First frost is usually a grim time here. We are never ready to say goodbye to our summer garden. This year is different. With more than a month of regular daily rain the mosquitoes are winning. If tonight's frost is hard enough, there will be fewer biting flying insects tomorrow. Indian summer can begin and that is one of our favorite times to work outside. Crisp clear air and no mosquitoes make for pleasant time outside. We can then shed some of our layers of protection.
Ed is wearing a Solumbra long sleeved shirt and a helmet drape. His only exposed skin is part of his face. It is still possible to inhale a flying insect via either nose or mouth but they can access neither his ears nor the back of his neck. With only a small area of exposed skin, his kill to bite ratio is way up.
Becky is completely covered in white. Her trip to the ER to have a deer tick removed prompted these precautions. As anyone concerned with Lyme disease prevention knows, the pants tucked into the socks are a must. Purple gardening gloves do add just a touch of flair.
Now it is time to compost the still living basil and peppers. If we wait until after the frost, pleasant smelling plants will be transformed to slimy disgusting smelly mush. The sky is cloudless and blue perfect for a nice cold starry night. Come on Jack! Let's have that hard frost or even a freeze. These *@!*# mosquitoes are just asking for it.
