It caught me by surprise. The early October frost. C’mon, you say, you really ought to know better. After the cool, damp summer, simple logic says the fell chill-no, make that cold-would show up earlier than “normal.” Whatever that is anymore. But, see, I kept hoping. Hoping that the welcome, late-September visit of warm, sunny, dryness would hang around a few more days. That it would ripen up a few h '■ ■ - • - ' 1 : • ■>,' more of those dwindling, last tomatoes. Nudge the fattening buds of the chrysanthemums into color. Redden a few more of the jalepeno peppers. Even when I had crawled out of the cozy warmth of the car the evening before, returning home from a distant meeting, and was slapped in the face by the brisk night temperature, I really hadn’t suspected it That did send me hustling to close the greenhouse door, though, which had been left standing wide open tor ventilation from the day’s earlier sunshine. Even when 1 headed to the bam before daylight, having snuggled into my favorite downy vest over a couple of other layers, the frost possibility had eluded my brain. Weather forecasters were calling for it by nightfall, leaving some daytime houir to gather in, cover up, tuck away those tender plants. But no. Returning to the house after helping to switch the milking string of cows, there it was. The early morning flood of sunlight over the distant trees sparkled and danced off the white dusting, highlight it, showing it off. A white dusting across the dead grass of the lawn. Over the tops of the roum bales lined up below the pond. After calf chores, I made the rounds of the garden, assessing damages. Actually, there seemed to be few, but this dusting, this warning, would force facing the inevitable. Video Conference Looks At Tobacco Use UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) Youth and tobacco issues affect all Pennsylvania com munities and citizens. To help reduce the num ber of children and teen-agers addicted to nico tine, the Community Coalitions for Tobacco- Free Youth project is sponsoring a live satellite videoconference, which will originate at Penn State and will be broadcast in at least 19 coun ties across Pennsylvania. The conference, titled “Reducing Youth Ac cess to Tobacco in Your Community,” will be broadcast on Wednesday, October 16 from 8:30 When your bam cleaner needs new chain whether flat link or Hook- Link type we have the perfect replacements. Both links are totally forged of rugged, high carbon steel to reduce wear, extended working life. No wonder our chain has a 10 year warranty. Fits most bam cleaners. Check your barn cleaner chain and call today for your fall needs! Lancaster tamilhfl,' Saturday,' October 12,1MMT' The tomatoes had peaked weeks ago, though stragglers on a steady basis were keeping us in sandwiches and salads. Now, at mid-morning, the top leaves of the tired stalks hung limp and slightly darkened. I gather several hand fuls of orange and yellowish tomatoes, most of them of rather small size. My pair of peppers plants had mostly escaped die light chilling. But the impending one predicted by nightfall would finish the job. Another couple of handfuls of green peppers went into the basket. The single plant of jalepe nos hung heavy with both red-ripe and still-green hot peppers. While we didn’t really need all those mouth burners, I couln’t bear to see them just hang on the stalk and be wasted. Several more handfuls of gar den salvage went into the basket. Marigolds, tough as they are, had shrugged off their goose bumps and remained their perky, yellow-bloomed selves. But cen ters of the zinnias were already disfigured, their inner petals dark ened and transparent-looking. LAPP'S BARN E 5935 OLD PHILADELPHIA PIKE, GAP. PA 17527 PHONE: 717-442-8134 • FAX 717-442-3112 SALES & SERVICE And the bright red, green, and white leaves of the row of cala diums hung limply to the ground. I’d fitted the greenhouse with a new innerlining of plastic just days before, in anticipation of this day. So, back into shelter from their vacationing spots on porches went pots of assorted tender plants. Cacti, ferns, and die Nor folk Island pine that does double duty during the Christinas season as our holiday tree. Hanging baskets of spider plant and Swed ish ivy. Planters of impadens cov ered with blooms. And probably seme bugs along with it all. All this done with an extra hustle in our step, due both to the urgency and trying to keep warm. And though we feel a little more prepared. I’m never quite mental ly ready to part with the fruits and the greenery of the growing and gardening season. Good thing I’m not in charge of turning off the heat. But, there’s an up side to every thing. Few things look better to a gardener than limp, black, dying weeds. Farewell. And good riddance. a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The videoconference will demonstrate how community efforts can prevent nicotine addic tion among children and teens. Participants will leant how to promote awareness of youth and tobacco issues, monitor tobacco vendors for compliance with the existing law and help retail ers train their employees. The morning program will close with the conference participants de veloping action plans for their community. For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll-free until October 16. Jamesway Cleaner LE ual Barn Chain Sale! IUIPMENT
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