We were very grateful not only for the much-needed water, but for the comforting, cool  temperatures after a very hot summer.  We still have some vegetables, and hope for a few nice oranges, soon.

We started to get ripe, yet small fruit from the arbutus bush, and soon we will be harvesting the first oranges. 

The few, aromatic quinces we got are ripening in a basket, and are soon going to be used in meat and vegetarian dishes, also, of course in our cakes as well as in jams, and spoon sweets (fruit preserves).  

A low layer of green grass now covers the property, and our rose bushes are filled with tiny oblong red berries, and the big carob tree is filled with foul-smelling flowers buzzing with bees –an unexpected end-of-season treat for them. In Crete, where carob trees are ubiquitous in the rocky mountains, I heard that the densely-flavored carob honey is considered the best for melomakarona, the Christmas cookies.    

The disappointment and frustration with our pomegranate trees continues for one more year. The fruit rot and fall before they even ripen properly. Fortunately our two, potted dwarf, ornamental pomegranates are thriving!

Costas will prune the mulberry tree that provided its deep shade on our summer veranda, where we cook with our guests. He will then start pruning the olive trees, a major project we have to repeat every two years –not a single olive this fall..  

We planted a few micro greens in large shallow pots, and soon, we will probably harvest the very last eggplants, along with the a couple of tiny tomatoes we left on the plant just in case they ripen.

But we will still have plenty of peppers, both green and red, to make grill for meze and fry to make spreads. They often keep growing all through December…

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