Patterdale Hall steward Chris Wyatt (right) is shown dropping off chili to friend Jon Vanderglas for grading. (Submitted photo)
The Patterdale Hall Diaries | Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
- Published: October 11, 2025
By Chris Wyatt
Sept. 2, 2025
Late summer/early fall is absolutely my favorite time of the year. Karen’s zinnias and sunflowers are everywhere, and our squash are hilariously abundant. I may pick one of the delicatas today and roast it in olive oil, with a chicken and some garlic. Delicious.
The weather has finally dried out, and we have had several weeks now with no rain. We may get a shower tomorrow, but the forecast is mostly dry. This has been a godsend as it has meant that the grass has not been growing, perfect timing given that I have not been able to mow. It has been roughly a month since surgery, and I am eating normally and beginning to increase my activity. Only the other day I split some wood for a campfire and managed to cut the chopping block in half. I’ve still got it, clearly.
Note to self: Do not leave a trash bag filled with banana skins and beer cans used as ashtrays in the back of the car overnight. Not a good aroma to encounter first thing in the morning.
Sept. 5, 2025
The delicata squash was delicious, but too fibrous for my recently reconnected colon. I ended up awake all night, in severe pain, and had to take gabapentin. Very sad, but all things in time. I’ll increase my fiber more slowly before charging into squash, skins and all.
Sept. 6, 2025
I stayed out at the Hall last night and did some reading. It was incredibly peaceful, but not exactly quiet. Sitting on the front step I was surrounded by the sounds of the forest: frogs, cicadas, crickets, screech owls and others. It was a wonderful sound bath, and there were zero mosquitos. Paradise really.
I headed to bed at 10 p.m. and slept solidly for eight hours. I had forgotten just how comfortable that bed is, and how good the pillows are out there. I need to freshen up the pillows at home; they are a bit old and tired.
I’m not sure what today holds, but I really feel like I should make chili.
Our neighbor Jody died yesterday. Jody was kind, cool and a very good cook. I used her as a judge in multiple chili cook-offs, including the virtual cook-off that I organized during COVID. Twenty people put their chilis in three zip-loc bags and delivered them to my porch. I then divided them into three boxes and delivered them to Jody, Ryan in the Vale, and Jon in Enon.
The judges then ranked their top chilis and let me know the winners via Facebook. All three had highly ranked a delicious chili verde made by Matt, so that was the clear winner. I think a delicious, rich, classic, red chili with beans made by Deborah came second. and after a nail-biting tiebreaker, judged by Mike in Fairborn, Romy also took a prize with an Asian-influenced chili.
It was a lot of driving around for me, but worth it in the end; much fun, and the judges had chili for days.
Chili it is. But beans on the side, my bowel isn’t ready for beans.
Sept. 9, 2025
It has been a month since my surgery and I’m feeling fit and well.
There are maple logs that need splitting, and I feel well enough to do that now. They have been drying for 18 months and will be useful for getting fires going. Maple burns fast and is a useful wood for warming the house up quickly.
It is also time to wander the forest picking up tinder to start a fire. This is a job I adore, especially when the weather is fine. Wandering the forest picking up sticks in the dappled light can be a very calming process.
Well, until you walk through one of the five million spider’s webs that you didn’t see because you are looking at the floor. Then it becomes a much less calming process.
Sept. 10, 2025
A day of teaching, and then rushing out to the Hall to check on the ripening.
Sept. 19, 2025
Working full time is pretty boring when you have a diary to write, but that is where I am.
The scorpions and reapers are now ripening rapidly. Most will go in the freezer for use throughout the year, but a portion of the scorpions will be smoked and dried. I could use the Weber in my back yard, but I think a more controlled heat would be better, so I may beg for some space next time my friend Travis smokes a chicken.
In an unexpected turn of events, our pumpkins managed to hybridize with our butternut squash, giving us a large number of “butterkins.” These delightfully named squash are very dense and taste like butternuts, but are pumpkin-shaped, which is super cute.
I fancy making soup with them. It’s due to rain on Sunday, and curried butterkin soup sounds like just the ticket. I’ll look up a few recipes and then ignore them. Maybe I’ll throw a parsnip in there? Maybe I’ll add a can of coconut cream? There will definitely be garlic and ginger. Yum. I’ll cut more of the little beauties today, if they are ripe.
Fall is about to fall. I’m a very happy man.
*Originally from Manchester, England, Chris Wyatt is an associate professor of neuroscience, cell biology and physiology at Wright State University. He has lived in Yellow Springs for 17 years, is married and has two children and an insane Patterdale terrier. “The Patterdale Hall Diaries” by Chris Wyatt is now available in book format via Amazon for $11.99.
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