Many of the summer people for whom I work chose to stay through the fall. Covid has changed the habits and schedules of most of us. I am happy for the added population. It’s nice to share our lovely fall weather and a slower pace with others.

We still have not experienced a significant killing frost. This is with the sad exception of my personal vegetable garden. I discovered dozens of ripened peppers on a few blackened plants. I think they are too mushy for even the chickens to enjoy. Oh, well. Such is life.

Violet’s photo this week is a fall arrangement of broom corn and sorghum flanked by a few jars of our dried beans. I always have big plans in the spring at planting time. I thought it would be fun to grow the broom corn and fashion a few small whisk brooms for Christmas presents. Instead, I was lucky to pick an arrangement for a large vase. The entire crop was flattened by a rogue windstorm in mid-August.

A while ago I mentioned the State Roadside bed near Surveyor’s Lane in Vineyard Haven. It had some tall evening primrose in yellow and some orange gaillardia. The primorose passed its prime in August. Recently, I noticed it all blooming again.

Speaking of blooming again — the white rhododendron are at it again. I used to think it was an anomaly but it happens yearly. It does not seem to affect their spring show.

I love the look of fallen leaves in a perfect circle under a tree, especially the more colorful ones like maples. The beeches are a nice shade of gold and green. They tend to hang on to their leaves most of the winter. Sometimes I cut a few branches, bring them inside, and spray with some gold paint. They dress up holiday greens.

Two people responded to my inquiry concerning the identification of my latest weed of the week. Tom Chakis in Greece came up with glechoma hederacea (aka Gill-over-the-ground), and Vasha Brunelle in Vineyard Haven mentioned ground ivy. As it turns out, both are right. I went on the Google and saw several photos. I was surprised to see it in bloom as I have failed to notice that in the spring. In any event, I hate it. I suppose weeds in the garden are like my many character defects. Regardless of hard work, they just keep coming back.

The most surprising thing to me about DJT is how he has kept a steady 40 per cent approval rating. It never goes up or down by much. Of late, this is particularly perplexing. We have almost a quarter million dead from a global pandemic he failed to address. People haven’t left their homes for months. We are all wearing masks (those in Blue States for the most part). Our children are hovered over remote screens hours on end. There are huge lines at food banks. Unrest in the streets is becoming common. People are scared and/or hateful. Is this making America great again?

I must say, his loyal supporters are, if anything, tenacious.

I write on Tuesdays. I wonder what next Tuesday, late night, will bring?