Showing posts with label goldenrod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goldenrod. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Weekend Wrap-Up


This coneflower rudbeckia was apparently a new seedling in the Harwich garden, as it was only just coming into bloom last week when I went back to move a few plants. That was all the encouragement I needed to pot it up and bring it along on the adventure.

Same goes for this chrysanthemum, which is just now sporting buds. Both of these, as well as the coreopsis seen in the background above were planted just outside my new front door, alongside the driveway...not far from that pink rose hedge.

Sunday was a rainy day, though not as much of a rain-out as Saturday had been. It was a day off for me...the first true one since the move and I spent most of the day painting in the bedroom. Still, there was a break in the showers around noontime and while the clouds lingered throughout the day, I couldn't resist a little ramble around to explore the new yard a little more closely.

Here's a shot of the nest from the back yard, the deck-balcony clearly visible.


Found a nice stand of goldenrod at the back of the property. I just love this stuff, it's bright yellow festooning our days just as other plants start to think about winding down for the season. It's always a nice flash of gold on a gray September day.

I also wandered over to the gardens at the property next door. They are primarily summer residents, so it was cool to be able to walk around in their yard without feeling like an intruder. Pretty gardens, too.



Ah, but it's the painting you'll want to hear about...and I will admit that this was one of those parts of the project where I wasn't sure it was going to come out as I'd imagined...and it took a lot of control not to second guess myself, as I began applying crazy, curly-edged flaring stripes of the purple Field Of Heather over the base coat of Cape Cod Gray, which is sort of a blue-green, turned a little more greeny by the close proximity of the purple tones for contrast.

I wanted the vertical stripes, to give the room a little more feeling of height, but the curly edges soften the rigidness of the stripes...plus making them uneven in size and flared a bit toward the ceiling also gives the room a slight illusion of being a little bigger than it is. All justification, when really, I got the idea for the un-uniform stripes by considering the idea of being inside a flower blossom.

Anyway, once the whole room was done and dried, I liked the look a lot more. There's a sort of whimsical "Dr. Seuss designed me some wallpaper" look to it that I think is sort of comforting for a sleeping room...and anyway, this is just stage two. I think you'll like it when it's closer to finished, as I am liking it more and more as I continue to work on it.

As the weekend drew to a close, we prepared to welcome the latest full moon. Here's a shot of it from the deck/balcony, as the wind drew thin wispy clouds quickly across it's face.

(Yes, I'm still running a little behind here. There's more of the painting project, and other household news to share, but we can leave that as a comfortable source of suspense until next time, eh?)

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Boat Creek: Two Shots


In both photos, we're looking west toward Cape Cod Bay over Boat Creek Marsh from Bridge Road in Eastham. The photo above was taken about 1:30 p.m. yesterday. The photo below was taken around noontime today. Quite a contrast, eh?

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Coast Guard Beach


On the way to work, it occurred to me that I'd not seen the Atlantic in a few weeks, so I made a side-trip to Coast Guard Beach in Eastham. The clouds were building more by then and a gray pallor seemed to fall over our day.

Around the Coast Guard station, lots of these little blue chicory blossoms were holding forth in the lawn. I just love these guys.

Seaside goldenrod lives up to its name.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Eleven


Eleven years ago today, I was exploring the Cape and found a dune quite like this one. I did as Thoreau suggested and "put all America behind me." I sat in the sand and wrote. I walked along the shoreline and I thought. I watched the tide go and come back in again. Saw boats go out to sea and return and wrote some more...and I think by then, I'd fallen in love with this Cape of Cods.

Later that night, I met the man with whom I've spent these last ten years (and most of that quite happily, all things considered). Today, we're celebrating.

(Oh, and the photo album came out pretty great, too!)

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Windmill Weekend: Classic Cars


Ah, another beautiful summer morning. But today's a special occasion, and we won't tarry in our garden long. There's not all that much new to see there, and here in Eastham, it's Windmill Weekend.

It's a whole weekend festival of activities celebrating Eastham's history and extending the summer season for those of us who live here all year round.

So, instead of remaining in the company of the goldenrod and snapdragons, I took my camera and wandered across the street to the Elks Club, where the participants in this afternoon's Classic Car Show were arriving.

Now look, I'm the Midnight Gardener, I'm not Click OR Clack--the guys from "Cartalk". So don't expect a proper narration of the assorted beauties. Just enjoy them.



Now, on the subject of these next two representatives from the Wellfleet and Eastham Fire Departments, I have only this to say (those involved will understand): Fire trucks, I win!!


The Marines were well-represented.

There is something a little bittersweet about realizing that all the cars you remember from your childhood can now easily be welcomed to a Classic Car Show. I knew a van just like this as a kid.


Thursday, September 06, 2007

Thursday Morning


It was a pleasure to enjoy a cup of coffee out in the garden this morning. Of course, this time of year, it always seems a little bittersweet, as you realize that so much of the season is quickly behind us.

But it was sunny...and warm in the sun: our temperatures lately have been hovering around the mid-sixties for daytime and fifties in the evenings.

Great sleeping weather, as they say, but it was so recently that we felt the warmth of summer, and I sort of wish it wouldn't turn off like a light switch once Labor Day's come and gone!

As for the garden, it's showing signs of being a little tired at this end of the season, but I blame that largely on my not having mowed or weeded recently. There's still plenty going on, and more blooming to come.

Those red snapdragons have popped some lovely blossoms out of the hedge of oregano they lurk beside. And the goldenrod, after some pruning to keep its height in check, has begun to blossom, its great arching sprays of yellow lighting up the center bed.

If you're a bee, they are also a great place for chin-ups. If they have chins, that is.

On the western edge of the Orchard Garden, a family of squirrels was busy building a new nest for the winter.

And on a dying stalk of gladiola, this small brown spider pretended to be a bit of dried leaf. (Apologies to my arachniphobic readers!) I've posted "his" picture at BugGuide and I'll let you know if I learn anything interesting.

(9/07/07: This appears to be a nursery web spider, AKA, pisaurina mira)

Don't dwell on it, though. It's just a spider. Here, look at this beautiful picotee cosmos blossom instead. I'm very glad to have become acquainted with this variety this summer. I'll be glad to welcome more like them in future years.

The hostas are blooming nicely, too.

Like I said, things are looking a little shaggy and wild, due to my benign neglect. There'll be other days for working out there, getting the place in shape for the coming winter and next summer. I'd like to do some soil amendment this fall, and you can be sure there'll be some bulbs to plant.

Today, it was nice to enjoy the sunshine while it is still warm!

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Goldenrod. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Goldenrod. Posted by Picasa