Today I was able to turn my compost for the first time since fall. During the winter the ground is frozen (and so is my compost) even when there is no blanket of snow covering the compost.
What can you identify in my compost? Why is that item good for the soil?
Thursday Challenge is a place for photographic fun and learning. This week’s theme is BROKEN: (Smashed, Worn Out, In Need of Repair, Ripped, Torn,…)
Marigolds look pretty among the fallen leaves of autumn. These yellow and/or orange flowers grow in front and on the side of my house. I sprinkle the seeds in spots I want them to appear next spring.
Today’s Flowers is hosted by Luiz Santilli Jr. Thank you, Luiz, for this lovely meme.
I prefer zinnias before they are at full bloom, like in this opening bud. I planted these zinnias from seed (I started them in little containers outside my kitchen door in late spring). I got the seeds for free at the Highland Park Street Fair.
Here they are in my garden, along with orange marigolds and white mums.
Today’s Flowers is hosted by Luiz Santilli Jr. Thank you, Luiz, for featuring flower followers who share photos in a fun fashion.
Wednesday morning I did this little watercolor of an arava leaf (you might recognize it as a willow leaf, its name in English). It is one of the many natural symbols in the upcoming holiday of Sukkot, which starts on Monday night, Oct. 13. I actually was only looking at one leaf, which I painted a few times on the same piece of watercolor paper. My son planted a little willow branch in the backyard this year, and I was afraid if I took off more than one leaf off the little “tree”, there wouldn’t be much tree left. My other son agreed that I should put some compost around the edges of the little plant. It certainly has been getting enough water, as we’ve had rain on and off lately. Maybe I’ll photograph our little willow for another post.
Because my white mums are growing right next to a tomato plant (I didn’t plant the tomato plant there; it grew in my flower garden, and I just let it be), I decided to call this post “Summer meets Fall”, with the tomato symbolizing summer the mums symbolizing fall.
A close-up of the same tomato
Here’s a red dianthus, which I bought in the middle of August when it was on sale and I wanted something red in my garden. Wouldn’t it be nice if it survives the New Jersey winter? It was considered an annual, but one never knows.
To participate in Ruby Tuesday, post a photo (or more) with a little red or a LOT of red. Then visit Mary the Teach at http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/ to submit your link.
I took some photos of my oak leaf hydrangea on Friday.
I bought this plant several years ago. At the time I really had in mind the type of hydrangea that has the blue or pink clusters of flowers. But the plant nursery did not have any of those, and the man recommended this one. The truth is, I find the flowers, which show up in the spring, not as exciting as the ones on the other types of hydrangea. The real beauty of this plant is the leaves. And now with autumn they are exhibiting lovely shades of red.
Rudbeckia, marigolds, one white petunia and one pink zinnia from the garden in my front yard
Thursday Challenge: The theme for this week is PLANTS (Garden, Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers, Trees,…).
My chrysanthemum (or “mum” for short) showed its first bloom last week.
Today’s Flowers is hosted by Luiz Santilli Jr. Thank you, Luiz, for this fun photography meme.
We are fortunate in our wonderful crop of raspberries that grow in our backyard. The bottom photo shows a bowl of these delightful berries that my husband picked. Truth is, these berries rarely make it into our kitchen, as we love to eat them in our backyard, right off the branch. No need for recipes. We get crop #1 in early July on old canes and #2 in late August on the new, green canes. One trick for maintaining these berry bushes is be sure to prune the old canes.
To participate in Ruby Tuesday, post a photo (or more) with a little red or a LOT of red. Then visit Mary the Teach at http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/ to submit your link.
Portulaca or moss rose, which I grow in front of my house bordering the sidewalk, is one of my favorite flowers. I love watching the little buds grow. I love looking at the flowers in the middle of the day to see which one is in full bloom. They don’t need a lot of care, just weeding around them and sunlight.
Today’s Flowers is hosted by Luiz Santilli Jr. Thank you, Luiz!
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