TN MASTER GARDENER CLASSES IN FULL GEAR

Hello from this garden home. I apologize for not visiting with you on both the last day of summer and the first day of fall this week. My work, Master Gardener classes, volunteering hours for certification, the home interior rehab I am doing and other conditions out of my control have taken its hold here at the garden home this week. And a slight health scare with little Max, the guardian of the garden home, has limited my visits with you this past week. And again, after today, I will be "in absentia" for a few days as the interior floor rehab moves to my office area and subsequent locations in the home. But hopefully without too much delay, I should be back with you by the middle of next week. I have to tear down 2 more rooms in the house to get the new floors installed this weekend and finished hopefully on Monday or so. It has been a lot of work for me but the end result is going to be well worth it.
As for the Tennessee Certified Master Gardener intern program, classes move ahead with weekly gatherings. Last Thursday our class was on "landscape design" and this week was on "small engines" - maintenance, service, oils, anti-freeze, winterizing & storage. Tomorrow, Saturday, I am attending a workshop on making "hypertufa" (pronounced "HYPER - TOOFA") which is the art of making forms, shapes, artificial rocks, containers, spheres, etc. out of a mixture of peat moss, sand and concrete to make artificial rock-type planters. These are lightweight containers that are winter hardy and will not crack like concrete. They are often used in the ancient art of "bonsai" due to their light weight and ease of acquiring and making different shapes. I hope this addition to my gardening talents along with the concrete castings I have been making will come in handy here in the garden home for both myself and my family. I enjoy these type of projects and look forward to making some things next spring and working on some ideas I have to create some unusual garden art.
When my Master Gardener intern program is finished (is gardening EVER finished???) I anticipate this Master Gardener will come away with many new interest that will keep me busy for many years and provide an avenue for lots of new friends, which I am acquiring even now. It seems everyone in our group has some specialty of interest and we are all becoming each others mentor already. This should be a life long highlight for me I am sure!
On Wednesday this week, I helped out at WTREC to harvest the pumpkins for the 84-variety research project this year. It was interesting to learn that there are so many varieties and all that is involved in not only growing, etc. of pumpkins but what goes on in agricultural research programs with regard to size, shelf life, production volume, etc. in our food and food related products.
I will leave you today and for several days till my office area rehab is finished with this Fall gardening affirmation in mind:
"PUMPKINS, LEAVES, BIRDS HEADING SOUTH...LEAVES, LEAVES, LEAVES...AND COOL NIGHTS, EARLY EVENING SHADOWS. THESE ARE FALL TO ME. AUTUMN COMES TOO SOON HERE AND NOW WE ARE IN IT...& LEAVES, LEAVES, LEAVES....COLORS OF RED, GOLD, YELLOW.....& MORE PUMPKINS OF ORANGE!" by TMM