I have been back to work for a few weeks now but last
week was the first week of classes. That always adds another layer of
adjustment, which leads to first-week-exhaustion. Today is Labor Day and the university
is closed. Along with some errands, I ended up purchasing fall mums! I have
wanted to for weeks but they had not been out until this weekend.
My Labor Day turned into a day of garden labor. I
delight in my backyard secret garden because it is fenced in and I can do
pretty much whatever I like. The front yard did not need much work because it
is somewhat regulated by our townhouse community association. Boxwoods are
boxed; and, as I believe I have pouted before, the landscapers weed-wacked my
hibiscus and daylilies. Although I won’t have any blooms from the Nosferatu daylily
as it’s a once-a-year bloomer, the plants are all growing strong. I should even
have some light purple hibiscus blooms this week.
Our “summer” is nowhere near finished. The pumpkin
plant in the back is growing strong (nearly an inch from the top of the privacy
fence) even without any fruit. And, right now it is terribly entertaining to be
back there because nature is happening! The butterfly bushes are in full bloom,
and hummingbirds and bees are having their way with each and every flower. I have plenty of nights ahead of me sitting on
that back patio. This is also the last year of the patio furniture. It falls
apart a bit more each time I sit down or touch it. If I had more frequent
visitors back there, I would have had to replace it last year but I was
determined to make it one more year. It was a gift from my parents about 15
years ago. When the days turn cooler, the patio furniture will be taken to be
recycled; and, my fella and I will figure out what works best for both of us.
But back to the front yard…
Technically, seasonal displays are not allowed until
30 days before a holiday; and, they are only allowed to remain there for 15
days. A neighbor put out a Halloween flag so I got down my Halloween wreath,
which is really the only true Halloween decoration I have. Living with
Halloween-inspired pieces year-round makes me delight in the new items with the
realization that there is not much room left. I’m pretty good at tucking and
making things work but it means that the pieces have to be high-quality pieces
and/or so dorky that I cannot live without it. Of course, the latter have a way
of going to my work office since my fella, who has a great deal of tolerance for
so many things, is a bit creeped out by others. While I huff and puff sometimes
about no longer being a single girl living alone, he has made my life and our
home so much better by moving here. His first comment to this post would be to
mutter “flat screen television” but sometimes I miss the ease of my big, boxy,
all-in-one tv with a DVD and a VHS player!
Today when I picked up mums, I immediately headed
toward the dark wine-color flowers but hesitated. There were yellow mums too,
which are my fella’s preference. In the end, I picked the orange mums since
orange is a color upon which we both can agree.
It will be a few weeks before I mourn the end of
summer; fortunately, that takes us into fall, one of my favorite seasons. I
already can feel the magic of the holidays lingering about. My schedule is
completely full beginning in two weeks. It will take me through October and
into November when finally starts to slow down, rhyming with the growth in my
garden.
My colleague's daughter gave me this print, "Advice from a Bat." I have been trying to follow some of this advice for years but having it come from a bat is even better.
The weedwacking saga has come to an
end. Yesterday, in the pouring rain, the resurrected hibiscus plants produced
beautiful flowers. There were five red blooms on one plant, and two pink blooms
with bud blooming today. They are beautiful and magical, and exactly what I
needed to see at the start of what will be a busy September leading into an
even busier October. 
This year, the pumpkin vine grew and
grew but did not produce any pumpkins. It’s still nice to look at though, and I
have plenty of faux pumpkins around the house to keep my spirits up. 
Today while I work, I have Witches
Brew burning in a Yankee candle display from a few years ago. It’s a gate with
a pumpkin and fall leaves. I always think of it as a cemetery gate. And,
speaking of cemeteries, I brought home my cemetery terrarium. It was not doing
well at all since my office does not get the best light. Still, no complaints
because I do have a window. 
