Recently, we had a couple days of fall-like weather with visions of cozy sweaters and pumpkin-spice dancing in my head. Plans of a cool evening outdoors by the fire roasting marshmallows as the sun dropped out of view.

But no!! Summer decided it was not ready to give up the spotlight and burst back onto the stage refusing to leave.

We’ve had above average temperatures most days this month and it appears like it’s going to continue into October. Nothing like going to visit our local pumpkin farm only to leave with a sunburn and a desperate need to shower off the sweat.

Growing up, this time of year felt like a gentle slide into fall. Colorful leaves. Cool breezes. Crisp fall scents. Sure, there were a few stubbornly warm days, but nothing like a heatwave auditioning for July. The trees seem to be in a state of confusion about whether or not they should stay green or begin producing their beautiful fall colors.

And for those of us who speak fluent planting zone, this isn’t just a seasonal mood swing—it’s a full-blown identity shift. Our neck of the woods officially went from Zone 5b to Zone 6a. Translation? Our winters don’t arrive quite as early or get quite as cold. Our growing season is stretching its legs, giving our gardens a few extra weeks to show off.

We’re not anywhere close to a 365-day growing season, but we are almost half-way there with up to 180 days of garden bliss. Now, I have a dream – build a garden that takes full advantage of each stage of the growing season. Early spring vegetables followed by vegetables and fruits that needs the heat of summer then planting fall crops that take us into the harvest of October and November. Crops living in harmony with each other. It’s a work in progress which for us can best be described as organized chaos. Yet, I’m hopeful that next year I’ll have it dialed in a bit better – growing vertically and expanding horizontally is inevitable. I’ve got space for one more raised bed in our current garden set up, and I’m dreaming of an archway between the blackberry bed and a new bed with blackberries tamed to stay in their own space. Maybe an archway at the gate, draped in squash, pumpkins, or maybe grapes—our own little vineyard!

A pollinator garden is also on the horizon. Bees and butterflies certainly deserve their own VIP lounge, giving my fruits and vegetables a little help in the romance department. And if I really let my imagination run wild (a common occurrence), I might just expand beyond the backyard. The south side of the house has plenty of room for a couple of dwarf or semi-dwarf apple trees.

Homemade applesauce, juice, cider from apples I grew myself. Of course, it’ll take 2–4 years before they start producing, and by then I may have a very different opinion about the joy of picking apples in 90-degree heat, but a girl can dream.

Still, I love having options. Gardening is a constant experiment—equal parts science, sweat, and stubborn optimism. And if we’ve learned anything, it’s that weather doesn’t follow the rules. It rewrites them. Sometimes with a heatwave. Sometimes with a frost. And sometimes with a quiet little zone change that opens the door to new possibilities.