Getting Through October

I plan to get up early tomorrow and spend the day cleaning the garden and getting rid of the dead stuff. I will feel better if I don't have to look at the brittle corpses of plants that once were healthy and full of blooms. We have had no rain since the bit we got two weeks ago, and the weatherman is saying the current drought will extend at least until November.

We just need to get through October. Many leaves are shriveling on the trees and shrubs, then falling in gray heaps. The grass is crispy tan. But I am fortunate to have a lot of evergreens that adapt to whatever the climate delivers; so at a glance the garden doesn't look too bad.

This is a view overlooking the woodland garden. The 'Saybrook Gold' junipers have proved durable through all seasons.

A little farther up the drive from the 'Saybrook Gold' junipers is my beloved 'Feelin' Blue' Deodar Cedar. Behind it is a Trident Maple, a Forsythia, and a huge Southern Magnolia.

This Anise 'Florida Sunshine' has prospered in the woodland garden with minimal care. The leaves have a wonderful fragrance.

Mahonia 'Soft Caress' is another woodland garden plant that has done well though our drought. It took a couple of years to become established and needed babying at first, but now it has begun to thrive.

Here are a few additional shots I took as I walked around this afternoon:My Fuyu Persimmon tree is still growing in a pot, though I plan to transplant it someday. The fruit is almost ready to pick.

Our sweet bell peppers did poorly through the summer, and I was getting ready to pull them up when I noticed new growth in September. I began a fresh regimen of watering and fertilizing with fish emulsion, and look at them now! One of them is turning red. For maximum flavor I like to leave them on the vine until they have fully ripened.

Assorted ornamental kale adds a pretty accent to the fall vegetable garden. It's edible but not particularly tasty.

Look close. Do you see the ants? I did not see them until I enlarged the photo on my computer. Now I need to see if this Asclepias has aphids!

These common asters are blooming despite almost total neglect. A pure golden green sweat bee ( Augochlora pura) appreciates the nectar.

Something to Smile About

Can you guess what this is?It is an unusual sight, though I still remember when it was common. (Was it only 2 months ago when I was bragging about how much we had of it?!) It happened a week ago, I think the second time in six weeks:Rain! Seven days ago we had enough to wet the surface of the ground, but none since, and none in the forecast for the next 10 days. With the extended warm weather, our lawn usually would be green. But this photo taken during the rain shows a fading garden. The rain did not perk it up a bit:

At least we did get some rain. I know people only a few miles away who got none at all. We do the best we can. The watering can has become an important fixture in the garden.

I found this little guy hunkering in the bottom of my favorite watering can one morning when I went to fill it. I let him be and instead chose another watering can.This is not the same tree frog who lives in the the rain barrel in the woodland garden. That is on the other side of the garden, and this frog is smaller. But both are commended for their creative ways of staying moist!

While we are trying to keep shrubs alive, we also keep our birdbaths filled. Wild life is appreciative. Recently I caught a female cardinal enjoying this birdbath.Last week there was a hawk in the same birdbath. Something keeps knocking the ceramic top off of it. I suspect it is the hawk; I am afraid he will break it. I wish he would use one of our heavier concrete birdbaths! Of course, it could be a raccoon. Those critters often come through at night and wreak havoc.

Though still very dry, our temperatures have cooled considerably. 50's at night! 70s to 80s during the day! Almost perfect. Something to smile about.