The gardens are ready to nap, the bees are bedding down

   Ran around like a crazy woman last night snatching the last beans, a couple squash and a few tomatillos and cucumbers from the gardens before the freezing temps set in.  It was supposed to go down to 28 last night - and while I did not check it, I believe it may have made it that low.  I threw sheets over all the flowers, a few remaining herbs and pepper plants with a few more fruits on them, and I covered a couple of the garden bound cotton plants.  Three other cotton plants - the ones in pots - came in and are now finishing their life cycle in the dining room and living room.  Again, I see why we have no great cotton plantations in NY!!
    I fed the bees yesterday, their only supplemental feeding this fall, as they have hive bodies full of honey. This morning we put in the entrance reducers, drilled a hole in the upper deep of the blue hive and decided to wait until next weekend to wrap them in tar paper which will help keep them cozy and draft free in the winter months. So far, both the flower and the blue hives look strong.  Have treated both with one round of ApiGuard, since I saw some varroa mites on the drones earlier in the season. After wrapping the hives, it is up to Mother Nature and the girls themselves to decide if they will make it through the winter.
    Last night I treated myself to a wonderful old movie.  Once the wee lad was in bed and the older two settled, Drew and I put the pellet stove on and watched Blue Skies.  It is a sweet musical with Fred Astaire dancing and Bing Crosby singing. It has Irving Berlin songs and Billy De Wolfe as the comic relief and  it is a joy. I felt like I was visiting old friends. This was one of my favorite movies while I was growing up.  Fred Astaire was truly incredible in this film; perfection in tap shoes! A lovely way to spend a chilly autumn night.