It got cool tonight so I spent some time tending the garden. Since I haven’t in *weeks**.

I planted a gifted grape vine — finally. It’s been sitting in its pot, duking it out with the viscious watermelon. Now it lives by the compost bin.

It came with directions, which I read before disregarding.

I padded up its area with fresh compost mulch — and built up the slope below it with some straw under mulch.

I think it’ll do well there, but I’ll need to give it more supports.

Then I admired a nearby ant colony.

Took note of three ready-to-grab tomatoes on my much-neglected plant.

Discovered my FIRST EVER eggplant!!!

And further bankrupted my compost pile by burying my boneyard in fresh mulch — to try to remove the lingering skin bits on a skull I found.

Admired a…wild parsley?

And came back inside, to be greeted by the most pert cat ever.

I feel optimistic about getting at least a few grapes next year. (Thank you, Amanda, for the grape plant!)