A hard frost has heralded the end of the growing season even though there are some plants – they are probably guys — who are insisting, “Really, I’m fine! It’s just a leaf wound!”

Our garden turned in a stellar performance despite this summer’s incessant heat and insufficient rainfall. Perhaps this was due to the large amounts of cow residue I plowed under last fall. Or maybe I’m full of bull residue and just got lucky.

The pumpkins and the gourds went crazy then went AWOL. They started out as spindly, sickly little sprouts that looked totally harmless. Then, seemingly overnight, they took over the garden and set their sights on the world at large.

Vines wended their way far beyond the garden’s border and into the adjoining grass. I mowed the grass until the vines became so long that mowing would involve macerating the vines.

And what would be the point of that?

The tangle of cucurbit tendrils grew so thick that it became impossible to walk anywhere in or near the garden. I stopped visiting the garden and it became a feral jungle.

Pumpkin harvest time arrived, which presented a major problem: I had little idea regarding where the pumpkins might be. I s see where the vines had invaded the tall grass, but that’s all there was to go on.

I had no choice but to search for pumpkins and gourds with my feet, carefully probing the garden and the adjoining tall grass with the toe of my boot. It fun actually, not unlike an Easter egg hunt.

It got so that I could identify different types of fruit with my right foot. There’s a blue pumpkin; here is one of those warty little gourds. It swiftly became clear that it was an outstanding year for blue pumpkins.

My seed choices are based on one of three categories. The pumpkin or gourd has to be either weird or warty or pretty. Blue pumpkins are both weird and pretty.

I was certain that I had planted only a few hills of blue pumpkins. Based on harvest results, it would appear that I had planted several dozen hills.

I found blue pumpkins here, there, and everywhere. They must have made plans to colonize the entire planet. The devilish blue orbs came frighteningly close to accomplishing this goal. I found scores and scores of the baleful blue blobs.

My blue pumpkin burden was a boon for friends, relatives, business associates, and even random strangers. A blue Halloween is in the works for a lot of people.

A bounty of blue pumpkins wasn’t the only unexpected discovery this fall.

A few days ago, I was informed that a German shepherd was hanging around my parents’ farmstead. I drove over to investigate and found that this was indeed the case.

The big dog started to bark at me as soon as I got out of my pickup. I approached the pooch cautiously, speaking calmly and in a low voice. Although I will admit that it’s difficult to remain calm when a German shepherd is barking at you and baring his fangs.

But it seemed to me that his was a frightened bark, not an aggressive one. He lowered his hackles after a few minutes and became quiet. I strolled around the farmstead and he orbited me at a short distance, as if he were a part of what was happening. In other words, acting like a normal dog.

I picked up a stick and threw it. The pooch chased it and brought it back to me and we soon became friends. He allowed me to pet him and even give him tummy rubs. It was clear that the doggy had a family somewhere.

Phone calls were made and a photo was posted on Facebook, but nobody was missing a German shepherd. Left with no choice, I called Animal Control.

A sheriff’s deputy soon arrived. The deputy informed me that he would normally take custody of the dog and transfer it to the animal shelter, but he could no longer do so after a deputy was bitten during a similar mission. He said that I could take the dog to the shelter myself if I didn’t mind.

I was essentially being told that this task was too dangerous for a trained and armed peace officer, but it was OK if I wanted to tackle it.

The dog hopped into my pickup cab as soon as I opened the door. We enjoyed a peaceful, pleasant ride to the local animal shelter.

I hope that the wayward pooch finds his way home and has a happy Halloween. And that he enjoys his blue pumpkin.

— Jerry’s book, Dear County Agent Guy, is available at http://Workman.com and in bookstores nationwide.