Birthday Weekend

I woke up late this morning after being sick last night. Came home feeling normal and then suddenly felt horrible. Thought I was coming down with the flu from contact with 2 sick students at work on Friday. Chills, dizziness, the shakes, nausea, and covered in a comforter when my daughter was in air conditioning. Flu can kill especially those who already have compromised systems so if I didn't feel better this morning I was going to the hospital to get tested to see if it was the flu and get the antiviral given to lessen the symptoms. This morning amazing I felt so much better. Twenty four hour virus? I guess so. What ever it was, I don't want it again. The hazards of being a school nurse. Parents don't keep sick children at home. They send them to school and they infect others including the nurse. I have to go get a flu shot soon.

The last 2 Saturdays I was up by six and out the door by 7:00. Not this morning. Tomorrow is my birthday and I have some shopping planned and a family dinner if I feel up to it. If not, we can  celebrate next weekend. The nursery calls to me to see if pansies have arrived. I guess they're late because of all the heat so the growers must be keeping them in a cool controlled environment until our weather is better because it's not feeling like fall. Of course it doesn't it's still officially summer. Autumn doesn't arrive until next Saturday. I'm in search of some shrubs like box woods for the planter in my yard. Maybe it can survive the raccoons because they decimated every plant in the container this season. Sweet potato vine, coleus, vinca,  impatiens, creeping Jenny, and other annuals, like they were never there. Two canna are hanging over the side of the container the only indication that anything was planted there. I guess the bulbs are a source of food. I'll see if any are left when I dig them up.

It's time to start preparing the house for winter. Chimney cleaning before the first fire in the hearth, weatherizing around my door, and trees in the yard and out front need pruning. I said that last year but they have to be done. They're out of control. In search of a new rug for the living room. I like sisal but am worried that it'll get too dirty. I'll decide soon. Still plan to get the trim on the outside of the house painted after the leaves fall because my tree is huge and the leaves and branches will obstruct the painters access to the trim. During the week I stopped at Home Depot and bulbs were out. I bought my share. Hopefully my order from Color Blends will arrive soon. It's time to get planting. This year I don't know if tulips will go in the ground in the yard. Maybe only narcissus that can perennialize (is that a word), and tulips will go in container. I'll decide soon. Have to get out of bed and get dressed and get to the nursery. I'll show you what I get later.

Hot Chocolate Time

The temperature on the porch today. After brutal weather for the last few weeks with heat indexes in the 100's we have some relied. There's been steady rain today but I'll take it.

I wanted something warm after sitting outside on the porch but not coffee. It was delicious.

I changed the ribbon and the wreath looks better. A bright yellow to brighten up Autumn and Winter.

Looking forward to the turning leaves.

September

The first day of September. My month of birth and soon the ending of summer and the beginning of beautiful crisp autumn. It's still summer weather here. We have a break in the extreme temperature but it was humid today and the 90's return soon.Time to get those houseplants before gardening turns indoors. So far 2 have joined my house for the winter. Hopefully permanently.

Changed the wreath that hang spring and summer. It looks sad. I'll have to hang it properly and make a better ribbon. In time. I think I want a yellow ribbon this year. When I woke up this morning my priority was putting fresh sheets on the bed and cleaning dust bunnies from under my bed. The bedroom looks and feels fresher. Didn't realize it was the first day of September until I thought of my pumpkin a gift from mom years ago that I take out every fall. Today was the day. Wonder if pumpkins and gourds have arrived? I'll find out tomorrow but it seems too warm for live pumpkins yet.

I have 5 amaryllis that bloomed during the summer but haven't gone dormant. I have to re read their care to see if I was supposed to stop watering them or just let them continue to get nutrients form the foliage and make the bud for the next bloom before holding water and storing in the cellar till they're ready to bloom again.

Lemon scented.

They're lovely and always welcome in my house.

Couldn't pick just one picture. Peach roses, snapdragons, veronica, and liatris.

Have a beautiful Evening.

Nearing August's End

Out front this morning, with my daughter's help I tired to tied up Montauk daisies so they looked more tidy. I laughed and she wasn't pleased as she pleaded for help. As she held the bush the way I told her to she spotted a praying mantis near where she was holding it. It was huge and long. The largest I've ever seen. Afraid to let go of the bush she said, "it's going to jump on me if I let go." I laughed and told her to let go. It took a while to get the mantis to climb on my garden trowel. It eventually did and I relocated it to the side walk planter. This is why she doesn't help me garden. There were also caterpillars on the bush. There may be no beautiful daisies this fall but there's next year. I pruned everything off and low but will cut it even lower in the fall. Didn't dig it up though I'll  have to prune it several times in the spring to keep it a manageable size.

Two tick weeds planted, and the anemone and aster I bought a couple of weeks ago. They should all return in the spring.

Anemone and tick weed.

Honey suckle and hyacinth bean vine on the trellis. I'd hoped to have some blooms on the hyacinth by now but I have until frost and hopefully it'll give me seeds for next year.

Angelonia didn't seem to mind the heat all summer and has been in constant bloom.

Lantana

Japanese Anemone x hybrid Rosenschale

The pruned Montauk daisy.

Second one. Coreopsis Up Tick cream and red.  I love the yellow blooms.

Daisy Mae Kalimeris Integrifolia Asian Aster.

Waiting for more blooms from balloon flower.

Going to put tulips in that mulched spot in the fall and after they bloom a different shade perennial. The hosta struggles there. I'll remove it and transplant to the yard.

Foxgloves

Hope to locate some rocks so I can build up this area and keep the soil and mulch from leaching out.

Hibiscus is such a show off. Just make sure to give it lots of water. It's a thirsty plant in full sun.

Torenia have started to bloom again. They stopped for a while in the heat. New Guinea Impatiens haven't bloomed in a while. It must be too hot for them.

There's room for one more. Come sit a while and let's have a glass of iced tea although you may want a water ice. I've been digging in the plants out front and it's hot. So I'm on the porch recuperating.

Window box in the shade.

My ivy leaf pelargonium seedlings never bloomed. If I take them indoors this fall maybe they will. But I may not take them indoors.

These pelargoniums haven't bloomed again since the first blooms. Maybe it's the heat. Hope you're enjoying your day. Happy Gardening.