I started this a week ago when it was much cooler… somehow I just never had the time (or time alone) to get back to it. I really can’t work on the computer while other folks are talking – not even while the TV is on, not that I am watching it, but it is disruptive to my few working gray cells. So I will attempt to catch up here and get this on the blog. I might also mention, a number of my fellow bloggers that I have enjoyed over the years have slowed down also… a few haven’t published since back in August, so maybe it is contagious.
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At last, a real cool morning… and hopefully the beginning of more cool mornings, well, until we complain of the cold. Ungrateful pups, we are. But the temps dropped here to the upper 40s this morning. Ashley helped me bring in the crotons yesterday. I almost envied her ability to get down and wipe the dirt off the big old pots as I held the 8 foot plant diagonally while she cleaned it. I thought to myself, I used to be able to do this all by myself and then get back up and keep going… and now… well… I guess this is what happens when those numbers keep changing.
Ashley has my yard so cleaned up I can hardly believe it. When one pays extra for filling the wheelbarrow with weeds, it happens! But, she is a good kid and a good worker, and it gives her extra money for school. She has decided to change her major to teaching. Being the oldest of 5 kids she is used to children. I feel so fortunate to have her to help me. It is much more pleasant to walk out in the yard and not groan to myself about all the work that needs to be done, how shabby everything looks, or beat myself up for not doing better.
Yesterday I pulled out the zucchini plants. One yellow squash and 2 skinny eggplant plants are left. I doubt they will produce anything, but who knows. I still have beans to pick, those long string beans – pole beans they are. Blue Lake, I think. They are OK but not my favorites. I still have lots of green tomatoes and a cucumber that is just graduating from its picklehood. The yellow wax beans greatly enjoyed the inch of rain the other night. Plants do grow so much better with pure rain than water from the hose. I wonder why that is?
The fall azaleas are in full bloom and I believe I have my birthday camellia opening on the bush outside my dining room window. The late crape myrtles are still blooming. It was by chance that they got planted in-between the early blooming ones. What luck! The Beauty Berry Bush is purpling up. The coleus and Strobilanthes are huge and such beautiful spots of color in the yard.
I have a few coleus in the window boxes out front – I was too lazy to replant them and they wintered over in those boxes… but they are beautiful. 
If I have time this week, I will begin to drag out a dozen or so bird feeders. It is that time. Supposedly the hummingbirds leave today. But we still have bunches of dragonflies and butterflies galore. They seem to love the fall azaleas. And if you look carefully, you might find some other little critters! Including some rather bizarre looking ones, and some I bet you have never noticed. Yep, these first 3 are caterpillars.
A funny thing about September – spiders… have you ever noticed? Huge webs everywhere as they catch the autumn bug population and fatten themselves up. The spiders don’t bother me except I hate walking into their webs. I bet they don’t appreciate it either. But I have a feeling their webs will be safe from human intrusion today… I fell out in the yard yesterday. I should know better than to keep on working when I have been pushing for 4 or 5 hours. The body just quits and down I go. I spent the morning painting the inside 8x8’ door and trim around the French doors at the Train Station yesterday while the guys took my truck down the county to bring back an old showcase one of our members donated to us. Then I started cleaning it up. It has been in a barn for 15 years or so. It was just a little dirty. Ashley came about 5 minutes after I got home, so all I got was time to eat a half a sandwich, but I did sit for a wonderful surprise phone call. Today, however, I am really stiff and sore.
Ah, the washer just stopped. Time to hang out the clothes. That is another thing I love about this time of year – cool crisp days – perfect for hanging clothes out on the line.
9-22-13: no laundry on the line today. We finally got some rain. It is warmer, in the 60s, I think the rain is over. Finished the 8x8 door yesterday, started to poly the wainscoting, and cleaned a bit more on the showcase. As usual, I am stiff today. There are flowers on the yellow wax beans. I might get some after all.
6 comments:
What a 'chockful' wonderful post, possum. Nice. Would that first critter be a Pack Saddle, that thing that gives horrific stings? Ah, I had a nice showcase once and gave it away. I do regret that now.
I could use it muchly.
Oops, Yes it is a packsaddle critter. Googled it. Stung by one at 7yr age and never will forget that. Stay alert.
They are called 'saddlebacks' around here.
Lets see if anyone can find the name of that second or even the 3rd one.
Enjoyed all the "critter" shots but don't know their names, either. Glad to hear we finally got some much needed rain back home and expect to have lots of yard work when we return, but at least cooler weather to be outdoors.
Some great pictures, jan, but you know better than to use up all your strength at one time !!! I'm so glad you hve Ashley to help you. With your permission I am going to write an entry for my UNlimiters blog about when it's time to bring in help and the benefits to both of you.
Aren't you full of garden information. I am happy if I can get my grass cut once a week. We have had oourse first killer frost so most plants in garden are go. I did not have a vegetable garden this year. My neighbour grew about 2 tonnes of potatoes on my property so we were allowed to go a dig a few. He also planted about 30 acres of oats and got a good crop and there is still 17 acres of feed corn to harvest for his cattle. It seem my land is better than his. His land I know is a lot more sandy than mine. I trust he will not plant gone again in the same field for a few years. Corn is had of the soil if planted the same place years after year/
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