Monday, September 24, 2012

Yes, I suppose it really is autumn…


No longer will I be correcting people when they say “summer is over” because indeed the calendar now agrees with them and it is autumn. Of course you know that just means that I’m going to start praying for a long Indian summer!

While I am never ready for my favorite season to come to an end I can look back on summer 2012 with a degree of satisfaction…it was a good one by any measure. Even though the tomato plants looked hideous we still enjoyed lots of tasty fruit, plus there were basil-centric meals every week: bread salad, pesto chicken, tomato/mozzarella salads…

The patio was used semi-nightly for dining and lots of drinks with friends.

I spent lots of time here…

With all the sunshine and heat (plus plenty of water) the newly planted area in the back garden has filled in very well; it no longer feels like a bare spot.

There were nursery adventures, garden tours, garden parties and even a summer-time bee-sting (our poor dog Lila). Here in Portland we had our hottest day in the last 3 years and have enjoyed many days in the 90’s.

But best of all…I woke to blue skies so many mornings in a row that it almost got monotonous…

Almost.

Welcome autumn, you treat me right and we can be friends.

26 comments:

  1. Can I come hang out on your patio? It looks so inviting :-).

    It's still summer here with temps in the low 90s. I can't wait for cool fall weather. I have lots of stuff to get done but I can't tolerate working in the heat.

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    1. Yes, I hope you will! But maybe wait until summer rolls around again?

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  2. Yeah. Bummer. The new area where you took out the rhodie is looking really good. That Canna flower matches your hanging planter perfectly! My tomatoes are just starting to ripen, and my basil is nowhere near as beautiful and lush as yours. Still I get enough to make a Caprese salad every so often, which is one of my favorite summer salads.

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    1. I've been lucky with my tomatoes and basil...heaven!

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  3. It was a splendid run! and it is going to continue! I just know it! I was out in the garden this morning and it was warm! The only noticeable change today was the morning dew on the grass. It meant that my bare feet got a little extra dirty, thats all. I agree with your usage on autumn. Fall is the "f" word that incites the death and decay of everything. Autumn evokes the sense of harvest and thereby a kind of continuation of summer - a celebration of the bounty of summer if you will.

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    1. Glad you noticed that...autumn just seems so much more upbeat, I'm going with it all the way.

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  4. The end of summer is hard for me, and with the latest cooling trend, I'm really feeling like it's over. I have cool weather projects and planting to get on with, but this summer was so glorious I'm still not willing to let it go. I really need to acknowledge my gratitude for the season, so thanks for saying so well.

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    1. Oh Jane, you know I've held on to the bitter end...it's always so hard for me to let go!

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  5. Sounds like you had a great summer and I am quite envious, grrr! Ha, ha!

    Autumn started here about 3 weeks ago and the weather today is pretty horrible with heavy rain and strong winds.

    The weekend wasn't too bad though as it was very sunny and dry. Cold overnight though and we have had a couple of light air frosts and I can see some of the plants' leaves have been blackened.

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    1. Frosts! Oh my, I am so sorry! That is an "F" word even worse than "fall"...

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  6. what a beautifull garden you have !!!

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  7. I don't really want to look back on this summer, so I'll instead enjoy wearing long pants again, socks, and being able to put on a comfy sweatshirt if needed. Ahhhhh.

    (Bamboo in almost every photo today!)

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    1. When taking that bamboo and sky picture I did think of you!

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  8. It's really funny how the past few weeks it's changing so noticeably...especially with the days growing shorter. At least we don't have to worry about frost for another month or so...hopefully we'll have lots of days like this past weekend, sunny buy cooler...although that little sprinkle the other day was sure nice ;-)

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    1. Oh let's hope the first frost is more than a month away!

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  9. Yes fall is here in Kansas also. Winfield hosted the Kansas Native Plant Society Wildflower Weekend and even though the areas we went on where effected by our drought many plants were in full form for ID. Natives were blooming and the ne winds were blowing enough to cool the temps. Diffintely a Indian summer. Oh, I even found native Opuntia's which were in great shape.

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    1. Yay for native Opuntia! I hope you took some pictures?

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  10. Your bamboo looks nice! I know I know....summer may be over but Tucson hasn't figured that out yet.....we still have 100 degree days! Yuck!

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    1. I so wish I were going to the Garden Writers Assoc meeting in Tucson this fall!

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  11. Your garden always looks so damned good! I sort of let the garden go at the end of August so now it's pretty jungly out there. In a way, I look forward to the clean up that magically happens in the winter - the garden becomes larger and more open again. (You'll probably block me from making comments for that one!)

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    1. Yes but you went back to school/work the end of August...that's a good reason (and I'm ignoring your winter comment)

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  12. Your success in the space left by the Rhody inspires confidence that losing the glorious hydrangea will not be a disaster. I would never have the courage (or the influence with the digger).

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    1. My "digger" would have taken out every established shrub our first summer in the house if given the green light, he's wanted that Hydrangea gone for years...

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  13. Autumn has definitely arrived indeed, especially here where it is currently very grey and windy and deciduous leaves have started to turn colour. It's nice to have a look back at the end of the growing season, to reflect and all. And your recliner looks so comfortable!

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    1. That recliner, and it's twin, we're my Grandparent's! I have pictures of me as a tiny kid watching the fireworks laying on one in their backyard...different cushions though...

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