The Return of the Pollen Prince

It is now September and even though the day is sunny and warm, temperatures can drop suddenly and without warning at this time of year.

I was privileged to see the Pollen Prince off on yet another dangerous mission collecting valuable gold for his Queen.

Notice, on his head, the glowing yellow Crown of Allegiance demonstrating to all, his hard work and determination.

I dared not disturb him, for should it suddenly turn cold his wings would not be able to carry him home and he would remain stranded, far from safety, left to die a slow and agonizing death.

Safe journey home Brave Prince!

Give a Weed a Chance

This is the time of year when weeds get away with... I was going to say murder but maybe that's a little dramatic. They get away with growing.

The weed: a gardener's enemy. They take the place of our most prized plantings, sucking the nutrients from the soil, making us look lazy and uncommitted.

In the habit of pulling out weeds before they have a chance to get established, I am always surprised to find out that: they were even there at all, they can grow quite tall and they have flowers.

Given the chance to bloom, those flowers can sometimes be surprisingly beautiful.

When your other plants have given up, stopped flowering and dropped their leaves, the weed can provide you with something to marvel at.

Give a weed a chance and it will prove it deserves a place in your garden, your September garden.

The Circle of Life in Pink

Pink... beautiful, feminine, eye candy.

Bubblegum, flamingos, lipstick, cotton candy.

You're blushing!

This wonderful bouquet of wild roses has it all:

* the young bud pushing up through the center, dark, vivid, intense, full of promise.

* three flowers in full bloom, each a work of art, open, on display, proud.

* one whose time has passed, folded, diminishing, faded beauty.

The family unit, a circle of renewal, beauty in each stage!

Bad Hair Day?

Bad hair day or bold fashion statement? Maybe a rebellious teen just trying to be different...

I can't help seeing faces in my sunflowers!

The ones I plant grow up to 12 feet tall and sometimes I feel like a child standing in a crowd of adults.

Their flower heads can span 10 inches in diameter and when they grow to full-size, those heavy heads will droop, looking down at me like a doting parent.

They have bad hair days and make funny faces, but in general have a very sunny disposition.

I love my sunflower family.

Ruby-Red and Ripe

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins." - Laurie Colwin

There's the July tomato and even better, the August tomato, growing on the vine in the hot sweltering sun.

Hmmm, the September tomato...

It doesn't sound particularly appetizing, but there it is ruby-red and ripe, defying the season.

September's Bounty

You would think September is the time to close up the garden, instead there is still plenty going on.

Right now the Concord grapes are just about ready to be picked, that's if we get to them before the birds and raccoons do.

A lot of people don't like these grapes because they find them too sour. You should try my little cheat taste: pop a grape in your mouth and press with your tongue just enough to let the juice out, DO NOT chew the skin or the grape's green center.

Enjoy the wonderful, sweet grapey-taste and just spit the rest out.