After the harvest, the temperature dropped day by day, and the vegetables planted in the yard, the ones climbing on the walls outside, like winter melon, pumpkin, and the yellowed loofah, were all collected into the space. The loofah grew large, and after peeling off the skin and removing the seeds inside, the remaining mesh-like fibers could be used to scrub pots and dishes.
Then she found herself even busier, casually squatting there, able to work a whole morning or afternoon.
The vines and shoots around the house could be chopped up to feed the chickens, not wasted at all. Even corn stalks, peanuts, soybeans she kept for firewood. After burning, the plant ashes were collected and now, when there was time, she soaked them all in large basins.
