It's hosing down (with rain)so I feel no twinges about nattering in daylight.

I enjoy trying plants that are new to me - and that will cope with my variable microclimate. I live close to a hill that gets snow so I share your 8,9,10 range. I find it fun and challenging. One group I don't take on, though - the coastal plants that do well just thirty miles from here.

What do I grow? Ferns and tree ferns. Various natives. Hostas and cacti. Tuberous begonias and assorted bulbs. All sorts. Fortunately, my garden isn't large, but there's not much left under grass.

Vegies - salad plants, tomatoes, zuccini, herbs. Not lots, because I'm feeding a small 'family' only. I'm becoming more involved with this part of the garden.

Bonsai fascinates me - especially the care with watering/feeding to get the outcomes I have planned. It's one of my New Year resolutions, to improve in this area.

Composting and soil building, 'alternative' gardening methods are all aspects I enjoy reading about and putting into practice. I find it interesting and I love seeing the various worm varieties increasing in the soil.

Animals - three dogs and a Chief Cat plus various birds who supervise my gardening before digging up my latest planting. (I have very few pests, though.)

I'd like to share garden 'experiments', and feedback on what grows well for me, what I'm trying out. Plant rescues and gleeful brags about bargains. Challenges and asking for input/ideas. Sharing remedies and tips. Would that be useful for you?

I certainly don't have your elevation. I'm about 700'asl on a valley floor. Do you find you get ultra-violet effects on your foliage and flowers? For example, I went up the hill with one of the dogs a couple of days ago and noticed that Prunella (self-heal) was a strong purple in both flower and leaf. Gorse (Ulex europaeus) forms fascinating bun shapes with little sprouts on the leeward side of the mound whereas lower down I'd be crashing through a nasty towering mass around ten foot tall.

Is your national forest area comprised of indigenous species? Old forest or regrowth? And does it seed into your property? I'm wildly guessing at Pinus contorta if you experience forest fires at all. Sounds like a great area for dog walks.

Composting: you can do it in-ground, in trenches, which could hold the water and reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion. Another way is to do sheet mulching which is a nice way of saying spread the weeds on the surface to rot down.

Long and narrow sounds like an interesting challenge. Mine is heaps tinier though I have worked bigger areas. The land is very gently sloping to the north (your south) and has good wind shelter from my prevailing wind which is northerly. A silty loam, because it used to be under pasture for dairying. It has its moments...

Sounds that you have very early starts to your day. I work from home so I have no commuting to do, but I don't usually get into the garden until the afternoon. Sometimes all I do is putter, and Think-Plot. I reckon that's a vital task for a gardener, especially when autumn comes.

Thank you for the acknowledgement about posts on the GW. Feels nice to receive.