May Summer Live On In Your Heart

taken:
day ninety three
09.21.2013

Well here it is, the last official day of summer. As always, it went by fast! 

On this, the last day of summer, my boys and I went for a visit to my parents house. No visit is complete without a walk through their yard and a peek at my mom's flowers. The last couple of years my mom has grown the most amazingly beautiful zinnias. They are GORGEOUS! They are tall, bright and perfection. I love them and am filled with envy since my zinnias never look that awesome. I'll keep trying though!

I'm sad to see summer go, but with vibrant memories of zinnias, cosmos, marigolds and sunflowers I can enter autumn feeling fulfilled with happiness and smiling because it happened. :)

For those of you who are summer lovers like me, may summer live on in your heart all year long, warming you on the dreary and cold days ahead!

Flourishing

taken:
day ninety two
09.20.2013

These pink and white splashed geraniums, that are growing in a flowerpot on my front porch, are still flourishing. They're in full summer mode now but it won't be long, the season of tender annuals is almost over. Perhaps not all has to be lost though, I've heard you can overwinter geraniums? Maybe after a little bit of research I might try it.

Last year I overwintered my tropical hibiscus plants with success but I ended up with a tree frog in the house which was probably clinging to one of those plants when I brought it in. My cat found the tree frog and chased it around the house. Poor little tree frog! I was able to rescue it and put it back outside but I was afraid it was too traumatized to be ok. I felt so bad! Needless to say I learned my lesson. If I overwinter I need to check the plants really well for little hitchhikers. And thank goodness it was just a tree frog and not a mouse!

Weathered

taken:
day ninety one
09.19.2013

This weathered mailbox post of ours is filled with interesting moss and lichen in shades of green, yellow, gray and even red. It becomes even more visible when soaked by the rain, adding depth and character to an otherwise boring old mailbox post.

Embellished With Raindrops

taken:
day ninety
09.18.2013

An early morning rainstorm embellished this sweet sunflower with shiny raindrops.

Worth The Wait

taken:
day eighty nine
09.17.2013

My purple asters are just beginning to bloom.

They're popping with feathery vibrant pompom blossoms.

They were worth the wait.

Bubbly

taken:
day eighty eight
09.16.2013

We had frost this morning. Yes, frost! But good thing it was a light frost and all of my plants and flowers are still alive. By the time I was able to walk through the yard the frost was thawing and dripping. The melted frost clung to this foxtail plume like soft little bubbles while reflecting light from the morning sunshine. Bubbly bokeh, I love it!

Tried And True

taken:
day eighty seven
09.15.2013

Here we are, entering the last official week of summer. Only 6 more days left! Most people have already moved on from summer. Welcoming cooler weather. Decorating for fall. Harvesting what's left of the garden. I'm also accepting what can't be avoided.

The cosmos are still so full of life. But it's time to start collecting their seeds to save for next year. Every year I vow to plant more cosmos. And I do, I always plant more, plotting out more and more space for them with each passing year. They're my tried and true flower. They never fail me. If I could have a whole lawn filled with flowers it would be overflowing with cosmos. They're definitely one of my faves. Although, if you know me well,  there's a good chance I've said that about most flowers...ha ha. :)

Vibrant Welcome

taken:
day eighty six
09.14.2013

I love a lazy morning walk through the garden.

That's when the morning glories greet you with a vibrant welcome.

As the day goes by the morning glory winks goodbye and hides until the next morning.

Uncurling

taken:
day eight five
09.13.2013

I'm so happy that the zinnias didn't get the memo that summer is nearing it's end.

They're still uncurling with lovely color.

Brand new blooms with layers of petals screaming "look at me!"

I hear you, zinnias, and I'm looking.

Keep the beauty blooming.

Lucky

taken:
day eight three
09.11.2013

A 'painted lady' butterfly in the intense light of the afternoon sun. I always feel lucky when I stumble upon a butterfly in the garden. Like it's some sort of miracle or something. And I feel even more lucky when a butterfly gives me time to grab my camera and snap some photos. This is the one and only 'painted lady' butterfly that I've seen all summer.

Petals Like Chiffon

taken:
day eighty two
09.10.2013

Cosmos. 

Late summer is brimming with these delicate blooms.

So airy and soft.

Petals like chiffon.

Flowing, swaying with the breeze. 

A flower with a tender spirit.

Garlicy Sweet

taken:
day eighty one
09.09.2013

Bees, they're busy. This one, along with many others, was busy visiting my garlic chives. Wonder how the honey tastes when it comes from the blossoms of garlic chives? Garlicy sweet? Could be an interesting blend.

Reflecting Rainbows

taken:
day eighty
09.08.2013

On an early morning walk through the yard I found this spider web woven onto a willow shrub. It was reflecting rainbows from the dawning sun. Good thing the spider was nowhere to be seen.

Simple And Special

taken:
day seventy nine
09.07.2013

A simple sunflower. 

You can always count on a sunflower to make your day. 

There's just that something special about a sunflower that bestows cheer. 

How lucky one is to come face to face with a sunflower.

Wallowing In Summertime

taken:
day seventy eight
09.06.2013

There's an abundance of bees in the garden these days. They're savoring the last days of summer, soaking up what's left of the luscious nectar and pollen of the remaining flowers. Like the bees, I'm wallowing in summertime. I don't want it to end! But knowing it will, I want to enjoy every single second that's left. All too soon the time will come when frost will blanket the lawn each morning, breath will be visible with each exhale and warm winter jackets will be an everyday necessity. Hold on summer, I'm not ready to say good bye!

Surprise

taken:
day seventy seven
09.05.2013

I spotted this katydid resting in one of my tropical hibiscus blossoms. I love it's bright green color and it's leaf-like wings. But it's face? I have to admit, it's kind of scary to me. I'm always amazed at how things look really close up. This katydid's face was a surprise to me. More creepy that I would have thought. But I still find it fascinating!

Charm

taken:
day seventy six
09.04.2013

It's often overlooked, the underside of a sunflower leaf. This leaf, with it's defined deep purple veins, belongs to an 'autumn beauty' sunflower. It may not be as showy as the blooms boasted from the sunflower but it should definitely not go unnoticed. It's got charm all it's own.

Morning Dew Drops

taken:
day seventy five
09.03.2013

This was the first day of school. Always a bustling morning, filled with excitement and a bit of first day jitters. After I waved goodbye to my boys as they rode off on the school bus,  I walked home and decided to take a peaceful stroll through the yard. Our lawn hadn't been mowed for a couple of weeks because of our lack of rain. Many spots in our yard became dried up and just didn't need mowing. I found this patch of native grass thriving in the parched conditions. It was glistening in the sunlight and embellished with sparkly morning dew drops. Proof that you can find beauty even when things might seem depleted.

Taking Flight

taken:
day seventy four
09.02.2013

A busy bumble bee taking flight after visiting a white cosmos bloom.

Roaring Winds And Raging Waves

taken:
day seventy three
09.01.2013

On some days Lake Mille Lacs can really pack a punch. It can make you wonder where you are, on the coast of a great ocean or on the shore of a vast Minnesota lake? 

The day before this, the water was calm, waves gracefully dancing off the shore, leaving the horizon with sailboats and serenity. It was a day filled with peace, rock collecting, swimming and canoe rides.

A day later the waves boasted some sort of raging assault, ripping crawfish from the warm waters of late summer. Not a single sailboat in the distance. Crawfish and sailboats, they don't stand a chance against those crashing waves.   

On days like this, white caps always speak with a roaring wind, the kind of wind that requires you to shout just to be heard at a whisper. But step feet away from shore, up the hill and you'll find quieter, muffled wind. Where you can be heard again.