Brrr & Brrreeezy...

Yikes!!  The temp has dropped and the wind is blowing!!

Wind blowing like crazy!!

Leaves are falling like crazy here in Minnesota, and they haven't even reached full color yet.  In the picture above the large mature tree across the street is a Maple, she only has about half her leaves in her typical Autumn yellow.

My woods are looking more sparse each day… and the wind is taking more leaves away.

And of course my deck is a mess… but at this point I don't care…  It's cold enough that I'm going to need to empty out & bring in my little fountain - sorry Chickadees but we've got freezing temps coming in the next couple nights…

The Squirrels are being naughty and gnawing at the Suet - pure Suet that my friend at the Bird Store said the Squirrels wouldn't like… hmmm… guess the Squirrels don't know that!!

I had my Sprinkler System blown out, it needed to be done to keep from risking the system once a freeze occurs… I've decided to stop watering in general now & let the garden start going dormant, it's time, the work that didn't get finished this season will be waiting for me when Spring arrives… personally I'm ready for some rest from the gardens.  All that's left is for Jeff to mulch the leaves into the lawn a couple times before the Sn*w falls (sorry about the 4-letter word).  It's been a good season!!

Early October in my Gardens...

Here are some pictures I took in my yard today…

A tree at the edge of my woods is decked out in greens & yellows with just a touch of orange...

An annual that's still giving blooms...

Another annual...

This honeysuckle, one of 3 in my gardens, is still blooming… amazing!

One of my oaks is quite golden...

Oak leaves..

Rhoda & Dendra - my rhododendron twins… all dressed up for Fall!!

Rhododendron closeup...

Ninebark…

…again...

Aster, bright pink, covered with blooms… unfortunately she's become a bunny meal again… argh!!

Aster, purple, no bunny nibbling on this one… phew!!

This Sedum is outrageous this year… why can't she do this every year?

My Petunias aren't doing so well these days (they're potted)… but I'm still getting some blooms.

So glad I got this Beardtongue this year… look forward to seeing what she does in Spring!

Still going… even though...

…her leaves are beginning to turn red...

I just couldn't resist one more closeup of the leaves on my rhododendrons…  I sure hope the twins grow to be nice & big someday!!

Hope you're enjoying Fall where you live!!

In my Garden & Neighborhood...

We are having a very dry season, as is much of the Midwest… being at the Northern end of the Midwest we're not in quite as severe a drought, but I can honestly say I've never seen it so dry!!  My lawn is green, but I have a sprinkler system… my neighbors are all brown & crunchy :(

I'm just loving this newcomer to the garden this year, a Beardtongue, she's putting up lots of beautiful shoots of pretty bright pink flowers.

Same plant, she started with a single shoot at the middle of the season when she was planted… you've come a long way baby!!

After being viciously attacked by bunnies shortly after being newly planted in my garden mid-Summer I'm surprised this Aster even survived (thank you Deer Scram!), now she's just blooming like crazy!

This guy was just hanging around on my screen door on the back deck, isn't he a beauty?

Some trees in the area are putting out nice color… its not looking to be a really colorful Fall here, but I thought I'd share a few pictures anyway… Enjoy!!

That's all for now… I need to go water my flowers before they dry up on me…

Changes & Critters & Close Calls...

As you can "C" things are still Chugging along in my gardens… We've had quite a bit of Cool weather already, but these guys are hanging in there…  We had temps in the 30s one night, with a frost warning, so out I went with sheets to cover the vegetables (Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Bell Peppers) in hopes I can get more out of them before the season is completely over…. here's how my garden is growing these days...

This is my typically massive Sedum, not so massive since I cut it in 1/4s 2 years in a row, finally reasonably sized… but WOW the color this year is amazing!! Much more intense than its ever been before...

Along the path to the front door I still have several blooming friends...

Out on the mound I have more blooming friends...

More on the mound...

And more...

And more...

Have I mentioned its a big mound?

Final mound pic… :)

Kitty all tucked in keeping warm while she keeps me company in the front yard...

Leaves on the Ninebark changing color...

Another Ninebark pic...

My Bell Peppers are hoping to grow up someday… (please, please,…)

My Bumper-Crop of Tomatillos is still hanging around, we think they look like little Japanese paper lanterns...

Another Beefsteak tomato headed for a homemade soup or spaghetti sauce… Mmmm!!

Even the Annuals are still blooming strong...

Another Annual going strong...

My Hardy Hibiscus decided she had one more bloom left in her...

Leave changing on a Honeysuckle...

Honeysuckle leaves again...

Decorative Grasses continue to get "fuzzier"...

The one Russian Sage I decided to let stay in the yard is still blooming like crazy...

The woods are looking yellower & thinner each day…

I Love Fall, I wish it lasted longer here in Minnesota, but while its here I plan on enjoying it as much as possible!!