Update

Today's rain looked as thought it was going to drift south of my location, but no, it is raining here, albeit not very enthusiastically.  Our total rainfall for this year is above average; too bad it can't be spread out evenly throughout the growing season.

The wind has also been acting up here lately, gusting in the 40 mph range, which proved that weaving the patio canopy between the rafters is not a total solution.  I took the canopy down for this year; some grommets and tie downs will have to be employed in the future.

My SO and I recently took the new trailer for a spin, to pick up (free!) horse manure.  The bedding used with the manure is (weedfree!) wood shavings.  We layered the manure with the existing dirt in the beds by the patio.  (I was concerned the dog would consider the manure a new source of snacking, but she showed little interest in it.  Guess horse shit is not hardwired as a food source in her brain like rabbit poop and litter boxes.)  I will plant garlic in one of those beds.  Although this year's garlic harvest was adequate, we shall see if nature's fertilizer makes a difference (assuming I do a better job of watering next summer). 

I purchased some fresh niger seed and splurged on a new finch feeder, and now my yard is full of finches.  Although I usually wait until the snow flies to put out the bird seed, I also hung a feeder full of sunflower seeds.  The avian population is grateful.  (The stale niger seed went on the ground in the meadow; while the finches won't touch it, some critter or another will.)

Still waiting on a hard frost, although I have basically abandoned the garden.  The prediction is we are in for a doozy of a winter in these parts.  Since I have a new driveway that is not part gravel, I am actually looking forward to shoveling some snow.