Now is a good time to take stock and see what needs clearing out, stocking up or fixing in a lot of different areas of our lives.
In the garden it's that time when the plants are looking kind of scraggly and perhaps we haven't been as diligent in our weeding as we were during the season. As each of my tomato plants gives up the ghost I try to get it pulled up and composted before we have a hard frost: nothing is slimier than a frozen and then thawed big old tomato plant!
Then there is the question: what in the world do I do with all the hot peppers that are just now starting to flood the plants? It's not as bad as zucchinis but, still, my family, friends and neighbors are starting to slither away when they see me coming - I suspect they have all the "heat" they need. Fortunately I have a food dryer and also hot peppers are easy to pickle - so they may think they are off the hook but there is always Christmas.
So as I clear up what I can and things progress in the garden I remember to take time to enjoy the furious flowering of the nasturtiums. They seem to take off like crazy at the end of the summer! I love the deep colors and the spicy smell of the flowers and the plants. Some day I will work up my courage to actually eat the blossoms in a salad.
Inside the house this is good time to look at food stocks and make sure nothing is close to expiring. I try to go through my canned goods every fall and if there is anything that is close to it's expiration date I take it to a local food pantry - I know it will get used up way before it's "overdue". Replace anything you have to pass along and buff up your overall stocks - making sure you lay in supplies of things you will actually eat.
Don't forget your water storage - as I always say, it doesn't have to be fancy, just available. If you add 1/2 tsp of regular bleach to 10 gallons of water or even 2 drops per quart this will keep the water safe to drink for a long time. Hint: use plain bleach - not the scented versions!
Also check your basic OTC medications - bad enough that the insurance companies won't let us stock up on prescription medications, there's no need to get caught short on fever reducers or any of the other common medications that we can lay in a supply of. Cold season is just on the horizon - just sayin!
Along those same lines it's a good time to take stock of your first aid supplies - a simple kit can go a long way in an emergency.
Speaking of emergencies, before the bad weather arrives (as we know it will) it's good to get in the habit of keeping at least half a tank of gas in your vehicle. If you have to get out of Dodge, it's much easier if fuel isn't on the "gee, I meant to do that" list. And as we have all seen in Florida in the past couple of weeks, sometimes if you don't already have gas, there isn't any to get. That could leave you up that famous creek with no means of propulsion for sure.
Just a little preparation at this point can ease your mind and put you in a position to be a bit more...well, prepared. No matter what comes down the weather pike in the coming season being ready for it really does beat the alternative!
As I have said before:
Don't be "that guy"!
No comments:
Post a Comment