Stars shone bright in the still air before dawn, a peaceful sight that hinted at frost. Fall brings a strange mix of rest and hurry.

Sure enough, the first frost touched the grass of the pasture. Soon the lawn would stop growing, and I wouldn't have to cut it until spring. But I would have to bring the sheep in off the pasture in a day or two. The urgent task: the green tomatoes had to get picked. I found time to do that, which was a good thing, because the next day's frost extended right up to the house. The tomato plants were finished.

The day I brought the sheep in, they did not want to come. They like being outside even though there is less and less to eat there. Even though we are bringing them food and they get to relax, they still watch to see if we will open the barn door. For us, there is a lot more work now that we have the whole flock to feed. Once lambing starts at the end of November, that time commitment will double again.

We like to have the barn cleaned before the sheep are brought in, but that did not happen this year. I had to wait for the loader to get repaired before Paul could spread the manure that has been composting since last year. That had to happen before I could dig out what is in the barn and make a new pile.

We have enough stable space so that barn cleaning is a task that only needs to be done once a year. But it does have to get done. Sheep are picky. They eat the alfalfa in the hay, but long tough strands get pulled out and left on the ground. One year's manure pack has to get cleaned out so that we have room to feed them the next winter. So although the calendar says fall, we're still working on finishing up this summer task.

The frost that slowed down the growth of the grass also told the trees to rest. In the forest, on town streets, the trees and shrubs began to turn colour. Now the landscape is a blaze of vibrant red, yellow, and orange. The energy we see is a prelude to November. Soon brown and grey will dominate as the leaves turn brittle and fall. In town, raking will take its place at the top of the to-do list.

Before that is harvest. The tender vegetables were pretty well finished a month ago, and now the pumpkin and squash plants are dying back. But the apple trees are laden. It's time to be in the orchards.

People are out in the farm fields too. The early spring and hot summer this year mean that plants matured earlier than some years. Corn silage is being cut, and combines are rolling through the bean fields. It will be a few more weeks before the grain corn can be harvested, but as more and more land in our area is planted with crops, there is lots to do in the meantime. Fingers are crossed that we don't get early snow cover, but corn can stand until spring if it must, and it looks like there will be a window of good weather for the bean harvest. Nobody is taking that for granted though. Grain wagons are on the move. Combines are rolling.

Cold nights remind us that winter is not far away. Once January hits, there is less outside work, unless your job is clearing lanes and sidewalks and roads. But getting ready for January means the next few weeks are busy. Furnace repair people are much in demand for the long postponed cleanings. Wood has to get hauled and piled. Our lane needs to get staked because some mornings in January, wind and snow make the landscape a level snow-field a couple feet deep. Without stakes, the tractor might end up in the pond because some days it is hard to tell where the lane is exactly.

Animals are getting ready to sleep. Trees are resting. But birds are on the move, seeking winter quarters. Fall hints at rest while calling us to use every good day to get work done.

Cathy Hird is a farmer, minister, and writer living near Walters Falls.