Jaci Dawn

Ah – I love Autumn. We had a beautiful weekend (yet again) and I busted my chops trying to get the yard ready for winter. Gotta get those flower beds edged one last time, dig up all the irises and pull the grass roots out of them – and divide the over-grown clumps, and catch up on the last minute pruning that should have been done back in June (oh well, who needs lilacs blooming in the Spting? Apparently, not me). Don got out the lawn mower and attacked the grass that has rejuvenated since the last few rain storms (gosh, it grows FAST: from virtually dead to a foot tall in just a couple weeks’ time!).

But all was not obsessive work. We filled the two garden compost bins and called it a day by 1:30PM. I broke out the camera and snapped a few of the yard.

There’s this crazy aster growing in the crack of the sidewalk. I dug it up and moved it three years ago, but there was just enough root left under the sidewalk that it has pushed its way back into the corner here. I don’t mind if it doesn’t mind: it’s my favorite aster.

My crazy grapevine! It still is growing out. I had to turn in back on itself at the far end. Not much for grapes this year (they’re still ripening). I have to keep the clothesline folded or the grape will take over that, too. Next year, I will plan a different path for the grape to grow. I have all winter to come up with a plan…

The black-cap also grew like a plant possessed. This was the second year in this location and it apparently loves the new venue. I’ve already cut out the dead canes. The thing is challenging the Oregon Grape for space.

Speaking of Oregon Grape – these were a colossal mistake. I didn’t even know there was a variety of Oregon Grape that grew ten feet tall. I thought of all Oregon Grape as a small bush. A ground cover. Not this stuff – and I have four plants. Er, tall bushes. I have come to hate it.

I will hack it down to the ground before winter – all four plants. No worries, I won’t kill it. I don’t think you can kill it.

Definitely one of my greatest garden fails.

I planted bird’s nest gourds last spring. They didn’t like the location, I guess. This was the biggest one I could find – most of the others have just rotted off (or were eaten).

No sooner had I snapped the prior photo than I looked up – AHA! There’s a six-inch long gourd hiding up there. Now I am happy. It’s only one, but – hey. It’s one.

We had a young man stay with us a couple months ago, and he cleared out the blackberry/ivy/holly/nightshade mess. It’s weird to be able to see the ground where that mess once stood.

It’s also a little embarrassing to see my first attempts at dog-proofing the fence from Harvey. I guess you can make out the white wire fence that is sort of haphazardly placed along the neighbor’s high privacy fence. We couldn’t see under the hazelnut before, so it didn’t matter that it was haphazard. Now that we can see under the tree… well, I guess I have all winter to come up with a better fence plan. This works, it’s just… shrug.

Keeping with a theme here – since I took a photo of an early Harvey blockade, I thought I’d take a photo of a much later (and more effective) Harvey blockade. Besides, I like my insulator collection. And that rock.

I have to get the garden winterized and then I’ll return to posting memories. It’s an obsessive thing with me (gardening).