s beautiful. Last weekend, I took a nature walk with Mass Audubon out at The Spruces. Because it was, at one time, a planned community before it was a community park owned by the town, there’s a mix of native plants and cultivars. The walk was fascinating.
It makes me want a book about local flora and fauna even more!
There’s something rather wonderful about being tucked in the mountains. It feels protected (even though we’ve been warned about the harsh winters). And I don’t miss raking leaves AT ALL.
My downstairs neighbor has cut back her vegetable garden, and prepared it for the winter.
I plan to enjoy the beautiful weather as long as it lasts, although I’ve planned to hunker down from November to March, as advised. If the weather is better than expected, I will take joy in every lovely day.
How’s your weather, where you are?
Gratitude and Growth: A Garden Journal 
Oct 21, 2021 @ 17:18:59
Today we are at 75 degrees in Central Jersey. Should last through tomorrow, but by Saturday we will drop back again to the low 60s with low 50s at night. Trees are starting to show a little color on the tips of the branches. We do have one yellow tree across the street, but it hasn’t peaked as yet. We tested our heat on Monday when it was damp and chilly so we’re good to go there when we need it. I’m thinking by Sunday.
Oct 28, 2021 @ 12:05:50
I’m glad I tested my heat early, because the furnace needed a new part! So we are all cozy, now that it’s getting colder.