Looking out over frozen Perch Pond at Sewall Park in Maine, January 2026.

Hi, friends! Sorry for not checking in. Much grief after the sudden, terrible loss of my beloved sister in late October. Jan was my last close relative & best friend. We were together every day of our lives.

I'm doing OK. Truly. 🙏🏻

Sending you my love & I hope to return here regularly very soon.💗

I feel very fortunate we have such an ideal garden spot. About 2 1/2 acres of woods out of 3, but we have the best place of all of it for the vegetable garden.

We found the seed at Fedco. Can't wait to grow them again next year. 😊🍅🍅🍅

It's been a great year, despite the drought. So thankful! 😊

There's something so satisfying about harvesting root crops. Perhaps because you can't tell if anything grew until you start harvesting. The mystery!

Aosta Valley cherry tomatoes.

They're the BEST tomato I've ever grown. Started them from seed in late April & they're still going after 2 frosts! I've made quarts of sauce from them, the tastiest I've ever made.

They have a great story if you want to Google them.

I give them 4++ stars!

They are so good. Homegrown carrots are one of my favorites. 😊

More harvests as I start to take down the vegetable garden. Look at those carrots! We've never grown such big ones - and in a drought, too. Loads of onions, the last of the potatoes & a few winter squash. Still to pick: cabbages, leeks, celery, tomatoes & zucchini. This has been the nicest day! 👩‍🌾🥕🥔🧅

In case anyone wonders if Buddy still just stares at me for hours on end. Yes. Yes, he does. 💗

Yikes! Here's hoping the price goes down as harvest time goes on.

Oh, no! Very glad you had some in the greenhouse. A small harvest is better than no harvest. Enjoy them! 😊

So vibrant!

Thanks! This is one of my most favorite times of the year. 😊

I've covered the plants tonight. Hoping we don't get a frost. 🤞🏻

Freeze 'em. Chop them up as usual, pop them into bags and that's that. I'll have enough peppers to see me through until next summer, only buying a fresh one now and again for sandwiches.

I have. The peppers always ended up watery, whether I blanched them beforehand or not.

I don't usually blanch peppers for the freezer, just chop and freeze. They thaw great, so I'm not sure why stuffing whole ones didn't work for me.

Can't help posting so many harvest pics. It'll give me something to look back on during the frigid Maine winter. 👩‍🌾 🌱

And would you look at those peppers! They are so shiny, it's unreal. 💗

😊 Always worth the effort, especially when deep winter arrives.

So many good smells. This is a great time of year.

Doing the same here.

Yours look wonderful! 🍅

Slow food and worth it. Garden to oven to stovetop to plate. It's taken since April, but the tomatoes have finally arrived and I'm making the most of every one. Picked about 25lbs today and the plants are still loaded. More sauce is in my future! 🍅🍅🍅 🌱

💗

So much bounty this year. I'm headed up to the garden again today for even more!

I thought of you, Joy, as I was tucking in all the herbs and such. You've inspired me over the years. 😊

😁

One of my favorites.😊

So good!

That's a great idea! I don't have a blender, but they process quickly with my little hand cranked food mill.

Enjoy the tomatoes! 😊

Canning is so much fun. I love it. Enjoy!

Tomatoes are ripening fast and furious now. I plan to make lots of sauce over the next couple weeks. It's a great year for them.

Getting tomatoes ready to roast for some quick and easy sauce. 🍅🍅🍅 🌱