September is Arriving

This is it! The last week of summer vacation. In a few days it will be September! While fall is still weeks away as soon as we move into the months ending in "ber" it's as good as here. I will be pulling out my sign, "Welcome Fall!" it will be good to see her again.

Critters

If you put in a water garden, if you grow vegetables, if you put in flowering plants, and a host of any one of a number of things you will bring critters into your yard.

It can be as lovely as the monarch butterflies which are stopping here now filling up for their trek south or it can be as creepy as this morning. Garbage cans were being overturned. At first it sounded like someone broke into the house. I got out of bed to see. Nothing.

Then unturned on the light outback. There they were!!! one, two, three raccoons walking along the top of the fence. All I could see was the silhouette of their forms against the white stucco garage.

Speaking of critters, I feed the birds. Just as I am entering this in my iPad, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Within 3 feet of me was Rocket J. Squirrel! I told him to get out of here. He was headed to the bird feeders.

Since the yard has so many day lilies, toads have found refuge here. That is good. They eat bugs. Also Bugs Bunny has shown up. That is not good. He eats garden vegetables. We take the good with the bad. Rocky just returned! Guess I should be thankful that Bullwinkle is not with him!

August Musings

Out back this morning the birds flooded the feeders, butterflies flew around among the morning glory blooms. A frog jumped into the pond when I approached.

One of the birds at a feeder was a Carolina Wren. It is such a beautiful bird with a beautiful song.

The bounty from the garden continues to come in. Last night my grandson Tristan and enjoyed rhubarb, a cucumber and some greens.

August is a wonderful month.

Summer's Winddown

There is a vast difference between the first week in July and the first week of August. Not only in the garden but also in life. July, the whole summer is ahead of you. August, the days begin to shorten more noticabley, college students are packing, the temperatures begin to moderate. While in the garden it is a month of produce and harvest, the signs of fall's arrival begin to show up.

It can be a time of newness. Scoping out transplants, preparing a new bed, and having some time to sit back and enjoy your labor of love.

The garden, like life, is often what we make it.