In gardening, there are the tangible rewards that you look forward to, and work toward, and finally, at long last, bring to the table.

And then, sometimes, there are some things in gardening that are just lagniappe. Lagniappe, meaning a little bit of something extra or a bonus, is a word I picked up during our time when New Orleans was home.

Our cool week last week provided us with some unexpected berries -- lagniappe!

Since I've long considered the berries to be finished for the season, I hadn't even noticed them on the vine until Razz made a break for it in the yard the other day and had some for a snack. It seems the goat's been eyeing those berries from the back field!

And, then there are the gourds. Ahh, the gourds. My best guess is that these giants vines that now cover the compost pile are the result of my throwing out some past-their-prime fall decorations last year -- lagniappe!

I should really be turning the compost pile over to keep it decomposing well, but I can't bring myself to disturb the big, beautiful vine, heavily laden with gourds.

The hard-earned fruits of long, hot hours spent in the garden are rewarding, but there's something refreshing about a little big of surprise backyard lagniappe!