Friday, August 18, 2017

late august











I can feel and smell it, like I always do this time of year. Summer is winding down. The air is still humid, but it doesn't have that fresh, ripe summer scent. Instead, it's more languid and heavy. Cicadas start their electric buzz in the late afternoon. Kids just went back to school and the neighborhood is eerily quiet during the day.

My Kentucky Pole Beans have finally started producing and the Candy Corn vine has bloomed. Sedum blossoms have shown up on top of the rubbery leaves, which is always a sure sign that fall is coming. The Joe Pye Weed is in full bloom and the bees are loving it.

I've been cutting the last of the flowering perennials to make little bouquets around the house. I'll miss doing that when I have to go back to relying on supermarket flowers. Trader Joe's does have the best (and most inexpensive) flowers, but it's not the same as walking into your yard and cutting your own.

Zippo just saw our regular veterinarian and is now on a medication for his hyperthyroidism. He's doing great on all his new medications and will see the eye vet for a follow-up at the end of the month.

Have a beautiful weekend ~ make the most of what's left of summer!


15 comments:

  1. I can feel it, too, Melanie. I am jut not ready yet for summer to end though....sigh....It seemed especially short this year. Your plantings are beautiful. xo Diana

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  2. I'm glad that Zippo is doing well. I always know fall is ahead and that we're in August when my Sedum Autumn Joy looks like that, and mine does too!
    Brenda

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  3. Hurray for Zippo- he is a cutie! Milo is almost totally deaf. I am so grateful he is doing well otherwise. I need to find another way to call him. Even when he finally hears me, he has no idea where my voice is coming from. Talking to the vet next week when he goes in for his shots.

    You really captured the feeling of the waning summer so well. I feel it, too. I have Joe Pye weed, too, but it blooms purple. I think I like yours more!

    I don't want summer to end but I'm forward to decorating the lakehouse with some of the fall things I have no room for at home.

    Hugs,

    Jane x

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  4. I completely understand your feeling about summer winding down. The humidity is so heavy here. Every window I look out is covered in a sheet of moisture. The kids are all back to school which prohibits time for swimming and such. Although we won't feel cooler temps for another 8 weeks you can tell things are changing. Have a beautiful weekend.

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  5. Reading this post made it hit me that it is indeed "late August" already! I need to start preparing for pumpkin spice season.
    Lisa

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  6. This summer has flown by and now I'm starting to think of Fall. Not ready yet but I can feel the air changing. Enjoy the last of the flowers! Hugs!

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  7. September is right around the corner and the cool crisp Indian Summer days . . . they are one of my favorite times of the year. Your flowers look amazing, they seem to like the weather.
    Happy to hear that Zippo is doing better.
    Connie :)

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  8. Kids are still on vacation for several more weeks, here, so it still feels like summer. Although I too see a difference in the weather and my garden. Boo. I love summer....

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  9. Beautiful photos, Melanie! It has been warm the last few days, but August has definitely felt like fall here.
    Glad Zippo is doing well!

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  10. Lovely little late summer touches. It is wonderful to supply the house with bouquets right from the garden.
    Zippo looks content snuggled up to that LOVE pillow. Glad to hear that he is doing better.

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  11. Well LAST year when we were invaded with the 17 year cicadas they drove me crazy, lol but now that the normal drowsy humming of them in the background is part of August I am back to loving them :)
    Glad to hear that Zippo is doing well!
    We have similar weather and blooms going on ( I am in Southwestern PA ) and as to bouquets I had the grandgirls down here the other day snipping flowers to take home to Mama and many are the same as you have scattered around in your vases :)

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  12. There is definitely a feel in the air of the change of seasons isn't there.

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  13. Your photos of your precious flowers are so adorable, Melanie, and your words really made me think that, yes, summer is, indeed, coming to a close, although not for a while yet, in our parts. People still swim in the sea in November, and start as early as March. But, despite our longer summer, I, too, can sense that there is a change in the air, my flowers are not as vibrant, and I swear I can smell a hint of the leaves rusting.

    Enjoy the rest of the season,
    Poppy

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  14. All such lovey, homey photos. Look at those gorgeous beans. I just saw a video that said they are really easy to grow and are good for the soil so I really should see if I can find some for our upcoming growing season. The only way we know that Fall is upon us is when our daytime high is in the 90s rather than above 100 F. It's been very humid and icky the past couple of days and at 5:49 pm it's 105 F.

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  15. I love this post, love seeing what's in your garden in late August. We put out 5 tall plants of the autumn joy sedum and they are starting to get blush pink now, but we've battled the deer who try to get to the leaves. We will transplant all of them into the back yard that is fenced when autumn comes and hope they come back.

    I adore your little bouquets for the house! My very favorite kind!

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