August Garden

Not much new or fun happening in the garden.  

Partly it's the cooler and wetter than usual weather we are having has pushed some things to start (and therefore end) earlier than usual.  And, partly, I am realizing, it's that I have not done a good job of choosing plants for bloom time.  I usually choose by color (any shade of pink or blue, with a bit of pale yellow and white thrown in) or just fall in love with something and plant swaths of it!

The annuals are helping - zinnias going full force right now, as is the one remaining dahlia - but I just have a noticeable "down time" between late July when the day lilies end and September when the fall things start to bloom.  The sedums are covered with buds but not ready to start their show and the chrysanthemums are getting fuller by the day.

Pineapple Lily (Ecomis 'Katie').  This needs to be moved to a more visible spot.  The monarda totally hid it this year and I nearly missed seeing it. 

So, as the catalogs start appearing in the mail box, I am paying more attention to pink (and blue, pale yellow and white) flowers that say "August" in their descriptions.

Summer of 2008

I wasted the entire Summer of 2008.

It's an old story.  You know it well. 

The successful small, local company where I had worked for 15 years had been bought several years before by another small, successful company in a neighboring state.  They in turn had been bought by one of the big boys - really big boys.  

As ofter happens in arranged marriages - err, mergers - things did not always go well.  

"You don't understand me!"  "You never want to do what I want to do!"

By 2008, our little outpost had become more isolated and its value was only as a cash cow.  And then we lost the contract that provided a big chunk of the cash.  Suddenly, we were very expendable.  And expend they did.  With the required 60 days notice, they just shut us down.  Gone.  Fifty plus full time employees and nearly 100 part timers out on the street.

July 1st and nothing to do.  Well.... nothing except find a job.

It was a lovely summer.  Cooler than normal temperatures.  Less humidity.  Blue skies.  Long afternoons that could have been spent with an iced tea and a book on the deck.

Instead, it was OMG I have to find a job.  Prowling the want ads.  Sending out resumes and cover letters.  Trying to network.  Working with the folks at outplacement and the Employment Commission.  Writing references for co-workers and commiserating on the phone.  Always feeling that a minute spent relaxing was a minute spent not finding a job.

Slowly, normalcy returned and October 1st brought me a new job happily working for my previous boss and helping to start a brand new company with all the excitement and heady success of a new enterprise.

I've always regretted wasting that summer.  The comfortable, sunny afternoons not spent enjoying the garden, not sipping a drink on the deck. 

Just wrapped up our big summer project last week and have promised myself that I will not waste the rest of the Summer of 2013 - yet another summer of lower temperatures, lower humidity and blue skies.  I promise that you will find me every single afternoon spending at least an hour outside  - just enjoying this glorious time and place.

No more regrets!

Wednesday Workday

Meet the new bully in the garden.

Not sure you've met her?  Definitely a "her".

I bet you have but you don't recognize her yet.  It seems the cooler weather and abundant rain are what she loves.  And, she has a strong will to survive and expand her family.

A forest of buddelia!

  That's what I would have if I weren't ripping the volunteers out.  Must have pulled a 1,000 by now - seriously.

 The apparent mother ship. She was a volunteer herself last year.

Could be a lot worse.  It could be ivy!

Sunday in the .... er .... Yard

Another gorgeous day to spend in the garden.

Doing normal stuff.  Like cutting flowers for the house and deadheading.  

 Old standbys like zinnias and dahlias.

Enjoying the warm sun, but the cool air.

Basically just being.

 A few marigolds, salvia and a late hydrangea.

Yesterday made going back to work today not so bad after all.