The kids are back in school and all is quiet on the home-front...for a couple of hours at least. Fall is my favorite time of year for a number of reasons. I LOVE fall decorations, baking cookies and other treats, the generosity that tends to flow in people during this time of year, trips to the pumpkin patch, the fall leaves, the cooling weather, I could go on and on. Right now though I am a bit frustrated...do you want to know why? I am frustrated because I am fully ready to bake, decorate, collect fall leaves and right about now it is 95 degrees outside! If fall is my favorite season Indian summer is my least favorite! It is that time of year when mother nature teases us into a week's worth of cooler weather and then BAM! it is hotter than Hades again. So since the weather is warm and the growing season for summer vegetables is coming to an end, my family and I will be clearing the garden from the deteriorating cucumber, tomato, and green bean plants to prepare it for some fall spinach, lettuce, and snap peas this weekend.
Our back yard garden has been the source of much family bonding. Gardening provides so many learning opportunities including learning about the environment, sustainability, growth cycles, good bugs/bad bugs, health and nutrition, working together and so much more. We have a small back yard so we use the square foot gardening method. If you have not heard of this you need to check it out! We have been able to grow so many fruits and veggies in a VERY small area. You can learn more about square foot gardening in Mel Bartholomew's book All New Square Foot Gardening or on the SFG website . Square foot gardening can be used year round (yes, even in a snowy winter!) so go take a look! 
