Friday Garden Report

I spent most of last night's Vice Presi dential debate coverage muttering as I sponged paint onto the living room walls...it's still a work in progress, so no photos of the finished look yet...but I did catch a few images yesterday I wanted to share with you.

During our early morning breakfast event at work, we had a bit of a sunshower, which gave us the barest glimmer of a rainbow in the northwestern sky...it was already fading by the time I had my camera ready, naturally.

But what's a rainbow, anyway, but a fleeting and intangible promise - like a kiss really - of sweetness and beauty in the future? Who doesn't love a rainbow for that.


I always think there's somethingi cool about it raining while the sun is shining...maybe its two of my favorite elements, water and fire coming together in such a spectacular and sparkly way...I really liked this photo taken under the pear tree outside my office.

After our early morning, I spent a little time in the office, mostly doing unsatisfying battle with my office computer. When it became clear I was about the headbutt the monitor, I decided to take a break for a little time at home and some banking...with a plan to return later on.

High tide was flooding Boat Creek Marsh as I drove through, and when I spotted a blue heron feeding with some gulls in the rising waters, I couldn't resist stopping for a photo or two.

I'm sorry to say the heron disagreed with my idea, and fled at the first sight of me and my camera...of course there was also an unfortunate amount of traffic driving along Bridge Road just then, so perhaps it wasn't all my fault the great bird fled.

But I was pretty pleased with this silhouette shot as it flew out of sight. Also, I loved the contrast of these white asters blooming against the background of some autumn-reddened Virginia creeper.

I took a painting break before dinner and the debates and made it to First Encounter just in time for the last rays of sunset. Actually, I didn't stay long, as there was a pretty powerful wind coming off the bay and it made me downright shivery...so much so that even the Image Stabilization feature on my camera couldn't save all but these two images.

Things are good in the Midnight Garden, and I promise I'll have some more painting photos as the weekend progresses. I hope this finds each and every one of you doing well, with fun plans for at least some part of the weekend!!

The pond is almost at its lowest level since we moved in here three years ago. At that time, this whole area was a dry, grassy field. It looks like its headed that way again.

Below, boltonia blossoms.

Here's a patch of Virginia creeper and raspberries, showing off some bright autumn foliage.

This humid day got it's start with clouds piling in on us, as tropical weather came our way from the south, with a promise of rain late in the day. It was a bright start to the day, but it didn't last for long.

Above, a purple thistle blossom decries the end of the season, while below yet another of the African marigold blossoms begins, with some black-eyed susan in the background.


The yellow hawkweed flower acts as a nice counterpoint to another cloud of asters, while nearby, some Virginia creeper makes it's way up the side of a pine tree, offering our first real taste of autumn foliage color.

In the front garden bed, some of those Nantucket red petunias bring a cheery reminder of the fading season.