THE START OF WINDING DOWN THE GARDENS AS SUMMER ENDS

The weather has been gorgeous-sunny and in the 80's and so I began the process of winding down the gardens.

In the East Garden, just some trimming and deadheading. The tithonias that survived the late August storm are thriving and tall-setting a record I believe.

Alas, the butterflies have left except for the white cabbage variety. However, plenty of pollinators are still pretty active.

I pulled the fountain, the peppers and the big tomatoes. Got maybe 14 ripe 'maters in various condition and froze them. The cherry tomatoes are still producing. I cleared off the fencing-if MamaChuck really wants some, she is welcome to them although I haven't seen her for some time. What's left is a rather nice series of blue and pink flowers: lavender, vinca, heliotrope and scaevola. DHS gets back his very first outpost when he became an indoor/outdoor kitty.

The sage, rosemary and oregano were pulled and hung up to dry in the shed.

It's October 1, last year I pulled everything in the raised beds on September 30. The coleus and calla lilies are still vigorous so I'll leave them until frost arrives. It's coming-first flirtation with the 30's is expected late week. In the meantime, the weather is lovely. My feline supervisor was chillin'.

To the North, I could see cirrostratus clouds:

The little forsythia is going to town blooming. His big brothers are doing a bit. Who knows what they do in the Spring?

Out front, the Crabapple branches are weighed down with fruit.

Around back, nice branch patterns on the Shed cast by the late afternoon sun:

 

Glowy yellow tree behind us.

LT grabbing a peanut.

 

DHS, still feeling like an unfulfilled predator, complains that he'd wished Jeff hadn't mowed the grass thus depriving him of the extra cover as he waits for a victim.

I've noticed the Buns have been active nearly every evening as it gets later. One of this year's cohort was prairie dogging, heeding the predator notice posted at the Diner.