The dull weather so early is a bit of a drag. I keep telling myself that it is often nice weather around my birthday (Hallowe'en) and it is not necessarily the run down to winter yet. But last night the street lights came on at ten minutes past seven. And so far today the sun has been out for all of ten minutes. My central heating temperature is set at fifteen and the radiators are not hot - but neither are they cold - they are just a dismal lukewarm which I hate.
What has happened to that 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness'? Was there ever such a thing? Was there ever a time when the Four Seasons were clearly divided? When we went from Snowdrops to Pelargoniums, to Michaelmas Daisies to 'When the grass stops growing on the lawn and it is sometimes white'?
Not a lot left in the way of colour in the garden apart fom swathes of Michaelmas daisies which have done particularly well this year and are flowering merrily as I write. And looking out of the window as I write I see one or two huge clumps of rock rose which were cut back about a month ago and from where I am sitting look as though they are covered in buds and might do Act II. (am going to have my cataracts removed shortly so will hopefully be able to report with more certainty then!) And I must also mention my gallardias - they have been splendid and are still in full flow.
And of course my Red Valerian marches along under the hedge half the length of the garden (b***** weed!!!! as my gardener calls it. ) With a bit of luck it will go the whole way next year. I love it (and yes, I do know that I may live to regret it).
The sneaky weed that has attached itself to the path edge, where it joins the bungalow, is in full pink flower. Friends S and K have been over from the Isle of Man this week and staying locally means I have had two nice long visits from them. S took a photograph of it and sent it to a friend who she thought might be able to identify - perhaps some kind of Polygonum (bistort of some kind?) she thought. As I write this I have had a thought. I have a few wild flower books but can't locate it in any of them - I think I might go now, make myself a new pot of tea (one I made earlier -unlike anything ever on BLue Peter- has gone cold on me) and get out the Keble Martin - maybe I need a drawing rather than a description. I will let you know later if I am successful.
See you anon.
And D (my gardener) if you happen to read this - a weed is merely a plant growing in the wrong place. This plant has chosen exactly the right place to drop a seed or two - for this year at least - would hate it to undermine the foundations.
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15 comments:
It is a grey day here too, but the first rain we have had in weeks so it is very welcome. Tbe sun is due to come out later, but honestly I would be happy if it stayed hidden.
It sounds like you have quite a bit of bloom still. I still have Gagliardi, mandevilla, pelargoniums, blue Salvia, tiny blue lobelia, some cannas, coreopsis, calendula, Gaura, and a few other things in bloom, and this past week added almost a dozen mums so there is still plenty of color, which I have supported with daily watering as it has been so dry. It will soon all be gone, but for now I am enjoying the beauty that remains.
I am SO GLAD to learn that you are going to have your cataracts removed! It will be like a whole new world for you.
You will really be able to see colors again. Meanwhile, thanks again for providing a favorite part of my life at 80, your blog!
I'm with you on muddled autumn weather these days when there used to be more clearly defined seasonal weather separations!
Hope your cataract surgery was as easy breezy as mine was and yes, I'm nearly two decades younger than you are. Mine were removed 3 years ago. The month long schedule of eye drops following each procedure was fiddly but perhaps your carers can put the drops in for you.
Hugs!
We had some misty mornings here last week and the hedgerows are loaded with blackberries - I don't know if that counts as "mellow fruitfulness". There seems to be a very sharp north-south divide this weekend with quite a difference in temperatures.
Congratulations on having a splendid gallardia Weave!...mine is not much to look at these days. - Pam.
I could not see much when it got dark before my cataracts were done many years ago. Now I only use glasses for reading small print and sometimes for driving although my eyes passed for driving without glasses. It was a very quick procedure and as another said, the drops were the fussy bit. It is getting darker earlier here too, and so dark in the mornings. Can’t wait for the time change as I am a morning person.
Rachel beat us all this year...
The seasons are a bit confused these days. Winters are not producing snow like they used to and Summers are 90-100 degrees more often than ever before. Today one of my rhododendrons is blooming which is very unusual. Sunday was a perfect Autumn day. Sunny, cool and breezy with perfect blue skies.
Tom made a funny that I laughed at
Summer is having a dismal end here, too. We need next year to be better.
I had cataract surgery last summer and it went well. the improvement in vision is amazing. The worst part about the whole thing is the eye drops. Make sure that you have some one to help you with the drops.
I love the autumn, and watching the world fade, knowing that winter will come, but if I can just hold on, just wait it out, there will be a spring.
I think you are making the right decision with your eyes.
We had some 'weather' yesterday. It rained for about ten minutes just as we were about to go out for lunch (walking), then in the night we had a short storm with quite heavy rain. This morning the skies are clear.
Sunday has been a washout here too. Your garden still seems to be full of interest. I would let some 'weeds' grow in my garden, especially in difficult corners where the soil was not good. Herb Robert was a regular intruder, but under shrubs it looks very pretty. Some years I would get a free wild pansy, or the plant with thick, silvery, almost furry leaves and a lovely yellow spire of tiny flowers. The weather this year has been most unusual and although the sun is shining as I type this, we are promised wet and windy for the rest of the week. It's becoming almost normal.
Keep warm and dry!
We all seem to be pretty good at adapting to it don't we? Not that there's much choice - we either adapt to the weather or sit miserably looking out of the window at it.
Luckily we bloggers find plenty to do! Thanks for being a blogger and calling on me - it makes my days.
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