"Fall started with an armload of giant zucchini, stacked up in my arms like cordwood. I thought back to the beginning of the growing season, and wondering if three plants would be enough. As it turns out, even after one of the plants died of mysterious circumstances, the remaining two plants lived up to their reputations as providers of garden abundance."

I had to laugh the other day. I went out to grab a zucchini to cook for breakfast (we often make up a pan of sautéed zucchini and a pan of scrambled duck eggs in season) and instead discovered a whole family of giant zucchini hiding in a corner. (We put the plants inside a cold frame with the top off this year.)

I snagged a smaller one for cooking, and stacked the rest up to bring in for baking. I like the bigger ones better for making zucchini flour or zapple pie, as they taste less "veggie".

The weather's still being weird here in northeast Wisconsin. It's getting close to being "dry as a popcorn fart" (as my mom would have said), though the plants are getting by with the morning fog for moisture. The ponds are down several feet, and our high temps are into the upper 70s and even 80s, well above the average in the mid 60s. We'll reach 80 during the day, and then drop into the upper 40s at night.

The plants know that something is off. I'm hoping we don't lose more of them. I compared the dates on this year's grape harvest versus last year's harvest, and this year's was three weeks later. The warmth we've had since the cold start to September is keeping the annual plants alive, but the lack of rain and limited sunlight has them fading as the season winds down.

Last fall and into winter, conditions stayed mild through the end of the year. Then a switch flipped, and cold and snow didn't know when to quit. We were still getting frost well into May of this year, and then it flipped to summer - very abruptly. I'm trying to figure out how to work with all the wild swings, because this is definitely not the conditions we've worked with here for 19 years prior. I will figure it out.

We continue to work through everything associated with the passing of August's father. The amount of paperwork associated with dying is ridiculous, especially for someone who was in a care facility before passing.

In the middle of dealing with the death, and dealing with the harvest, we also had to deal with a neighbor who makes it a challenge to maintain a positive mindset.

As it turns out, when we had wood delivered 2 weeks ago, the driver went down the wrong driveway. (Our neighbor has a driveway that runs parallel to ours.) The fellow bringing wood went down the rough trail past the neighbor's hunting shack, and turned around when he got to the end and realized he was in the wrong spot. (We have an access path to the back yard that he used last year, and he thought he was taking the access path.)

Well, the neighbor got his knickers in a twist (he has trail cams all over his property) about the big truck and trailer that tore up his path. He called, we talked. We contacted the firewood guy. The firewood guy called him and offered to repair any damage. He refused, and said he was going to have us pay (a significant sum), because our pond is making his land wet, and he needed gravel to fix it. (There was no gravel in that area.)

The water level is down several feet in the pond, draining water away from the swampy area where he hunts, not into it.

He has natural springs all over his property, including very active springs that never freeze over, even in deep winter. That's why it's a designated wetland on GIS maps.

Given that we haven't had heavy rains for weeks, if the area where the truck drove was wet, there must be a spring near it.

I gotta tell ya, we don't need this right now, but we'll get through it. Meanwhile, some tips for dealing with difficult neighbors, because no matter where you go, even out in the country, there always seems to be one in the bunch.

• Set clear boundaries. Know what you will and won’t tolerate, and communicate calmly.
• Document interactions. Keep a record in case you ever need outside support.
• Stay respectful. Even when frustrated, politeness keeps situations from escalating.
• Seek common ground. Look for shared concerns (property upkeep, safety, pets) as bridges.
• Use mediation if needed. A neutral third party can sometimes help resolve conflicts.

We've told the firewood guy to get things in writing, and clearly established that we will not be financing a driveway upgrade. I am hopeful things will settle, and thankful that he isn't on the property full time. (It's hunting land.)

My husband were talking after the evening of phone calls about the truck. It's such an insignificant thing compared to everything else going on, but it was still hard to get to sleep that night. Still, one of my mottos since I was a kid has been, "Don't let the jerks win." I fully admit not giving up in frustration and anger in certain situations because I refuse to give rotten folks the satisfaction of seeing me fail.

So on that note - don't let the jerks steal your joy!

• Guard your time. Don’t let their negativity dominate your day — shift focus elsewhere.
• Practice gratitude. Write down one thing you’re thankful for when frustrations rise.
• Create a sanctuary. Make your home and garden spaces places of calm and renewal.
• Limit engagement. Not every comment or behavior needs a reaction.
• Remember perspective. This is one piece of life, not the whole story.
• Feed your spirit. Spend time with uplifting people, hobbies, or nature.

All of this mess is only temporary, and I know we'll get out the other side.

When things don't go smoothly, think about redirecting your thoughts and energy on a more positive path. Remember - "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right." Mindset is one of the few things we can control in this messy world.

Before I end up writing an extra book, I'd better sign off.

All our best to you and yours,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

P. S. - Thank you to everyone who reached out to offer comfort after August III's passing. I read and appreciate all the emails.

This week's featured articles...

The wild areas of our property are filled with ripe autumnberries and health aster. With the warm weather, the pollinators are still actively working the blooms, which are a great native fall nectar source. Learn more about health aster.​

The local farm stands are filled with winter squash and pumpkins. (And so is our garden.) These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are a tasty fall treat to use up some of the bounty. Speaking of bounty - checkout 9 ways to preserve pears.

Get ready for winter cold and flu season with these natural decongestants for the whole family.

For those interested in sourdough baking - tips for creating a starter and baking a basic sourdough bread.

For the curious - August's QSpace Theory website. Nothing to do with homesteading or preparedness, just other stuff we've been working on.