Yikes! Summer, you are not aging well....

I can hardly believe that August is over half gone! As much as I’ve tried to ignore it, I see the maples trees are beginning to color up. I’ve also noticed that the porch light is on again when I go to leave in the morning. That means that once again, it’s still dark when DearHusband leaves for work at 4:45am. All too soon it’ll be dark when I leave for work at 7:15am. I am definitely not ready for that yet!

I saw my first flock of geese flying in V-formation on my way home today. Southward, even!

However, I do have to admit that I’ve been enjoying the cooler weather that moved in with last weekend’s thunderstorms. I love the sunshine but I do best when temperatures stay below 80 degrees. Of course, 85 is nice when accompanied with a tropical trade wind and a mai tai!

I took stock of my flower baskets today and they, too are looking like it’s late summer. The majority are rather overgown and rangy. Time to weed ‘em out and substitute in some pansies or mums. Not ready to plant flowering kale yet, that’s too much like Autumn!

This year I did some experimenting with my deck planters and window boxes. Instead of planting giant marigolds, I used calendula, thinking lots of smaller yellow/cream/orange flowers might be nicer than one or two giant flowers at a time. I’ll never do that again! That was definitely a mistake! Calendulas belong out in the landscape .

I think the abundant fertilizer caused lots of early greenery that was huge compared to the stock, purple petunias and geraniums planted at the same time. Later, the calendula leaves turned brown and spotty even when kept well watered. Next year I’ll go back to the giant marigolds for my splashes of yellow and orange in my mixed pots and baskets.

An experiment that went very well was the pots of fragrant heliotrope (clusters of dark purple long lasting flowers that remind me of my Papa’s tobacco pouch--cherry vanilla with smokey undertones), white verbena and yellow/orange lantana. They smell wonderful and the blooms contrast very nicely. As do the different shades of greenery. The heliotrope leaves are dark green and larger than the lantana and verbena, which have a lighter shade of greenery.

Another sign that autumn is approaching? All the spring bulb catelogues are arriving. Decisions, decisions!

Finish every day...

Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

How does my garden grow?

These nasturiums are volunteers, came up from the potting soil I reused from last year's baskets and pots. From this angle, they are about all you can see in this mixed flower pot. How big to do think these leaves are?

How about a point of reference?

Independence Day Video

If that doesn't give you goosebumps and bring tears to your eyes, try this link:

http://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/newsletter/32/StarSpangledBanner...asyou_veneverheardit.wma

Dining vs Eating

Okay, I have to confess it's been another busy and hectic spring. All workday long, I look forward to getting outside as soon as errands and sports are done, to putter with my plants till it's time to call it a day, and take a walk around the block to enjoy the last of the sunset.

Housekeeping had fallen to the bottom of my priority list. That has been remedied. With DaughterA cracking the whip last weekend, we conquered the clutter in the living room and dining room, giving those rooms a deep and thorough spring cleaning. We sorted through all that had collected on the dining room table, put away the scanner and laptops, filing and assorted piles of books and have actually enjoyed dinner at the table this week!

I am embarrassed to admit but it has been an unusual occurance in this house lately. One that has, appparantly, not gone unnoticed.

Thursday evening, as we were dining at the table again, SonMySon asked if we have to eat Friday dinner at the table, too? I remarked why not? that's actually what it's supposed to be used for.

In the best School of Overacting method ala William Shatner doing dramatic scene as Capt William T Kirk, SonMySon says,

"Dinner. at table. again. . (pause for dramatic sigh). . Butt. .Craves. .Couch." and falls limply aside his plate, reaching out towards the living room.

Ah, humor, gotta love it.

Missing You

It almost felt like summer...

Today, I enjoyed a lazy late afternoon holding down the chaise lounge in the backyard. Ignoring all the chores I should be doing, I enjoyed the warmth of the sun on my back as I laid on my tummy. I found it increasingly difficult to read thru my eyelids! Drowsy and warm, I gave up the overwhelming effort to keep my eyes open and settled on focusing on what I was hearing. Bees buzzing, sparrows singing, red wing blackbirds calling, house finches twittering and mostly, hummingbirds swooping past buzzing my red hair. One came so close I could feel the air it’s wings displaced tickle my ear as I laid there with the sun on my face.

After dozing for awhile I sat up to read. I was about six feet from the small apple tree that has a cedar birdfeeder hanging next to it. Holding very still, I was amazed at the activity at the feeder. The smaller the bird, the more carefree and daring. They didn’t care if I moved or not. The larger birds, the sparrows up to the blackbirds and grosbeaks were very wary of my being so close. The kept a watchful eye on me. I noticed that it was okay to move as long as my head was down angled towards my book, then it was okay to move my arm to turn the page. But if my head was up and looking at them, any movement at all would cause them to fly off, scolding me again.

All too soon, the sun got low enough to be blocked by the house on the road behind us and I found that the small fleece blanket I’d been using as a pillow wasn’t enough to keep me warm enough to continue to read outside. I was quite surprised to see that it was 8pm! It is now 9:50 and the sky is still tinged with the last colors of the sunset! And although the not-quite full moon is bright and shining looking out the window at the front of the house, the sky is still light looking out the back of the house into the west and the sunset over the water. It’s an enjoyable contrast, sort of like when it’s raining on one side of the street and dry on the other side of the street. Nighttime in the front yard, still only evening in the backyard!