In the early morning light, I woke to it barely seeping through the fabric of the curtains. I tossed about awhile in bed, but finally just got up and got on with my day.
Ivy was happy to get her canned food early. Now she’s up on the cupboard looking out on the small front yard. She kind of looks like a sphinx up there peering out the window!
I don’t hear any chirping, so the sparrows she’s waiting for haven’t come to peck at the front bushes just below the window yet.
Early Morning Light:
When I wake up early the patio looks bathed in a light gray tint. Then everything slowly wakes up and the plants wait for the sun to shine in their direction.
Hopefully it will become cooler soon. I so need to clear out the dead parts of the Lamb’s Ear underneath all the new growth, Trim back the petunias and zinnias and sedum.
I went out early after my cup of decaf and cut the dead stalks off the allium plant before the sun reached that far. Maybe the light purple blooms will appear again.
I’m hoping some of the plants might liven up a bit before closing up shop for the wintertime.
A disappointing summer for flowers:
I never did see any of the morning glories I planted do anything but grow leaves. Nary a flower anywhere. This was a disappointment. Kind of a bust of a season for flowers this year.
Next year maybe I’ll plant Hyacinth Bean Vine again. I do love those deep purple seed pods. In the past I’ve planted it to grow up the fence adjoining the neighbor’s patio.
I haven’t seen that woman next door since the day she moved in, when I saw her through my window one time. She keeps to herself, so I hate to bother her. I think maybe she might work at night.
Poor dead tree & rose bush:
That poor dead Ginkgo Biloba Jade Butterfly tree has sat out there like a skeleton all summer. The winter killed it and it’s far too heavy for me to do anything with it. At least I had it for about 3 years before the harsher winter arrived.
Maybe one day my oldest grandson will come over and do away with it for me somehow. I hate looking out the window and seeing that poor dead tree right in my line of vision.
Same with the rose bush. Of course it’s thorny, so I don’t know how I’ll ever get that out of there. I sure missed seeing those yellow roses this summer.
But at least it’s way over by the gate leading to the alley, so I don’t see it through the French doors when I’m sitting in my chair.
Oh, the casualties of a hard winter.
News about winter 2022:
The 2022 Old Farmer’s Almanac comes with a winter warning: Prepare for a “Season of Shivers.” This winter will be punctuated by positively bone-chilling, below-average temperatures across most of the United States.
I hate to think about that.
Maybe u could put fairy lights on the ginkgo tree limbs to carry u thru winter. Led lights use less energy so u could leave them on. If it snows it would be a delight. As darkness settles the lights might lift your spirits.
Same thing with my morning glories! Loads of leaves and not one flower. Strange!
Ugh, I dread the frigid temps, but more than that, the snow. I’m looking forward to ripping out some of my spent summer flowers, and replacing them with mums and kale, but it’s still too warm. Maybe next week.
Maybe put some twinkle lights on the jade tree and add some birdseed ornaments like pine cones with peanut butter covered in seeds? Unless the mess might attract pests! You could grow any ivy on it. Some are evergreen.
It’s sad that your garden did so poorly this year. Keep cutting zinnias to enjoy inside & they’ll bloom until frost.
One thing you could do about the dead things that are too heavy for you to move…take some snips or small clippers & cut away the branches. Cut them into smaller pieces so you can dispose of them more easily. They make ergonomic gardening tools that make it easier to cut things if you have arthritis. It’s just a thought & I hope it helps. You could buy a few pansies & violas, did the soil up a bit & plant those around the stumps. …after it cools down of course in another week or so. Because your courtyard stays so hot they would thrive through the winter. Just keep them deadheaded & watered. I leave mine out even in snow & ice. I just let them thaw naturally then trim off any damaged parts & they come back better than ever. (If you remember, I’m about an hour & a half east of you so our climates are similar)
I lost many plants in August from neglect. I was sick for two weeks & did not water. I’m actually surprised at the ones that have come back. I watered everything, even though it looked dead & many things are reviving. I do think our cool weather may get here Tuesday. I hope it does for you too.
I was also going to suggest clipping away at it with some hand pruning shears. That’s what I usually do to get things down to a reasonable size to dispose of them.
Hi Brenda 🌼🌸🌻
Love your cozy kitchen! Even though small, very cute how it’s decorated! You are so neat & tidy!!! ❤ These days, I don’t like going into the backyard. Too many bugs. My sister takes great care of everything. Mostly cleaning & clearing up dead plants, etc. Tough job. Our Sunflowers 🌻 in just about all colors were gorgeous!! More next year. They do very well in our yard. Great to look at!! We never bring them inside any longer. Icky bugs. Talk to you again soon. Enjoy Sunday & sweet Ivy 😘
Oh yeah, The Farmers’ Almanac. The other day it came up while chatting with a neighbor. He said the same thing about the predicted winter. They aren’t always accurate, and I sure hope it’s not accurate this year after the hot, horribly humid and drought conditions we had here for a second year in a row in SE Wisconsin. It seems that meteorologists aren’t sure yet whether we’ll get the el Nina effect this winter, that could determine where the Jet Stream flows and whether we get stuck in the breath-stealing cold of Polar Vortexes. If you have a small electric reciprocating saw or small electric chain saw, you could try cutting down the dead ginko tree one branch at a time, same with the prickly rose push. Using electric (or battery operated) tools would go easier on your hands and arms.
Good morning, Brenda. I
The first photo is beautiful. My sedum autumn joy is transitioning for and winter. I do enjoy it. I must have about five pots of them on my patio thanks to you for introducing them to me. Remember next spring if you want I will send you cuttings. The hint of a very cold weather is daunting.
La Niña is cold. Cold girl
El Niño is hot. Hot boy.
I had a few rose bushes by my fence. I chopped on in a few winters until I got it all out. It seemed like the blooms came back more attractive the more I cut it back.
After the long time we were frozen with no electric here in Texas, we had a cooler summer.