Don't you just love the hickory trees in autumn?  Yellow and green against that Carolina Blue Sky.

 

Me, too!!!

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

 

 

I hope you do something fun for Halloween.  

 

We have very fond memories of Halloween with Momma.  She would dress up like a witch, and open the big garage door.  The garage was decorated with spider webs, and spooky stuff hanging from the ceiling.  Momma used a garden fork for a claw-like hand to give out treats to brave little children.  All the neighborhood kids loved coming to our house for Halloween.  Til one year, she got egged.  That ended that.  

 

Momma was a costume designer in the theater for many years.  So, of course, I have some fabulous costumes:  a huge fabric pumpkin filled with ghost poop (styrofoam peanuts), one of Santa's elves, a witch's cape, a Princess dress complete with a jewel laden crown, butterfly wings and butterfly net, bumblebee wings, and of course the infamous ladybug ensemble.

 

We went to a party once as a giant butterfly and a Lepidopterist.  That was fun, but the space was small and my wings were huge, so I was banished to the outside.

 

Then, we were in JoAnn Fabrics around Halloween a few years ago, and they had all the Halloween costumes on sale 70% off.  So I got a ladybug outfit, probably a child's thing, cause it is a red tutu with black spots and bows.  We painted a cardboard sandwich sign for Jon to look like a bug zapper.  We tickle ourselves.

 

Anyway, dressing up like a ladybug was fun, so the next year we painted a black long sleeve shirt of Jon's with bold yellow stripes, and we visited our neighbors as a ladybug and a bumble bee.  I thought you might like to see that one.

 

Trick or treating in a mostly adult neighborhood is always interesting.  One of our treats was a bottle of champagne left from New Year's Eve.  Hahaha!!!

 

That's it for my rambling.  Maybe we will dress up and go trick or treating.  Wish me luck.

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is changing every day.  Last week we saw very little fall color, and this week it is exploding!!!

 

Gorgeous color around every bend.  I hope you are enjoying your fall as much as we are here in the mountains.

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

I got my garlic planted.  

 

I ordered a pound of garlic from Territorial Seeds back in July.  They always sell out, so you have to do it early.  Anyway, they arrived, and I planted the cloves.

 

It is really an easy process.  You divide the garlic bulbs into cloves, and stick them in the ground pointy end up, about 3 inches deep, and 3-4 inches apart.  Cover with a thick layer of mulch, and wait until spring for them to sprout.  Until then, they are developing a root system to sustain them over the winter.  In the spring, they will push up through the mulch, and grow until June or July.  

 

Last year I planted 60 cloves, and I harvested 60 bulbs.  You would think that 60 bulbs would be enough for a year, but we always end up buying garlic in about March and April.  SO, this year I planted 88 cloves.  I'll let you know when they start to grow.  

 

If you want to try growing your own garlic, NOW is the time to plant it, between now and Thanksgiving.  Just buy organic garlic from the grocery or farmers market, follow the directions above, and wait.  It really doesn't take up much space in the garden; you can even put it in your flower beds.  It's that pretty when it grows.  Plant some with your daffodils.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

These are our trees, and it's almost November!!!

 

I just read a bit of Folklore in the Farmers Almanac.  Here's one thing it says about October:

 

When leaves fall EARLY, Winter will be mild...When leaves fall LATE, Winter will be severe.

 

There are lots of other sayings there too, check it out.  https://www.farmersalmanac.com/october-weather-lore 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

I looked out in the yard, and who did I see guarding the bird feeders?  Guess!!!  

 

It is our not-too-subtle cat, Gizmo.  I'm not sure what he's waiting for, or expecting to happen, but he spent the good part of an hour watching the birds come and go.

 

He's our buddy.  

 

HAPPY BIRDING!!!

 

I was starting to run out of ideas for the blog, so I thought about taking a little break.  Then we went for a walk in Meeks Park, and I looked up.

 

The trees are starting to change color, and our world looks beautiful!!!  So get ready for FALL pix.  

 

HAPPY  FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

Coming up from the mailbox the other day, I noticed that the Hickory tree in the meadow is starting to change.  

 

So in the next week or two we will see it go from green to gold.  I'll keep you updated.

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

I went over to get some tomatillos from Patty's garden, and I saw her beautiful mums in bloom.

 

This variety isn't like the annual garden mums we get from the garden center.  It is still a Chrysanthemum, but it is perennial.  She planted a small patch years ago, and it has spread to cover most of her front garden bed.  Apparently, they have the added value of being distasteful to deer.  Good reason to plant some.

 

They are so pretty!!!  It's worth the walk or drive to go see them.  All the way at the end of Five Forks Drive.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Can you believe that Nancy's Hydrangeas are blooming again!!!

 

I am so glad.  I love seeing them on our walks.  They make me smile every time.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!