This is Virginia Creeper climbing my trees.  It is mid-September and it is bright red.  In the summer it looks a lot like poison ivy, but in the fall it is red and poison ivy is kinda yellow.  They both are climbers, but I can still tell the difference at 45 mph.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I thought you might like to see what the Clematis does after those beautiful flowers fade.  These are the seed pods.  See the one at the top?  That fuzzy bit at the base of the swirl is the way the seed travels by wind.  Kinda like dandelions.  Cool, huh?

 

Next time I get the chance, I will get a picture of the native Clematis;  its seed pods look the same:  fluffy.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

After we took out the sweet potatoes, I fluffed up the soil, and sowed arugula seeds.  Just a couple days later, we have sprouts!!!  And in a couple weeks, we will have arugula.

 

I am so happy to have reclaimed the arugula bed.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look up!!!  Next time you are out for a walk, look up, and you will probably see some wild grapes hanging in the trees.  They are the most beautiful color this time of year.  

 

I'm not sure why the birds don't eat them, but we have seen them still on the vines way into the winter.  Maybe the birds save them for emergency food.  They are a little sour, but not too bad.  

 

I hope you get to see some in your travels around the mountain.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

That, my friends, is an heirloom tomato.  I planted Pink Brandywine seeds last March, and this is the reward for our efforts.  There have been quite a few of these, but I think this is the biggest one.  

 

Just wanted to brag a little.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This is what I found under all those sweet potato vines.  A little disappointing, seeing how I gave up my arugula bed to grow sweet potatoes.  But it was a test, so I guess I have to be OK with the results.  The deer certainly enjoyed all those sweet potato vines we put on the trash pile for them.  They ate all the leaves, and left the vines on the pile.

 

Happily, we have reclaimed the arugula bed for arugula.  We should be harvesting arugula leaves in a few weeks.  And that will last us until November.  Lesson learned.  I'm going back to the arugula:  it's a sure thing.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

Here is another weed that grows all over our neighborhood.  It is also in the genus Eupatorium.  Now this one looks a lot like Joe-Pye weed to me.  It is about 4 - 5 feet tall, and branches near the top like Joe-Pye weed.  Its flowers are more widely spaced, but the structure is similar.  Its name is Eupatorium altissimum, or Tall Boneset.  This identification came from Seek.

 

Wikipedia tells me that it is sometimes confused with Brickellia eupatorioides, or False Boneset because they both grow on limestone soils.  To confuse us further, E. altissimum has opposite leaves with 3 prominent veins, and B. eupatoioides has alternate leaves with 1 prominent vein.  I understand the language, but I have to go back to the plant to identify it.  

 

It must be Friday the 13th.  Oh, well, I will get in more steps.  OK, I checked, and it has opposite leaves and 3 prominent veins:  so, it must be Eupatorium altissimum.   FYI:  I got 700 more steps.  ;)

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

I know you have seen this weed all along the hillsides, in meadows, and roadways.  It grows about 5 - 6 feet tall, and looks very feathery.  This patch is not blooming, but it does bloom.  Also very feathery-looking.

 

It is Dog fennel, also called yankeeweed.  I just thought you might like to know what to call it.  Now here is the interesting thing (to me.)  Its Latin name is Eupatorium capillifolium.  Eupatorium is the genus name for Joe-Pye weed, Eupatorium purpureaum.   This means they are botanically related.  Personally, I don't see the connection, but somebody who understands taxonomy (a lot) better than I do named it.  

 

So that's our fun weed identification for today.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Our friends up on the ridge sent us this picture of a black bear in their yard!!!   This is the third sighting in the last month from the same area.  Look how close he is to the road.   This is the same road we walk when we walk the loop.  One other time he was in Tom's driveway at 1 pm!!!  I guess it was the same bear.  

 

I am not an expert on black bear behavior;  I thought they were crepuscular, but this was at 5:30 in the afternoon, nowhere near dusk or dawn.  I thought it was unusual at first, but he keeps coming back.

 

I do know this though:  FOOD is their main objective, and bird seed is a favorite, especially in nice neighborhoods like ours.  We are all so kind to feed the birds, but now may be a good time to abstain from bird feeding.  The birds have plenty of natural food in the fall:  seeds, berries, etc.  But if you must feed the birds, be sure to bring in the feeders at night.  You definitely don't want him up on your deck, or destroying your bird feeders.

 

Maybe if Mr. Bear can't find any food here, he will move on.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

I think these may be my favorite mums.  They remind of the great big red rovers.  I just love all this autumn color!!!

 

I wish these were perennial mums, but the perennial ones are soft purple.  I like them too, and they come back every year, but I really LOVE these.  They just scream happiness.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!