Believe It or Not

We still have things looking good and some blooms that must have forgotten how late in the season it is. But I am glad that they are a little mixed up.
Our mums are really starting to bloom....way too early I think. Kroger doesn't even have any out yet.

I have to use my telephoto lens while the regular lend is off to Nikon for a little nip and tuck. I think I actually like the shots better with it.

I don't remember planting any morning glories this year. But I will be glad to photograph and that come up.

I call this my 'old lady in the red barn in WI fern' because we got some from really nice little old lady that was having a yard sale. We got to talking about flowers and stuff and she ended up digging up some flowers out of her yard for me. These things grow crazy once they get establishes...probably two years and I will be pulling my hair out trying to tame these things.

Such a happy little flower.

Poor little dinner bell clematis. She has waited all summer to do this and now the bugs are having her for breakfast lunch and dinner.

I might be able to share some of these bean seeds with you...that is if the deer don't eat them all first. I watch the pods and when I think they are almost big enough to pick, the next morning they are gone, so I guess they are a midnight snack for someone.

Cosmos have never really been a flower I would plant but our plants this year are so bright and vivid. I think I like them now.

Our neighbor Ralph can grow anything! Literally! This is just one of many pumpkins he is growing this year. Two and three hundred pounders. I am thrilled that some have decided to take up residence in our yard and compost bin. He says I can keep whatever comes over the property line. Better get the dolly ready, this one is already as big as bushel basket at it is only August. Can you imagine by October how big it will be.

I wish I knew what the name of this plant is. Mark is sleeping or I would ask him, he would definitely know. He is just like that. He should be a Master Gardner.

Not every thing looks great. The black-eyed Susan's have seen better days. Doodles and I have been harvesting seeds for my sister and Cassie. When they come for the wedding I am going to give them both a big bag of seeds to take home. They both have perfect sunny fence areas to plant them in.

Sunnies

We have the best bunch of neighbors in the world. While we were in Canada our neighbors watered and took care of our plants, picked some ripe tomatoes so they wouldn't go bad and even cut the grass before we got home. Not to mention took care of our dog and watched out for Emmy.

When Michael and I were in CO Cassie helped Ellis plant some sunflower seeds I had brought with me. I have been wanting to know how big the are...need pictures. So when Aunt Sarah visited just last week, she brought me back a few shots. I must say that I am impressed with Eillis's green thumb. His sunflowers are way better than mine. This puny little thing is the only one I got this year and it isn't as tall at Michael. And the bloom is about at round as a drinking glass. So I guess I am going to have to get pointers from my grandson. Ahhh, that too bad, isn't it?

Maybe I should get some more lady bugs to eat the aphids off the sunflowers. I didn't notice them until I looked at the picture here. Gross!

Pick A Winner

The hot and humid weather has taken a toll n all of our beds...vegetable and flower. Yesterday I noticed that I have one bloom on Cassie's anemone plant. She carried anemones in her bridal bouquet. The poor plant, the leaves look like they haven't been watered for weeks...actually Mark forgot that he had the sprinkler on last night until this morning at 6AM when he was greeted by a huge puddle by the driveway.This was the first shot I took. I set the camera on ISO400. Pretty good shot I think.

Then I tried ISO1600. I'd love for someone that knows cameras to answer a few questions...

Do I set my camera on the macro thingy and the change the ISO to 1200 and above to get crisp close up shots or do I just use the little macro thingy and shoot? I have a Nikon D5000 if that clarifies anything. Help me please!

Practice Makes Almost Perfect

Spent clematis blooms going to seed. I still think they look pretty like this. Really unusual.

Almost The Last

We have enjoyed these glads so much this summer. We will definitely be planting them again. I need to do some little research to see how to help them grow tall and straight.

A Little Camera Practice

Oh, I so much want to be a good photographer with good crisp close-ups. My friend Jan in CA has several wonderful blogs that I visit on a daily basis. I have noticed that her MacroMonday shots are even better than before. So I asked her how she get such good shots and she shared that a blogging friend of hers gave her a tip. She was nice enough to pass that tip on to me. So while Doodles was napping today I braved the heat to get some shots. I'm still playing around with the settings, but I think these are better.

Lone Bloomer

Finally some ornamental grass in the lamppost bed. We must have this planted in fifteen more places and nothing even looks like it is going to bloom. Lots of pretty variegated leaves but not buds anywhere. Not to self...fertilize more!

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Green and Growing

With the heat and humidity I can't imagine that anything has lived. But I have been a watering fool. I've watered with plastic containers, metal watering cans, the hose, the arch sprinkler, the lawn tractor, even the ghetto pool....wish we were still in WI with the well!
Like I have said before I am planting a million of these next fall. The bed will be filled but we need to figure out a way to make sure that they grow straight. There is a house on Portsmouth Road that grows gladiolas...I think I might be knocking on their front door next trip to see what they do it theirs.

I have always wanted something to grow up the pergola and then grow around the top. No such luck until this year. The hyacinth vine is almost to the top. Not too full but seed pods for next year...that is if the deer don't find them.

I planted a second crop of cukes because the other ones fought a slow death of being left out in the hot sun with no water while we were in CO. These are looking pretty good. Canning more pickles for sure...some of Sandy Foley's salt brine pickles. Delicious!