Cornelia stands alone

Well, not quite. At least, not right away.

This morning when I dismantled Cornelia the scarecrow's three sisters' raised bed (of "corn, beans, and squash the patriarchy," as my friend Quinn's hoodie says), I discovered the rest of the produce that was growing at her feet. I was also amused to see that one of the bean plants grew right around her compact disc left hand!

Cornelia's collection:
One large field pumpkin, three pie pumpkins,
three spaghetti squash, three kabocha squash, 
the last pail of scarlet runner beans 
and a few little leeks that lost sight of the sun!

We enjoyed several feeds of peaches and cream corn and lots of yummy scarlet runner beans thanks to Cornelia's vigilance, and will also have some good pumpkin soup and baked squash over the next while. Maybe I'll make a pie.

Now that her "charges" have moved indoors, Cornelia deserves a rest from her labours. She's moved into our sunny greenhouse space, where she can keep an eye on the birds' comings and goings through the winter.

Good work, Cornelia. Just so you know, the sparrows are already missing your garden domain's many hiding places.