"The thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of. The mite which November contributes becomes equal in value to the bounty of July."
- Henry David Thoreau
After the rain yesterday, some welcome weak sunshine and weirdly warm temps all day. Mr. F and I cleaned up the whole backyard, raking up the leaves and putting the garden beds to sleep for the winter(cut down, finally...the dead flower stalks and added a layer of mulched leaves) where the only thing still alive is a huge bunch of artemesia.
Amazingly, on the opposite side of the backyard, I still have some impatiens blooming under a pine tree. In the summer they thrive there because of the cool shade, but I didn't think they would still be alive on November 15! Tougher than they look. Like some people I know. Never underestimate just how sturdy a delicate-looking, beautiful flower can be.
Of course, Jewel had to stand guard during the whole clean-up process with an eye out for any wayward squirrels.
10 comments:
sounds like a nice relaxing weekend. sort of like house cleaning but instead yard cleaning for the winter. things are pretty dead and brown here. it is an ugly time of year for Michigan.
Hi Doreen,
It's slightly milder here, so there are still a few living things and some color, believe it or not, on some trees. The dead and brown thing in winter(the brown grass..ugh!) is what I hate and am sick of by March....
Jewel has the most beautiful eyes. They are forecasting frost for No.Califoria tonight. I know that I should be going outside and deciding which plants that I need to bring in or cover up but it is soooooooo cold. brrrrr
Hi Tina!
Sorry I have not been around much lately, things have been blah and I just want hubby home! That should be nice to have some family there for Thanksgiving. I will be all alone this Thanksgiving, but thankful hubby will be home shortly there after.
It was 63 here yesterday. We walked for over an hour. Sooooo nice.
Jewel is such a sweet face.
Glad you had a good weekend.
Isn't it just wonderful with a day of yard work? I so enjoy being out in the fresh autumn air. I too have some blooming flowers still, but only the roses now. Even they will slowly go into hibernation soon.
Hope your Mondays will be great as well.;)
xo
Zuzana
We call those here "chatias", and they are everywhere, year-round...well not so much when it rains too much though. So glad they're still coloring your garden! I have purple ones in my front garden these days, and they are very pretty to look at.
our weather (chilly, week of rain, then nearly 70 degrees) brought back some potted marigolds, petunias and begonias that i thought had long since died. nature amazes me. love the photos : )
It sounds like you had a nice day working out in the yard. My husband and I are too lazy to do our own yard work. We have a gardner who trims our bushes in addition to cutting our grass. The trees, we have to trim ourselves.
~Clare,
Thank you, Clare! I melt when I see my dog's eyes--so soft and expressive. I hope your plants survived your first frost out there, too. :-)
~Hello Social Froggie!
It must be difficult, especially around those holidays when everyone else is with family....but, Christmas will be here before you know it.
~Erin,
Oh yeah...there was a run of nice warm weather here, too. November CAN be nice...sometimes(I remember a few years ago, we had snow covering everything two weeks before Thanksgiving, tho)
~Zuzana,
I love that feeling of accomplishment when I do something outdoors in the yard(it seems to last longer than the rep[eating indoor chores--more satisfying). Enjoy your last blooming roses while you can(another delicate appearing flower that really is tough!)
~Claudia,
I think I am pronouncing it wrong, but I like the sound of "chatias" better than impatiens.
~c.k.
I have a petunia plant that is still alive and blooming on my south facing porch, too....~
~JarieLyn,
That does sound nice--someone who comes by to do the yardwork...maybe one day I'll have a gardener/lawn service, too.
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