Color in the Fall

The last several weekends I have traveled through Kentucky down I 75 to North Georgia and also to Athens Georgia.  My trips have all been family related, introducing cousins to each other and gathering family,plus helping with the newest grand baby.

It has been exhausting but wonderful ....however what has been an unbelievable bonus to all my travels has been the colorful show that has been put on by nature.

My path has taken me through the Smokies and into the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have wandered off the beaten paths into the mountains everywhere I looked the trees were blazing with deep reds, yellows. oranges and greens.

I love every season as each has its own glory but this year the Fall has stolen my heart!

SO GET OUT AND WANDER THE ROADS.......IT IS A GLORIOUS FALL! 

October Blooms

I love all my October Blooms!!  

 Lots of beauiful blooms still in my gardens. The garden seems to be thriving with he crisp fall air.  I love the Hydrangeas, Mexican Sage and Shasta Daisy's.

Don't miss this opportunity to add some new perennials to your gardens!!

Tallulah

Trying hard to blog about the garden but the new arrival of my grandbaby girl trumps everything. Tallulah Munro Thompson. We are so excited to meet you.






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Garlic Chive Love

I know they can take over a garden, butt wow they are so worth controlling and having in your garden. I have a hard time handling a lot of garlic but the leaves of this herb finely chopped give the kick without the burn.

I love the garlic chives lining the garden paths. They provide a wonderful border,  a great garlic kick, and the blossoms attract so many pollinators.

The secret is to keep them cut down most of the growing year. Then about the beginning of August, let them grow so the blooms develop. The blossoms make a wonderful herb vinegar, plus are totally edible in salads.

But what they give back is so incredible.... A wonderful bloom for the fall and a tremendous attraction to pollinators.  Once the white blossom is gone and it is turning to seed, you will need to be very vigilante about cutting them and removing them. ( they reseed everywhere).

So don't be scared, I feel this herb as way more positive then negative!!

Finch Food

To you and I, these dead coneflowers just look like a gardener is  not doing her job. But to the Finches in my yard this is a culinary feast.  I love goldfinches and who would not want these beauties in your yard with their bright yellow feathers and cheerful song.  I feed them year round with feeders filled with Nyjer seed, but this time of year I so enjoy seeing them enjoy the seed heads I leave for their diners.

Finches love many seed heads and in fact prefer this to Nyjer in a feeder, this time of year.  So I try to plant plenty for them to feast on. So please don't cut the coneflowers. There is nothing more exciting than seeing  a finch hanging on to a coneflower and swaying in the wind!!

Time To Go

We have been putting this off for a long time; mostly due to the cost but I also just hate to cut trees down.  But the time had definitely come for several of my dead trees.  It was either cut them down or wait for Mother Nature to make her own decision on the which way they would fall.

It really opened up the space. So right decision made.

Moon Glow

First moon flower so wonderful.







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First Recipe

Ok. My husband loves cucumbers fixed this way. Since he was kind enough to help me pick today. I made it for him. And hey it used up 4 cucumbers.

In a large bowl combine 1 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sugar ( I use Splenda ) 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 4 cups sliced cucumbers. Mix all together then add fresh dill weed. Let this sit in the fridge for about 2 hours. Yummy


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Over whelmed

So maybe I planted too much. But I love fresh veggies. I just got all of the last couple days veggies processed and then here we go again.








These are the veggies from the last three weeks. So does it make sense to buy a freezer so I can save all this goodness knowing that the freezer cost much more than buying the veggies ?

YES. I will start canning. I love it.



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The Naked Ladies are Back

One of my favorite mid-summer events is now occurring: The Lycoris squamigera,  I.E.  Naked Ladies, Magic Lilies, Surprise Lilies or Resurrection Lilies have returned!

Some twenty years ago, during the first couple months in this house, I notice a lot of green foliage appearing in random groupings. The leaves were very dark and glossy, wide and arrow like in shape. But no wonderful bloom ever appeared. If I had not been so overwhelmed with the move, I might have aggressively dug the up the bulbs, thinking they were worthless.

However, am I every glad I waited because just about this time 20 years ago, the arrow like spears began to shoot out of the ground. The end result were beautiful trumpet lily blossoms.

I had not seen these in Indiana, although I am quite sure there are "Naked Ladies" in Indiana and now I have shared them with my sister, so there you go.  They can be transplanted and it does help the bulbs to be divided very now and then. But do beware, these "Naked ladies" become a little disgruntled when disturbed, so you pay the price and they my not bloom for a couple years.

Just a few Hints:

#1   I have been slowly moving the "Naked Ladies" to flower beds. If you have an obsessed mower as my husband can be, the tender bloom shoots can be mowed over. I would have thought that showing him where "Naked Ladies" would appear if he was careful would be motive enough!

#2 Be  careful who you tell about the "Naked Ladies" in the front yard. I heard a story about man who was going to his choir practice at his church. He shared with  the Music Director that he had several
"Naked Ladies" popping up in his front yard. The story goes that the Director looked at him in amazment and replied... If this is true, why the heck are you here?

 All kidding aside I am so happy the previous owner of this property..be it the missionary, or the retired author, the psychiatrist, or the original owner looking for a country escape from the big city of Louisville, felt the need to plant "Naked Ladies" in my front yard!!!

Lilies everywhere

I love the lilies and they are exceptionally beautiful this year. These flowers deserve special attention. Plus the bees love them ! I am going to do some research on proper care and give them some TLC.















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A NOD FROM ABOVE

 This are the Easter Lilies from my Mother's Memorial a year ago. They bloomed last Easter, then again the first of August for my Parents Memorial Celebration and finally the end of October when my sister went into the hospital. They are vey special indeed.

June 11 was my sister's birthday and they started blooming right around that time. Also a beautiful Red Cardinal has been flitting in and out of them (my father loved Cardinals)

I miss all the loved ones who have moved on so very much, but I always feel their presence in the gardens surrounded my all the flowers and nature they loved!

Spring Goodness

So excited. My strawberries are producing, I have sugar snap peas, all kinds of lettuce, greens and kale. Does it get much better. Will blog more later.










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Pops of Yellow

All this rain has given me tons of wonderful color in the gardens. I love these Celandine Poppies or Wood poppies





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My Beautiful Wind Anemonies

Every early spring I am blessed with the arrival of my amazing Windflower Anemones. The purple, blue and white blooms contrast with the early daffodils, wood poppies and violets, creating a stunning carpet of spring blooms.

These flowers can be difficult to transplant. Plus they go dormant about the middle of may so you have to act quickly.  But my oh my these plants create a stunning picture. Thank you for who ever planted these spring beauties many years ago.

Freezing Daffodils

This happens every year. We get very cold weather and the daffodils are up and blooming. They hang their heads sadly, so I put on my warmest coat and go out proceeded to cut  the droopy ones. I love to give them away.

                                               Would you like a bunch..just let me know!

Mason Bee Project

Mason Bee or Orchard Bee is the common name for species of bees in the genus Osmia, of the family Megaachilidae. This non-social native bee is very helpful in the pollination of early spring fruit trees, flowers and vegetables. The bluish- black metallic bee does not live in hives, but rather in hollow stems, woodpecker drillings and carpenter bees left over destruction.

These bees are active for a short period of time and do not connect or share nest or interact with each others life's.  Since they are so passive they may be observed at close range without fear of being stung. This makes them great additions for our home gardens and yards.  Although they do not produce honey, their presence adds activity and pollination to our plantings.

Last year I ordered two Mason Bee Hives so I would be prepared to put them up very early in the spring before the buds emerged. Last Saturday was a great day for outdoor projects and I had my two best workers to help. Callum (2) and Thatcher (4) helped their Dumpy(Grandfather Kirts) place the homes for me.

We placed one on the barn post and the other on the Gazebo. I will let you know how it goes. I am all for finding new pollinators for my gardens.

 

Nothing better than extra hands in the garden!!