September glory

We're having another gorgeous September day here... full sun, crisp morning air, and a yard full of produce for me to deal with. Today, beets, tomorrow, pears. They're almost ripe, so I'll have a busy two weeks ahead of me... but it's all good. And here are the lovely gladioli that I bought on Friday. I've decided that I need to grow more of my own next year! I planted ten bulbs this year, and because Suzanna's pumpkins took over that part of the yard, only two actually bloomed. But we have nine pumpkins on the vines!

On Saturday, Lee worked on the inside of our greenhouse, pulling up the floor, and removing a layer of tar paper and styrofoam insulation. The cracks were filled with tiny particles of -- what? -- we're not sure, but he picked up a hazmat suit in case of asbestos (which we're pretty sure it wasn't, but it doesn't hurt to play it safe) and the best HEPA filter he could buy for his shop vac. He vacuumed off all those little particles, and removed the wood bracing that was holding up the floor, and now it's just a big dirt patch.

The next step is to have the soil tested to make sure it's clear of chemicals, and then, perhaps we can use it to grow things. Oh, the joys of discovering other people's construction practices! One way or the other, Lee has plans for a humidity sink under the soil, and we're looking into phase change materials to hold the heat. He's working on the building, and I'm reading up on how to operate a three-season greenhouse. Can't wait to see how it all works!