This is Thai Basil growing in the garden.  Honestly, I think it's pretty enough to plant in your flowerbed.  The stems and flowers are dark purple, and the leaves are so pretty, and tasty.  When we brush against it, it smells like cinnamon and cloves.  Tastes kinda like that too.  I cut a few stems and put them in a crystal vase in the kitchen.  Then I just snitch a few leaves to go on whatever we are having for supper.

 

Basil grows so easily from seeds, and there are a ton of different varieties.  Try growing some next spring.  It's great!!!

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I was out in the garden yesterday, and heard a big truck coming up the road.  Then I heard a terrible crashing noise, and hurried down to see what all the racket was about.  It was the truck dumping a load of rip rap rocks to go in the washed out ditches.  Yay!!!

 

Thanks to all the folks who work hard to keep our neighborhood in good shape.  

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

 

 

 

 

We are seeing lots of asters in our travels.  Some are purple, and they are pretty.  Most of the ones in our neighborhood are of the white variety.  And aren't they pretty too?  They look like bright stars.  :)

 

I hope you are seeing lots of autumn wildflowers in your travels.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

I have been checking on the Bittersweet, and the berries are still yellow and closed.  I will let you know when they burst open.  This patch is especially beautiful.  I'd give it another week before we see the real berries.

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

 

 

Don't you just love the fall, when every shop big and small offer mums?  These are at The Home Depot in Blairsville.  I love seeing them.  And this is the stage that you want to buy them.  You can see what color they will be, and they aren't all the way bloomed out yet.  So you get about a month to enjoy the blooming.  Perfect!!!

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

 

 

Yep, it's that time of year:  the dogfennel is blooming all over.  It is funny to me that it looks almost exactly the same as when it's not blooming.  The only difference is the tips of the branches are white instead of green.

 

If you look closely, you can see the tiny white flowers, but from a distance it just looks like the tips have been baby powdered.  

 

Anyway, I hope you notice it in your travels.  It's growing right alongside the fairy weed and goldenrod.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Please, if anyone knows how this tree can survive, tell me.  I know a little about trees, and I can think like a plant sometimes, but for the life of me, I can't see how this tree can survive like this.  But it does.

 

Half of its roots are in the ground and the other half is completely exposed to the air;  and when the river is high, it's flooded.

 

But as you can see, it has leaves and seems to be thriving in its environment.  What a cool tree, we love it.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Jon suggested that I show you the whole web, because it was awesome.

 

Linda, this is the same one I blew up for that beautiful close up.

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

A few days ago on our morning walk we noticed lots and lots of spider webs sparkling with all the moisture in the air.  I must have taken 10 pictures of different webs.  Some housed spiders, some showed off the remains of their breakfast.  

 

When we got home, this one was across the path to our house.  It was about 4 feet in diameter, and that picture was pretty.  But then when I cropped it and enlarged it I saw all these pearls, and the intricate design.

 

I thought you would like to see the close-up.  I love it!!!

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

My friends, Mark and Karen were in the Wild Arcadia Gardens in Bar Harbor, Maine last week and saw this beautiful chrysalis.  Mark was very proud that he knew what it was:  a Monarch chrysalis.  We enlarged the picture a bit;  it's really only about the size of your index fingertip.  But isn't it gorgeous?  Yes, it is.  I call this color "happy green."  And that rim you see near the top, turns gold when it's ready to open and release the butterfly.

 

Thanks Mark, for sending me the picture so that we can all marvel at this beauty.  

 

 

HAPPY FALL TRAVELS!!!