Simply Balisha

Simply Balisha

Monday, November 10, 2014

The End of the Gardening Season....It Was a Great Year

Late afternoon in the woods. Today was nice and in the 60's. Probably one of the last nice days of fall. I decided that it was time to spread my wildflower seeds in the woods. I took a few pictures as I moved across the woods border.  As I neared the far west end a longish black animal scurried from a hole across the back of the woods. I didn't get a good look at him, but I know that I have never seen him before. 

 My obelisk that has never had a vine crawl on it. It just doesn't seem like vine type plants like this material to climb on. So, there it sits just for show. Now it is a resting place for a barbed wire wreath. The woods was full of barbed wire at one time. I rolled it up and made a few wreaths. 
 Here is St. Fiacre. His spot was the place for Black Eyed Susans this summer. A nice bit of color along with the blue of Nepeta.
 A last little flower. Does it know what is coming? 
 Finally some red....I planted this Korean Spice Viburnum a few years ago and it has had to fight for a front row spot...squeezed in between a lilac and a young mulberry. You hardly could see it this summer....but now it stands alone...brilliant.
 One of the bluebird houses with Honeysuckle climbing up. The bluebirds gave these houses a try, but they didn't like them so the houses have been occupied with wrens, finches, sparrows etc. Who ever gets there first.
 The goldfinch birdhouse had a family move in the day I put it up. Such a bright color....I would think that they might be more cautious. 
 My favorite Saint...Francis. He lived a simple life after leaving the trappings of wealth. I hope he's happy in my simple woods.
Lastly a little plaque from my mother in law. She had one in her garden and brought me one years ago. I love the verse. 
Well, that's it for the woods. Winter can come and lay a fresh blanket of snow on all the seeds that I planted. The stranger to the woods will burrow in his underground home, the bird houses will be left up for refuge from the storms, and the Saints will endure. The gardening is over for the year....it was a great year in my garden.

Balisha

15 comments:

  1. I am so curious what your longish black animal could be. I hope it isn't a long skunk. We had our last warm day for a while here, too. The sun was warm but the wind was wild and felt cold to me even though it was out of the south. Couldn't set anything down or it blew away. I find it so aggravating to work outside when it is windy. Earache weather for me, so I wrapped a scarf around my head and neck. My eyes were watering and are chapped now from that wind. I think I got almost everything done out there today until spring comes.

    Your woods look beautiful to me, and I love that bright yellow goldfinch birdhouse.

    The Saints will endure as the garden views around them continue to change.

    I hope you will let us know whenever you figure out the mystery of the "longish black animal".

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    1. I don't know what the animal was. Joe thought a weasel, but I checked and they are usually brown. I am thinking that it came out of the brush pile...and not a hole in the ground and might have been a feral cat that visits back there. I saw it once slinking around...it's very skinny....could have been that.
      I don't like to work in windy conditions either....especially in the woods where the branches fall often.
      Thanks for commenting.

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  2. Kind of sad, isn't it? Yet--you took such good care and have put your beauties to bed. They will rest beneath a nice warm blanket of snow and come spring--they will bring new life again. A think called Hope is how I view my garden. The one thing to keep me going when my life gets dark and drear--Hope.

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  3. so pretty i wonder why birds move into birdhouses in the winter i have house sparrows fighting over mine i thought they used them just to nest in spring...

    jane with bad hand

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    1. I don't think that they do that much. I have seen them hiding out in very stormy conditions. How's your hand doing? Hope you are on the mend. Not fun having two surgeries so close together. Take care and rest a bit....

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  4. NO cold weather headed our way. A few cloudy days..probably coming from the storms from Alaska area. It's been on the news. AND I probably have that all wrong. I just know COLD is headed your way. Us? We will hit 80 this weekend coming up!
    Lots of mum's still blooming here and other flowering plants still budding out. The leaves on the pear tree have not even turned yellow yet. The other tree's are slowly losing their leaves. We did get to sit out on the front porch this morning all wrapped in afghans..the temp being about 58 degree's. Your little flower probably knows you will be back to care for them again next Spring. Flowers know those things. :)

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  5. Dear Balisha..I came back tonight and read every word of "A Christmas Memory" and with the strains of "Nearer My God To Thee" floating in from where Howard was listening to a concert..didn't help me hold back the tears. It seemed to make the last words of the story hit me even harder than the first time. The song seemed so fitting. I reached down and scratched Mele's little head which is always beneath my chair while I sit here at my desk and tried not to think of the day she wouldn't be there. She is ten now..and I dread it, but I don't want to leave her either.
    This blog seemed the perfect place to read that story from so long ago. I had the book once..and perhaps it's still here somewhere...or loaned out years ago and never returned. Reading the book again, here, was so much better because it was printed out with love..I had forgotten over the years how very sad the story was. A lovely gift to us bloggers. Thank you so much for taking the time, Balisha. Truman...I wonder what drove him in later years. I must say, he lived his life with enthusiasm and left us a legacy. He will always be a favorite author.

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    1. I'm glad that you took the time to read it again. it is a touching story. I felt so bad for the two of them....Buddy and Sook. They were pretty much on their own. I'm glad that they had each other. Imagine how Sook felt when they sent Buddy away to school. I always loved Truman Capote....he was such a brilliant man...writing so many different types of stories.
      Don't even think about the day that your little pup won't be here. Enjoy her little being as long as you can. She is just precious.

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  6. I think it is a blessing that your gardens go to sleep during the winter. They are lovely at this time of year too and what delight they will bring you again next year.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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    1. I think that God might be giving gardeners a rest too.

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  7. I have a St. Francis just like yours...one of the last gifts my mama gave to me. I painted him a stone green and he is sitting inside my dining room with a few plants around him.
    I love your photos of your garden, getting all ready for the cold. brrrr..I,myself, and NOT ready for the wintertime...but might as well get ready since it's on it's way.
    Mr. Sweet doesn't like anything sweet for breakfast, either, so he didn't eat the chocolate gravy but I sure did. :)

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    1. I always have to have a little sweet with my meals. A bit of cranberry sauce, a little jam, fruit salad, etc. Joe has never had sweets like this with a meal. I guess his taste buds are different than mine. My mouth just salivates when sweets are on the plate as well as the meal.

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  8. Yes it was...you are a gardener extraordinaire ! :)

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    1. It was a great gardening year. I accomplished much more than I did last year. I guess my garden keeps me going, but now we both need a rest.

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