Summer Slowly Fading

The fresh greens and bright colors of summer are slowly fading, giving way to leaves of bright yellow, orange, and red. It's this time of year that I seem to put forth one last effort to fully appreciate the gifts nature provides and to enjoy my garden. Although the hollyhock has been trimmed, the red geraniums still provide cheer. And mom's rusty cut-out of children will serve as a reminder that the garden will bloom again in the spring.

How I've enjoyed these purple daisies this year. They come in several colors: chocolate brown, bright green, and orange, but I love the purples and lavenders best. Thanks to our local FFA group for starting them in the school greenhouse so community members could enjoy them later in their gardens!

Grape tomatoes! They've been abundant and sweet this year. It's been a race to see which plant produces more; the grape tomatoes or the yellow pear tomatoes. The yellow pear wins, hands down! Aren't they pretty?

An enamel teapot serves as a planter, awaiting spring and a colorful annual plant. Mom's heart stepping-stones each have a message she etched into the wet cement when she made them. Words like "secret garden", "friendship garden", and "you're loved" remind me of her and how she loved her garden too. Mom's goal was to have something in bloom each and every month of the year; something she generally achieved, even in the snowy months. My own gardening skills are much more random than that. I'm just glad for blossoms for nine months of the year!

Kitten Bucky Bo-Jangles is very interested in the amaranth swag that I brought home from Karleen's house. I really enjoyed it's draping qualities. I think Bucky does too!