Truth be told, I've been spending a lot of time in the garden and just "being there" has been trumping writing about it. Homestead TV isn't the same without the chickens, but I'm putting my time in never the less...noticing the backyard birds and mentally moving things around. The three year downsizing plan is underway and the fantasies about moving and being someplace else are so intoxicating that my head is swimming...I wonder where we'll go? Spouse says, "someplace with a Research University...a policy program"...in my mind I just see trees.
View from the Bird blind BarCamera in hand, I headed out to see what's up in the yard on Saturday morning. We've had an abundance of fall harvest fruits and veggies and it was one year to the day from last years tour...so I was mentally calculating the losses and blossoms.
Philippine VioletI lost two Philippine Violets, this is the last one. 3 trees are gone and I'm afraid we'll be loosing a 50 year old Vitex this year. Some would say "Not a loss" because they're invasive, but she is glorious and covered with bees and butterflies when she blooms; I hang my snake graph from her branches and she keeps my Bird blind Bar cool. When the American Elm is gone, I know my heart will break. The years of drought are taking their toll.
Clematis
I've long forgotten the actual name of this hidden beauty, I had to move some over grown Gregg's Mist flower to see her...she's not in the right place to thrive.
Yaupon Holly and Desert Willow Vine
This is the best of the photos I was able to get in the wind. The Yaupon is covered in berries and the DWVine is decorating her with silly pink trumpet shaped flowers. I think it was Diane of Sharing Natures Garden that recently asked about what is in the wrong place in your garden and I've been blowing that, through my mind as well.
Fall AsterThe Fall Asters just keep on coming...I'm so glad I brought them home from the Green Garden several years ago, the native white ones get so tall and fall over...but I love them for the bees.
Burgundy Beans
Yesterday I stood by the beans and ate the first of the seasons harvest! 3 tender purple pods!
(You have to celebrate the small victories...I was alone, chewing and smiling with closed eyes facing the sun...counting my blessings.)
Japanese EggplantI brought in the first of the fall eggplant harvest, 10 perfect slender fruits, the leaves are laced out but the bugs must find the skin bitter, as do I. We'll be making Baba ganoush for supper!
Fuyu PersimmonThe Fuyu's have all turned a lovely halloween orange! Still a few months until harvest, but we dug into the last of the pomegrante this morning...delicious!
And then, something gold caught my eye.
Hiding in the middle of a 3ft. Chili Pequin was this jade beauty!
Lazy me has yet to figure out how to use that micro-setting on the camera...but you can still make out the baby form within.
Sunday morning, I went out to check on her and there she was, gently expanding and contracting her new wings!
She hung out for quite some time before moving on, her chrysalis casing remains.
Monarchs, some of my favorite magical garden friends.
Happy Gardening!
9 comments:
You are so lucky to be able to watch that caterpillar to butterfly transformation! Loved the photos. I'm sorry the drought has been taking a toll on your garden. Years of drought is always a problem, and something that I'm anticipating having to deal with soon. I hope your dreams take you to a place with trees AND water.
What is this about moving?????
and I love the pictures of the monarch chrysalis. I guess I have never seen one- they are so unusual looking- much prettier than the swallowtail.
Yea Bonnie, when Greg finishes his PHd we'll go someplace for his post-doc work...I'm so ready for an adventure. He will graduate at the same time as my youngest does...so we'll all be flying the coop!
Fantastic post! I thought that even before I saw the butterfly! Great perspectives of the chrysalis too! Brava!! ;>)
Hi Cheryl, thank you for sharing your enjoyable Sunday morning with us. Never heard of Philippine violets. Sad when trees we care about move on to the Great Compost Afterlife. But it was great to capture the other end of life with the birth of the butterfly. cheers, catmint
Lots of pretties in your garden. I hope you aren't the ones who have to take out the vitex. Warning here---David just spent 3 days and two chains on his saw getting out the stump of a 10 year old vitex. Much loved but looking not at its best for the last two year and I'm sick of the mess. Plenty more though! keep us posted!
Jenny, I just paint the stump and skip the work! It's a memory of where a tree once stood.
Pretty garden! I can see that your garden was so healthy. Wish I can also have a garden like that. Thanks for sharing.
-yumi-
What a beautiful garden for homestead TV. Just catching up, so your new little owl and the chickens won't clash after all! And wow, were you on the mark to nab that beautiful Monarch emerging! That is fabulous.
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