AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN

It's been a glorious weekend, if not a bit cool with some light gales. The first of what is bound to many garden clean ups for fallen leaves, dead blooms and a start of putting the beds to rest. But worry not, parts of the garden are still going quite strong...and of course the autumn has brought about new stars of the show like the dahlias and zinnias, and the Mexican sunflowers are way above the fence. Who knew they would get that huge from just seeds in May?!?  They are still attracting bees galore, but I do believe the butterflies may have migrated already. I saw more butterflies than I had seen in a couple years. I guess the wildflower garden really does attract more pollinators. But the cooler nights has already claimed some of the potted plants.

I really need to add in more ox blood dahlia next year.

What's left in the wildflower garden

A huge mushroom in the garden! It was huge!

A new usual suspect to the garden of late. I have seen her/him many times the last couple weeks...even napping for some time before moving on. Sophie has yet to see the visitor. I hate to see the kitty spooked, especially while enjoying a nice pew or nap. I'm pretty sure it's a neighborhood cat that has a home.

The Cassia Didymobotrya rivaled the Mexican sunflower for height. The two together look spectacular and it smells so good. I might rethink for next year thought it's placement. Both are still going strong.

The Datura Ballerina are always still blooming like crazy. And do they ever small heavenly.

I do believe the Clematis is going for yet another showing.

The salvia beds are still going strong and are even more brilliant, I think. This is generally where I catch the hummingbirds.

 

I also got in my first batch of Chicken corn soup made this weekend

So there was that too...and it was delish!!!!!!

USUAL SUSPECTS

...or creepy crawlies?? In the last week, I have seen many creepy crawlies, winged insects and a few fur balls. But not all creepy. I'm not a fan of caterpillars, but knowing what most of them turn into I can overlook the temporary stage they are in. like the silkworm down below. That thing was huge, about 5" long and just as thick! Yuck. Let's take a gander....look at the head of that thing!

but wait there's more! I got a video of it for y'all.

But they turn into one of North America's largest butterflies or more so moths. I don't see many around here...it's been a few years since I saw one. Here is another in the grass about a week ago.

Of course I came across another big sucker, but a dead one. I almost caught Sophie eating it. Because why wouldn't she? Yes a cicada.

Of course they aren't all ugly.

Here's a beauty in another video I caught after work of a butterfly on the Mexican sunflower.

And of course there were the usual suspects around...the fur kind. Luckily, I don't many problems with them eating my garden up or wreaking havoc with any holes or such.

This rabbit sat for close to two hours in this spot and actually took a snooze there till darkness hit.

And then there was this moment. I was walking past the Hosta on the one side of the house to weed and heard a rustling in the leaves, thinking it was a cicada. This is what emerged! I have seen them at night but never before dark, if rarely.

Very vampire like watching move as it came out of the leaves. I later went back and didn't see it anywhere. It must have flew off. But in the garden at night, I see usually about three of them flying about eating annoying insects. I don't mind all these creatures. Yes, some of them are not all that appealing to look at, but they all serve a purpose in the scheme of things.

EVERY VERSION OF YOURSELF....

From the garden.

 The iconic thing about life I found is in a way, you'll never know yourself, and you certainly can't please everyone all of the time. We are a different person to everyone we meet. To some we are quiet, to others we never shut the hell up. Some remember us for our kindness, some for our humor, others for our insight and advice, for our friendship and others to the time we walked away. You are a villain in some people's story, a hero in another's. And to most you're just a passing thought, a name they once knew, you don't exist as one person., but as countless versions as yourself, shaped by fleeting moments and personal conceptions. And here's what's unsettling. You will never truly know yourself the way other's do. You will never hear your own laughter the way someone else hears it. You will never see the way your absence lingers in a room you used to fill. You will never feel the anticipation someone has waiting for you. To yourself you are just you. But in reality, we are all a thousand different stories none of which we will ever get to read.

MIDSUMMER GARDEN

 
What a simply beautiful weekend! It was nice to have a weekend at home and before the next vacation in ensues. While I had a handyman at the Casa installing a new exhaust fan and light in the bathroom and then he repainted the ceiling and did wallpapering, and not bad on the eyes I may add, I spent the time outdoors in the garden, pottering and dead heading. I was a good host though and offered up some refreshing beverages. New stars of the Mexican sunflowers, coneflower, salvia, hellebore, and the Datura Ballerinas, Justicia Carnea or flamingo flower now all in bloom. I know it is August now. I also have a family of cardinals take up residence in the moss bird house, which I didn't know about till I saw the fledglings popping out of the hole and all over that backyard. Which meant the murderous Sophie  has been monitored while outdoors. She did attempt to make some carnage but luckily her plan was foiled. I haven't seen them lately. I just hope the neighborhood cat didn't get them, who sometimes sneaks into the garden at night. It is simply amazing how the garden still to grow and change almost overnight, I swear.

The Mexican sunflowers are now up over my head and over the white fence behind it!!! Over 6ft! To think in May I just planted them as seeds! And it you look close, you spot the surprise I finally captured!!!

I also spent some time getting the seed from spent Hollyhocks. We will have many more next spring to plant.

The perfect toadstool.

Double bumbles!

A passionflower gift to me from a friend.

Dalhia and zinnias are coming in to take center stage next.

The Justicia Carnea

The murderess 

Sitting and waiting. Don't let the demure, cute face fool you.

And if you don't spot what it was in the above picture at the start of the post...it was indeed one of the hummingbirds!