Word Storm Casserole

This has been a strange summer and, here at the tail end there is haze and fog. Summer had clear, sunny days and hot, humid weather – per normal summers – but the cloud cover of un-knowing has reigned over my life.

Un-knowing, as in – everything you thought you knew, you don’t. And everything you think is so, is not. And so it’s time for change.

First there is an internal sea change, then struggling to allow the process of that turn become reality. No forcing or “going for the gold.” Mostly, it’s baby steps and noticing that things have changed.

Sometimes I leap off the cliff into the future with abandon. This summer has been more about moving an ocean from A to B with a teaspoon, moving a mountain one pebble at a time. I’m keenly aware that things are changing, that something profound is altering. Patience, kindness, and a willingness to dream big are essential now.

For example, in the garden, I’ve become completely obsessed with learning everything I can about permaculture, aka forest gardening. And in my case, forest gardening on a teeny scale. It all sounds so romantic: plant some stuff and watch it transform your lawn into beauty that you can also eat.

Unfortunately, a good chunk of what is planted initially in permaculture is weeds. Got enough of those already, so -like I said- must slow down and dream/think it through.

Otherwise in the garden, the time of jubilant blooming of all things has passed. The phlox are making one last, valiant attempt to bloom and the daylilies are now making strong roots. In this sea change of life, I’ve not been motivated to be outside too much, so even the lettuce has grown about a foot tall. I may let it go to seed and see what happens over winter.

(And yes, you do see tall Swiss Chard in the foreground. The garage door in the background.)

Purslane covered my former veggie bed, and then set about colonizing the main back yard lawn. Didn’t notice that until I mowed. Also didn’t care too much as at least the lawn still looks green. We had drought conditions this summer, and I was afraid there would be no more green. Thank goodness I was wrong.

I did manage to get another bumper crop of sage. The carrots and volunteer tomato were disappointing. At least the compost is always amazing.

My indoor plants survived the hot, humid days just fine.

At least one of these is approaching 6′ tall! How will I ever keep Ivan (my awesome kitty) from eating them this winter?

And then there are the leaves. They’re already changing and dropping from the huge maple onto the driveway. Do I blow them into the street again this year? Or gather and compost? I did a little of both last year. I’ve even thought about getting a leaf mulcher, but haven’t pulled the trigger thus far.

Sigh.

Sea changes. Seasons changing. You’ll notice a quieter blog, mostly one post a week. You’ll notice fewer posts about new, cute clothes, and fewer about subscription boxes. I found myself fighting the reviews, and still can’t imagine how My Subscription Addiction, A Year of Boxes, or The Box Queen keep writing so perky about (for the most part) the same boring boxes over and over.

Double sigh.  And pretty pictures in the garden.

The hydrangea are just gorgeous – look at this fall color!

The rudbeckia (aka black-eyed Susan) is still blooming. Although if you look closely, you’ll see they’re ready to change, too.

And sedum? I forget what a show they put on each autumn. This one is about ready to pop into itty bitty flowers.

So how’s it going? Any sea changes in your life?

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I post so many pictures of flowers, that you might think my garden is overflowing with flowers. That’s just not true.

In fact, my flowers are mostly tiny borders. And I have a very healthy crop of weeds every summer. The July and August garden of 2016 is no exception.

And oh my, there’s mowing.

No, it’s not a big yard, But it’s bumpy and lumpy. Definitely not a smooth, sophisticated lawn.

The August Garden

Here’s a look from the Southeast corner of the backyard. Lettuce is flourishing to the right towards the garage.  In fact, it may go to seed before I can eat it all.

Along the fence line to the left, there is a tiny strip of flowers – mostly roses and phlox.

There’s also a brown tarp held down by plastic furniture. The tarp kills the grass underneath, and I can plant there in the fall.

The small vegetable garden is in the back of the grassy area, and behind that the gathering of many weeds and the big black compost bin.

There’s a young maple tree that will eventually shade the entire Northeast corner.

There’s also a bench in that Northeast corner. Here’s a perspective from that angle.

My neighbor’s garage is directly to the left, and some lilacs attempting (and failing) to camouflage the garage.

Right by my garage (and portion of the house that juts backwards,) you can kind of see the bed of peonies, daylilly, coreopsis, and echinacea I added this year. I hope they make it – it’s been a terribly hot and dry summer.

And you can spot where I was standing in the previous picture, right? Directly across the yard where the house almost meets the fence. By those two chairs.

I think this Northeast corner will be a lovely little shady area in time.  Maybe a ring of hostas and daylillies around the maple tree?

To the right of the tree is the black compost bin and vegetable garden. Other than the flourishing lettuce by the house, this has been a disappointing year for veggies: only a few straggling beans, maybe some carrots and -at most- a handful of cherry tomatoes.

To the right of the vegetable garden, bright red phlox and…weeds.

At some point in the past, somebody (and no – it wasn’t me) decided to let mint run amok.  So it’s a minty, weedy mess.

Between House And Fence

And – just because you’re probably wondering – what’s between the house and the fence?

At one time it was a weedy overgrown mess, too. The previous owners had blocked off access and let things grow. A couple of years ago I knocked that down, smothered with cardboard, threw down a lot of mulch. It looks like this now:

Yep, two colors of mulch because that’s what was on sale.

Still, I like the stepping stones, and that it’s easy to walk from the front to the back yard. I imagine it makes walking to the electric meter easier, too.

Pretty Flowers

Now for some pretty flowers in the front yard. This balloon flower is nestled between hydrangea, peony, and daylilly.

The daylillies always put on a show in the middle of the summer.

And they’re just as spectacular up close.

The “Twist and Shout” lacecap hydrangea is especially beautiful this summer. This is it’s third year in the ground, and I think it’s really happy.

I know that hydrangeas change color based on the soil. But it’s really something to see two colors in one hydrangea bloom – pink and purple/blue.

The succulents are also happy by the front door. This (unknown) succulent turns from green to copper – and then back again once in the house for winter.

Two roses from the back yard. I don’t know their names, but they both bloom in July.

And have I told you how much I appreciate the reliability and beauty of phlox?

I love end of the gardening season deals at big box stores. Here’s a red and yellow daylilly I got last year during the final days of fall.

So that’s what’s been growing in my garden. How about yours?