Happy October!

Despite the chill in the air this morning, there is still lots of prettiness in the garden! Best wishes for a wonderful month! ❤

❤  ❤  ❤

I initially posted this with just the top photo but it seemed too bare. (I'm not a minimalist.) I've added a few more photos from my garden tour this morning. Now, that feels better. :)

As Summer Slips Away

Where did the summer go? And what an odd summer it was in some ways.

I began the summer with a back injury in early June. It kept me from looking after the garden the way I normally do. I also didn't swim or walk as much as usual. So frustrating but a lesson in taking the time to look after myself. After a couple of setbacks (sorry), it is finally feeling better.

The weather this summer has been changeable. We've had incredibly hot spells, dark and rainy periods and this past week actually felt more like autumn than late summer.

We got away briefly twice this summer. My husband and I went on an impromptu vacation to Maine for a few days at the beginning of August. Emma and Chloé stayed here with Meeko. It was the first time we have been away together (sans enfants) in eight years and the first time that our daughters stayed home on their own. Everyone survived. We all travelled to Muskoka to visit family. It was a great visit but Emma, Chloé and I all ended up with a terrible cold and we decided to go home a day early. It's just been one of those summers.

Some things are thriving in my vegetable garden and some are doing poorly. Tomatoes, what happened to you? The weeds are towering over my perennials in my flowerbeds and filling cracks and crevices throughout the garden. They may think they have won but I am coming to get them! Meanwhile, the flowers are definitely in late season mode. There is some sadness at how quickly the summer has gone by but I've always liked this time of year. The garden quiets down, the light becomes more subdued and there are still weeks to go of garden enjoyment.

These photos were taken this morning with my iPad on a pajama tour of my back garden! I love that the shrubs surrounding our back garden are now tall enough to provide us with total privacy from the neighbours.

One of the weedier parts of the garden.  I would say that half of the plants here are weeds.

Self-sown and pretty verbena bonariensis with snapdragons in the background.

I was happy to find this cucumber at the back of the vegetable bed this morning.

Two late summer friends: hydrangea paniculata and echinacea 

Rose hips (Rosa glauca)

Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)

Phlox paniculata 'David'

I haven't painted for a few weeks now. I can't wait to get back at it. There will be time in the weeks ahead. Emma moves into university residence on Friday. Big changes. (I can do this.) Chloé is back to school on September 2nd. Soon my days will be filled with studio time punctuated by walks with my friend, Meeko.

And speaking of him...as I was writing this blog post, I felt that I was being watched. I was. This is for those of you needing a 'Meeko fix'.

❤  ❤  ❤

Come Walk With Me

I've spent most of the last two days on the computer trying to improve my relationship with Photoshop and my printer. I might need a therapist on this one. My family will vouch for the fact that I am definitely in a better mood on the days that I paint.  I literally floated after finishing my little chickadee painting on Sunday. Gravity and I have had a closer relationship the past couple of days. :)  

It occurred to me that it might be a good idea to take an extra long walk today with Meeko and my new camera.  Fresh air and focusing on nature can be a good way of recharging the batteries (and avoiding complete insanity).  Come along with me and Meeko.  Despite the grey clouds, it was a very pretty walk.  I was astonished by the life and colour that is still in our neighbourhood and my garden this late in the season.

I call this photo 3M (the m's stand for mushrooms, macro and Margie, the owner of a beautiful blog that involves all three!).  Hey Margie, I got my knees wet taking it!

Aren't these golden cutleaf maple leaves beautiful? I saw them a couple of days ago and didn't have my camera with me.

Meeko decided they were the perfect backdrop for a modelling session. He was very intrigued by some noisy ravens which helped him stay in place.

This maple leaf was just waiting on the pathway for a photo.

Back in our garden now.  Guess who's been eating my beautiful crabapples? (Shameless, isn't he?)

Apparently they are delicious.  Actually I am surprised that there are that many of them left on the tree as this is a regular snack.  If I go into the yard and ask him what bad things he has been doing in my garden, he joyfully runs to my crabapple tree to show me. (I don't think he understands the weight of adjectives.)

I found this verbena still flowering in its pot.

This is a gorgeous oak-leaved hydrangea shrub which has never flowered for me in eleven years.  I can forgive it for that when it gives me an autumn display like this.

I couldn't believe it when I saw how alive and well the diascia was.  This pot is not visible from the house.  It's a great annual if you're ever looking for one that is frost hardy and doesn't complain about being in the shade or sun.  It also comes in pink and white.

My delight in finding the pockets of colour is because most of my garden right now is the colour above--brown.  I am one of those messy gardeners who leaves most of the perennials in place until the springtime.  It may not look beautiful but the birds appreciate it. The chickadees and goldfinches will enjoy the echinacea seeds in the months ahead.  I love watching them tip the stems with their weight as they harvest the seeds.

Notice the leaf in Meeko's hair (wheatens have hair, not fur).  He comes into the house regularly with the evidence of his activities attached to him. Not a clever criminal. But cute.

These are crabapples from my Sir Lancelot tree, a sweet, small crabapple that gives just enough height to provide us with privacy from the back neighbours  (when it has its leaves of course).

There are many violas still blooming in my square foot garden that is normally a vegetable plot.  I can't wait to show it to you in the springtime. It's an efficient and pretty way to grow vegetables in a small yard. Actually the classic method is more efficient than pretty, so I added the 'pretty' to my method.  That way, it appeals to both the left and right sides of my brain (which is important to me)!

Remember this little guy?  My alyssum growing in the crack of our front steps made it to the end of the season!  I think it may be be hugging the oak leaf for warmth. :)

Thanks for joining me on my walk.  It did me a lot of good.

I hope to do some more painting this week. I appreciate all of the warm and encouraging comments about my recent paintings. I hold your comments to my heart.

It occurred to me this week that when I write about my painting, I lose the garden, nature and dog enthusiasts.  When I write about my garden and nature, I may lose the art lovers. When I write about Meeko, I lose the not-so-crazy-about-dogs readers. (He's going to have a hard time believing that one!)  I hope it all makes sense over time as they are all things that are part of me and my life.  I appreciate you coming here to share them. ♥