Frost on the Pumpkin?

I love the fall! The brightly colored leaves, the cool crisp days, and the chilly nights when a jacket is welcomed are just a few of my favorite things.

The trees this year are as lovely as I can ever remember seeing. It seems as though each day brings a surprise of color.

Even my poor neglected garden had a surprise for me this past week.

This flower is from the freebie bulbs that came with an on line order for plants this spring. I think they were tagged 'exotic bulbs' only. I have watched them grow all summer and when they hadn't bloomed by August, I figured they wouldn't do anything until next spring. Does anyone know what it is?

The skies were gray all day with heavy dark clouds and I swear they look like they are filled with snow. Tonight we are expecting our first frost. A chilly 26 F is forecast. Brrrr!

In anticipation of that frost, I gathered all the house plants and brought them inside on Sunday. Actually I had help. They all grown so much this summer. So much so that I am not sure where to put them all yet. So here they sit in the middle foyer. That bargain fern certainly looks bigger in here than it did outside.

And with the coming frost, the valiant morning glory will be no more. Still blooming after almost 3 months, I will miss her bright cheery blooms. She has won me over completely!

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Speaking of 3 months- the 'Rash' is still with me. I have seen the dermatologist more the past weeks than I have seen my husband. Well not really, but it seems so to me. After going off the Prednisone, it came back with a vengeance. So more Prednisone at a higher dose and 4 more biopsies later, we are still no closer to an answer. So I am being sent to a specialist in Springfield as soon as they can get an appointment for me. I want to thank all of you again, for all your concern and well wishes. This blogging community has been a wonderful support, and you are all such dears!

Have a great Halloween!

Pity Party and Bad Connections!

My dry spell between postings is partially self imposed and partially due to trouble with my Internet connection. I have been down for a while now with some family issues that I can't seem to resolve. I know that it will all work out eventually and have just been having a pity party for myself. Since Thursday last week, my Internet connection has been sporadic at best. Finally, I have been promised a visit from the technician tomorrow and I hope that will help.

The roof is progressing, even though rain and a holiday have caused some delay. There have been some pluses along the way. One is having our lightening rods taken down to facilitate the removal of the shingles. There are 3 of them and they were attached to the roof with copper cable run through the bottoms and down each side of the house. I have always liked the look of them on the roof and maybe they did protect us as we have never had lightning strike the house.
The glass ball sits on a pointed copper piece and that sits in a metal frame that is attached to the roof. The bottom of the cooper tube was then connected to copper cable.

Once down, I decided to use them in the gardens rather than put them back up.


The 2 with the glass balls still intact will be used as obelisks and will have clematis growing up them. The one without the ball I'm not sure about where it will end up. I do know they will all stay in the garden as part of the history that goes with the house.

The painted daisy is in full bloom and I am really enjoying the bright color.

These dark centered cloverleafs are a bulb of unknown name that came as a bonus with an order for plants earlier this spring. They were simply named 'exotic bulbs'. So I am watching them with anticipation.

The 'sum and substance' hosta that I received as a birthday gift from Rose a couple of years ago, is really starting to live up to it's name. We had seen one of these at a garden in the Chicago area and both fell in love with the huge leaves.

I have trimmed my lilacs-the taller one a lot. I know the 1/3 rule, but decided if I had to do without blooms next year, so be it. It was just getting away from me and the blooms were almost too high to enjoy this year.

I have embraced weeding about as much as I can stand and am going to mulch heavily to keep them at bay. Of course that will have to wait until the roof is done. As will the container planting. So still much to do in the gardens, but with things on hold for a few days yet, I will just enjoy what is there. Don't forget to enjoy your gardens in this busy season.