New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

We had a our first hard frost of the fall here last night. I got down to the garden to pick a few small tomatoes and peppers hiding in the weeds just in time yesterday. It was close to 80 degrees Tuesday afternoon, way more summer like. How things can turn on a dime this time of year. I had a pretty good year in the garden. My daughter and I canned 82 quarts of dill pickles this year. a record for us. It seemed like the cucumbers would never get going. I planted some in April that pretty much all died. Then another dozen plants or more in May with the same results. I think it was the seeds I planted in June that finally gave us the most cucumbers. So I just never gave up. My tomato plants for the most part never really took off, save for one huge plant. Plenty of squash and corn though. So all in all a pretty good garden. I still have a couple half rows of potatoes to dig. I have huge dill plants still. Can't decide if I can do something with all that dill still.

Just a week ago on a rainy night I had a frog leap across the road as I returned from my mom's house a mile down the road. That seemed very late for frogs to still be active. But then again we have had a very unusually warm fall so far.

I did get a really cool chance this week to go fishing in Rhode Island. I joined a National Wildlife Federation group for a tour out to the Block Island Wind Farm. The hour and a half trip out took us to the base of the five huge wind turbines. Our goal was to fish right at the base of them. As we arrived Captain Rich of the Skip Jack said "Look at all those fish!" that were showing on his fish finder. We landed black bass after black bass at the base of each turbine. Though these are delicious fish they all were returned as the season was close on them. We did catch a few others that were not bass so a half dozen scup were brought home for someone's dinner. The seas were a bit choppy and not another fishermen was in sight. These big structures sure do hold fish. And the fact that you can go right up to them to fish should be a great reason for sportsmen and women to support more of these off shore wind turbines.

It sure looks like we are at peak color here in Epsom. At least all the brilliant maples are colored up. I'm sure the next hard rain will be bringing leaves down like a storm. So get out and enjoy them right now.