Goodbye Fiona

The garage stuffed with plants pre-hurricane

 

Some of you may know that Hurricane Fiona touched down in the Canadian Atlantic Maritimes in the wee hours of September 24.  It was a long sleepless night but it's been an even longer recovery.  Personally we were without power for 11 days after the storm, at the height of harvest season, with frost on the horizon.  To say we're exhausted would be an understatement.  

 

 

 

We are incredibly fortunate, the house weathered the onslaught of wind admirably.  Shingles were torn loose but no leaks.  The attic windows blew out but it appears the insulation didn't get overly wet.  Trees came down, but nothing on a building or car. 

Apple trees were no match for the wind

 Sadly across the island others were not so lucky.  Barns collapsed, animals were hurt, roofs came off, crops were flattened, cars and homes were damaged by falling trees.  I am still in shock when I look at all the destruction surrounding me.  

The attic window broke into pieces

I have thought many times in the last two weeks how crazy I was to try and start a seed business.  This year of all years, as I stand looking at my fallen sunflowers, tomatoes thrown across the yard.  Was this the right thing to do?  I don't know if it is but I do know that I will continue to try.  There are seeds crammed into every nook and cranny of this house right now.  Beans drying on racks in the garage, sunflowers basking on trays in the living room, buckets of tomato seed fermenting.  Despite the many setbacks I know as a gardener, this is what a growing season looks like.  Some plants don't make it, there are surprises and hurdles.  You experience despair, frustration and glorious happiness.  The perfect carrot.  Sun setting on a flower. Bees swirling around blooms.  These all make it worthwhile.  So while my harvest isn't setting any records, it is there.  And I can't wait to share it with you.

Today, after winds and frost, a couple blooms still remain