September has been lovely here at Home Hill, ending with comfortably warm days after delicious four days of chilly nights and days where the AC was off and windows open.
I am ready for frost on the pumpkins, even though we haven't bought our pumpkins yet.
Yesterday there was a flash of orange in the garden, a monarch butterfly that tantalized me by flittering here and there but not landing long enough for a good photo snap.
If it were not for these late migrating beauties I would be more than ready for a good frost. The garden is dingy, no doubt about that. I'm ready to move on, ready to welcome October and praying it won't bring the record breaking heat we had in October of 2019.
It would be nice to order up the weather we'd like, wouldn't it? Or maybe not. That's probably in better hands than mine.
Still....
By the end of September one becomes surfeited with garden beauty...So come quickly, sharp early frost! Obliterate some of this beauty! Clear decks for the majesty of Autumn!
Richardson Wright
The Gardener's Bed-Book
I love this time of year! I've been going through all of my Gladys Taber books and reading the autumn chapters. Our leaves are just starting to turn, but we are probably still 4-6 weeks from our first real frost.
ReplyDeleteJan, I did that for years and am so glad you reminded me. Gladys is on the bookcase of my most special books and yet I've forgotten to pick her up the last year or so. I always felt she was my mentor!
Deleteoh my! we've had NO rain for weeks on end. and now there is a Possibility (with a capital P) so I'm trying to not get too excited. it will bring a cool freshness that we so badly need. and now I'll sit by the open window and truly relish it! even just the Sound of it! I can't wait!!! (and your garden still seems lovely to me. maybe because I think so highly of the Gardener herself. LOL!) :D XO
ReplyDeleteI hope you got your rain, Tam! I know how much you love even a stormy day, but no more hailstorms, right?
DeleteYou're sweet but you know that the Gardener is most a him! I'm only his cheerleader and path sweeper and deadheader and rearranger. And watcher of dachshunds, geese and deer!
Dewena, to me, your garden is glimmering with the last sparkles of summer and that monarch butterfly beautifully lit it up a little more.
ReplyDeleteMy potted lavender, lantana and roses are actually doing quite well, still, although the zinnias have given up. It's the first time I've had luck with two varieties of lavender. The two types of basil are still thriving, as is the mint, but the hot peppers I planted in late spring didn't produce one pepper!!
I'm off tomorrow to south Crete, for a few days, as you know, and I'm looking forward to welcoming October in a magical place!
Enjoy your twinkling pretties before they get tucked in for a long, winter slumber.
Poppy XOXO
It's almost a month later now, Poppy, so I wonder if you still have flowers still blooming? Our zinnias are gone except for a big pot I dumped a whole packet of last year's seed into on my kitchen porch very late this summer. Have been so surprised to get a late crop of a jungle of stems in bloom. The blooms are smaller but so perky.
DeleteI loved seeing pictures of your lovely trips around the island!
Hope you get the chilly weather you yearn for, Dewena! I yearn for it, too. Not crisping up here yet, but definitely cooler. Take care, my dear!
ReplyDeleteBy now we are having very chilly nights, Kim. No frost but I'll take a long time of cool nights and warm days.
DeleteWhat a fun quote from Mr. Wright! I will think about that attitude tomorrow when I clean up all the mess the wind blew in.
ReplyDeleteIn your climate I wonder if you get killing frosts, Gretchen? I know you keep your garden growing year round in some things. But do you ever get a black frost?
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