This time of the year is both a beautiful and sad time for me. I would love to garden every day of the year, but in Montana you are lucky for 3 months. The trees are turning beautiful fall colors now. The garden is going to sleep more each day as the cold mornings take over. Snow on the mountain tops say winter is just around the corner.

One of the things I do enjoy this time of the year is getting everything picked and taken care of in the garden. Time to make veggie soup soon and can it. Also time to use up the too big cucumbers that I always seem to have. Several large zucchini await to be made into bread and cookies for winter. Tomato plants are producing large amounts thanks to the greenhouse. Pumpkins are now bright orange and the winter squash are getting huge.

Cutting down the hops, mowing the yard, cutting the sunflower heads to dry have all been done now. Soon the yard ornaments will be gone along with the everything summer.

Today I made a wonderful Chicken salad and put it in a cucumber boat for lunch. Simple to do and you can use what ever you like in it. Mine had the following items in it.

Cucumber Chicken Salad Boat

1 large cucumber, peeled, cut in half length wise, and seeded

1/2 cup canned Zaycon chicken breast (you can use store canned chicken)

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon finely chopped

1 chive stem from the garden finely chopped

1 small handful of mixed lettuce chopped

1 tablespoon mayo

1/2 apple diced with skin on (I used a gala)

small amount of dried cranberries

salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together well and stuff the cucumber boat with it. Be sure and salt and pepper the cucumber boat before stuffing.

I hope you are finding time to enjoy the seasonal changes in your neighborhood. We are truly blessed to live in Montana and thankful to be able to garden here.