Yep, It's Almost Fall

Remember my little dwarf apple tree? I really think it's been stunted, because it hasn't grown all year. I'm only 5'0" and I'm still taller than this little tree. But let me tell you, that has not stopped this little bugger from producing apples. Lots of apples. More apples than a stunted tree should be able to produce!

Just have a looksie here at this basket full of apples that came from that very tree. How cute are they? Add in the fact that this little tree is only 2 years old, and we were told they don't start producing fruit until at least 4 years, we are just plain amazed!

And do you also remember me asking what THIS plant was? Well, we have it figured out...it's a pumpkin plant, and we have figured out why we have a pumpkin plant growing right outside our front door...last Fall I placed pumpkins on our front steps like I always do.

Around mid-November, I noticed the last one was getting a little "icky", so I kicked it off the steps and into the grass. I asked Jay to throw it out when he came home from work, but he forgot, and we had a freak early ice storm overnight. That pumpkin was frozen solid and totally stuck to the ground.

That pumpkin stayed there all winter and was totally buried by all the snow we had. We completely forgot about the pumpkin until we noticed the mysterious plant was blooming and growing "something". Well, here's a picture of what those "somethings" look like. How adorable are they? We actually have gotten 6 small pumpkins so far, but I gave one to each of the girls to put in their dorm/apartment. There are 2 more about ready, and there are several still growing. There are also still more blossoms, but I can't see any way those pumpkins will be ready before Winter.

Other than the fact that the weather has been more Summer-like than it was most of August, these apples and pumpkins are a sure sign that Fall is just around the corner. I'm hoping this isn't a sign that Fall will be equally cool...although Jay probably wouldn't mind not having to freeze to death at night since I have the fan on high while yelling 'Oh my goodness it's an oven in here! I'm hot! I'm hot!'