Saturday essay: Winding down & up

The long, slow summer wind-down is about to begin.

The raised garden beds will be put to bed, but only after the first hard frost. The pots, planters and trays of the greenhouse will be sown to full capacity with all of the cool- and cold-weather crops that will make the coming holidays quite special.

But the real challenge will be getting the garage in order. Since spring, it's been the staging area for everything outdoors. And given all the porch, deck and greenhouse updates this year, the pile of lumber leftovers is larger than usual. What can't be saved for other projects, and stacked undercover outside, will be cut into smaller pieces for fireplace kindling. The chimney sweep comes next week.

The garage must be cleared by Oct. 1. That's the target date for moving in the train platform to begin this year's additions a sweeping trestle bridge on a freight line and a classic 50-year-old German trolley bus, one that takes its power from overhead lines.

By Dec. 7, the reconfigured N-scale platform should be up and running in the basement. But even as the trains and trolley go 'round and 'round, the realization will hit that the long, slow wind-up to another garden season is just around winter's corner.

Colin McNickle

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Saturday essay: Winding down & up