Ho-Ho He-He from Three Men Went To Mow
Looking for a good laugh or a light-hearted gardening-related respite from responsibilities? Follow this link to 3 Men Went 2 Mow.
Looking for a good laugh or a light-hearted gardening-related respite from responsibilities? Follow this link to 3 Men Went 2 Mow.
Unusual weather remains the topic of conversation in our neck of the woods. We continue to have heavy rains and, after chilly early-month temperatures, we've had a revisit of summer-like heat and humidity. Fall foliage has yet to blast in with its usual color. Salty tropical storm rains from Irene turned many tree leaves brown causing an early leaf drop. Leaves that remained have been slow to turn and, so far, show less brilliant color than Connecticut-living leaf watchers expect.
If I had to choose one annual flower for a Best Of award this year gomphrena would be the hands down winner. Everyone who has entered my rear garden since June, when gomphrena (Gomphrena globosa) began blooming, until now, in October when it is in its glory, has commented on gomphrena's striking, fresh charm.
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene has maximized my time and thoughts for a while now. When potentially damaging weather events are forecast and you live on a country road in rural woods with no major services nearby - closest fresh milk is five miles and nearest gas station is eight miles away - you learn to prepare for multiple days without public utilities. We stored ample fuel to run the generator – lovingly called The Beast - and propane for the gas grill for a few days, drinking water (in case the generator broke and could not run the well pump), non-perishable foods, batteries and flashlights, and any other necessity we could think of. I froze all the peaches I had picked earlier in the week, canned pickles, relishes, and butters, and picked as many veggies and blossoms as possible.
Sometimes colors and interest in the garden are provided by the smallest of creatures. It's easy to miss these tiny wonders of nature unless you take time to really look at the life that occurs in the tight and smaller spaces of a garden that has never been inundated by herbicides and pesticides. The longer my gardens are in place, the more I find these everyday, but spectacular, creatures. For this post, photos speak louder than words.