If they gave an award for weeds, I am sure I would be in the top 5. My modesty won't allow me to claim first place, but it would not surprise me! It is a good thing I live on the very edge of town with a tenth of a mile of woods separating me from the folks with perfectly manicured lawns. That way, maybe the rest of the town won't notice. On the other hand, I have more flowers blooming at any time of the year than any of the rest of them. People come up to me in the grocery store or Post Office, strangers have even pulled in my driveway when they see me working out front to compliment me on my yard or to ask what this or that flower is.
Not many people are used to the fall blooming azaleas, and actually, I haven't seen any others in town. It is a small town... just under 500 population. If we have a moderate winter, I can have something in bloom every week out of the year, generally camellias and pansies. 
The earliest camellias have started to bloom, the rest are budding up nicely. I have had to remember to water them; it has been so very dry. It is easy to remember to water things that are blooming or veggies, but we ofter forget about the trees, shrubs, and bushes we tend to take for granted.
My neighbor has purchased a chipper and while he is learning how to use it, I get his practice piles! 
I have had 3 truck loads dumped out front at the end of my turn around. The top of that pile is over 4 feet high! I bought a wagon to go on the back of my new John Deere and that has been a huge help compared to walking one wheel barrow load at a time around the property. Truth is, walking down to the furthest end (1/10th mile) and back, let alone push a load of mulch down and back, is very difficult for me. Not whining here, honest, as long as my wheelchair stays in the barn, I am reasonably happy, I am just being honest with my limitations even tho my brain still thinks I can do what I did 20-30 years ago. 
Anyway, I planted a new fall azalea yesterday. 
Can you believe I have some digitalis in bloom? Are they confused or what? See the dead leaves on the ground? If you look real hard you can see that same old pansy in bloom right behind the digitalis. See that bit of purple? See that spot of white?
The English Daisy plant has finally opened. This was just one plant in a 4 inch pot about 4 years ago. It is real tall, too. Punkin had a flea emergency. 
One of the fall azaleas next to the daisies. 
These are volunteer tomatoes, cherry and plum, growing out of the compost pile! 
The window boxes are looking a bit sorry, but the camellia is coming along. This one is over 8 feet tall now. Gee, thinking of all the work I have left to do is making me tired.
Maybe Punk has the right idea, but I will find a softer place.
Not many people are used to the fall blooming azaleas, and actually, I haven't seen any others in town. It is a small town... just under 500 population. If we have a moderate winter, I can have something in bloom every week out of the year, generally camellias and pansies. The earliest camellias have started to bloom, the rest are budding up nicely. I have had to remember to water them; it has been so very dry. It is easy to remember to water things that are blooming or veggies, but we ofter forget about the trees, shrubs, and bushes we tend to take for granted. My neighbor has purchased a chipper and while he is learning how to use it, I get his practice piles! I have had 3 truck loads dumped out front at the end of my turn around. The top of that pile is over 4 feet high! I bought a wagon to go on the back of my new John Deere and that has been a huge help compared to walking one wheel barrow load at a time around the property. Truth is, walking down to the furthest end (1/10th mile) and back, let alone push a load of mulch down and back, is very difficult for me. Not whining here, honest, as long as my wheelchair stays in the barn, I am reasonably happy, I am just being honest with my limitations even tho my brain still thinks I can do what I did 20-30 years ago. Anyway, I planted a new fall azalea yesterday. Can you believe I have some digitalis in bloom? Are they confused or what? See the dead leaves on the ground? If you look real hard you can see that same old pansy in bloom right behind the digitalis. See that bit of purple? See that spot of white?The English Daisy plant has finally opened. This was just one plant in a 4 inch pot about 4 years ago. It is real tall, too. Punkin had a flea emergency. One of the fall azaleas next to the daisies. These are volunteer tomatoes, cherry and plum, growing out of the compost pile! The window boxes are looking a bit sorry, but the camellia is coming along. This one is over 8 feet tall now. Gee, thinking of all the work I have left to do is making me tired. Maybe Punk has the right idea, but I will find a softer place.
So, it needs to be accessible. Unfortunately, it means I need to change the water and clean it out whenever I cut the grass, even if I just cleaned it out the day before. A yucky job for me, but a good thing, really, since I might get lazy about keeping it clean. I got real busy yesterday and kept pushing long after my body was sending me signals to STOP! So when I finally did call it quits, the birdbath was filled with grass cuttings. I remembered it around 2 in the morning, and put it on my mental list of first things to do this morning. I no sooner refilled it than a pretty yellow leaf floated down and landed right in the middle of things. A big old bumble bee hurried in to get a bit of nectar and I stopped to get a look at the beautiful colors surrounding St Francis.
And I thought I would share that with you!
Even when I tried to pull away, he pulled my head back and kept washing. 
My, but they are fast! Add to it that many if not most digital cameras are really slow by the old SLR standards... anyway, the shots are not good but again, they are thru the front window, and this camera does not like telephoto adjustments... in order to keep the flash from going off, I have to use some setting that I don't understand. Oh, well... one of the shots is of the local wren,
the rest are of the nuthatch - one goes to the "cage" feeder, the other to the longest feeder, but I was never able to get them both at the same time. See camera too slow comment above... 
The other pics are of the nuthatches, but you really have to know what they look like in order to tell. The pic above (#1) is the only one where the markings are clearly identifiable. The wren is clearly brown (#2) 
(my big one has a flat tire) and got the pile down a ways. I also hurt my back - duh - but I am resigned to the fact that I will never learn because I will always think I can... I think I can, I think I can... which beats whining because I can't. Doesn't it??? So, on Wednesday, I gave myself a birthday present, a few days early, but what the heck... I bought a cart to go with my new Deere.
On Friday, I did serious damage to the pile of mulch! Ah, yes, that is a snow shovel. Since we seldom have snow, I have found lots of uses for the snow shovel. Scooping mulch or wood chips is just one of them. Lots faster and lighter weight than a regular shovel!
So, I thought I should share. Punkin thought it was a great idea. But he still prefers the honeysuckle. 
Oh well. 
Otherwise, not much is happening unless you want a pumpkin. One of my Crape Myrtle trees has bloomed this year for the first time
even tho it was planted at the same time as this one.
It never got enough sun before. I had the big gum trees cut down and then someone accidentally cut the Crape Myrtle to the ground and it miraculously came back up. I thouight it was a goner. 
The fall blooming azaleas have just started. 
So does St Francis. And dark coleus. 
Unusual coleus, and Impatiens. I haven't planted any impatiens for a couple of years.
Throw in a few geraniums, some begonias...
"He like ta fell out, it smelled so good!" 
And the pansy is still blooming away! I do hope you enjoyed visiting my yard. Anytime you want to help pull some weeds or grass, please feel free to do so!
Your first time on a bike???? I think I can.............. 
YES!!! LOOK AT ME GOOOOOOOOOOO! 
It was probably a birthday present from Bobbie last September. And now it is here to say, Happy Birthday, Bobbie!
Today, I managed to cut the grass since it was only 90. No, I did not use the walk behind - I sat on the Deere and tooled around Possum Lane just like I had good sense. I was soaked when I came in, and covered with dust. It has not rained for a while more than a tenth of an inch or so. I took a picture of the mower's barn before it got to its peak yesterday, and decided to put it on with another picture of the same barn,
same thermometer. 
And a complaining cat. Some folks are just never satisfied!
and was ONE INCH away from my baby trees trying to get his boat hitched back up.
His wife and I stood and yelled and I held branches back out of the way as he maneuvered the truck and boat down off the bank and into the road.
I could just see it falling off into the road.
Another pic - one I did not use last year, mostly because it is not a great picture in terms of resolution... probably one of my Mickey Mouse disposable cameras... Always keep your best side to the camera I always say. 
Hmmmm, I could have called this a "Possum Tail Tale"... nah, I will just say, the end.
