Saturday, September 26, 2015

As Summer Winds Down

The calendar says that fall has officially arrived now, but as long as the flowers are still blooming, I feel like summer is still winding down. Honestly, I think September is the finest month in all the land. I still have all my flowers, the days are warm but the nights are cool, the humidity is gone, and the skies are ever blue. I'm finding it hard to stay indoors for housework, when I'd much rather be outside.


It's a bittersweet time of year. I'm trying to savor the beauty of the last blooms, knowing that frost could be only a few weeks away. Every year I beg summer to stay, but it doesn't help, does it? Autumn surely follows.



It would seem that I'd be accustomed to seeing my summer flowers fall to frost every year, after all this time. But I'm not. It's always a little sad.



Still, I have to admit that I enjoy my long winter's rest. It's nice to relax and dream about next year's garden. I'm not sure that I'd fully appreciate a full year of gardening. Winter makes the summer garden season all the more precious.



As much as I love the flowers here in Robin's Nest, by far the most thrilling garden adventure that I enjoyed this summer was when I raised two monarch caterpillars all the way into their transformation to beautiful butterflies. I understand that many butterfly nuts like me do this every year, but this was a first for me. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will have seen the caterpillars and the chrysalis that followed. It was amazing to see, for sure.



But to see the butterfly emerge, and then fly off towards Mexico was just plain amazing. If you have never done this, you simply must.



Sweet September was a fine, fine month for me here in Robin's Nest. I'll be sorry to turn the page to October, but then again, it's nearly as wonderful as September. Autumn is our reward for the winter that follows it.


15 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos, Robin...and I certainly enjoyed following your butterfly adventures on FB! I have a love-hate relationship with the month of September. While I love the weather, it is the saddest and hardest month of the year for me, as this is when Phil passed away.

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    1. I'm sure that September will always hold that sorry for you Melanie, and it's understandable.

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  2. I love your photos! The metamorphosis of a butterfly is a wonderful thing. My son did this once when he was young. He was so proud of his butterfly. Then, when we real released it, to our horror, a bird immediately swooped down and ate it!

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    1. Oh my goodness, how heartbreaking! I would have been devastated. Do you know that I still think about those two butterflies, and wonder where they are? That's how much they touched me.

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    1. Thanks Phillip, I'm glad you visited my blog! Raising those two monarchs in my home was a real highlight in my life!

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  4. It's so beautiful where you live, I can see why you don't want to let go...I love Autumn...in fact don't tell Summer, but Autumn is my favorite.

    Gorgeous shots as always Robin.

    Jen

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    1. Thank you so much Jen, but I just live in a simple suburb near Columbus Ohio. It's a great mix of city and country here, and I love that.

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  5. Robin girl (I may have to call you the Bionic Woman when you get your new knee ? LOL)
    I love seeing Karly Rose grass pictures ... I loved mine when I had it .. so pretty ! ...
    The Monarch is such a gift to watch transition into a butterfly and know it's perilous journey to Mexico ... I have watched documentaries about it and it is like a miracle how they survive it all.
    Gorgeous pictures girl ... it really lends to a late summer atmosphere ...
    Take care !
    Joy
    PS ... yes .... I have a bazillion more chores to tackle ! ugh !!

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    1. I do love my Karly Rose, but it has grown and spread so much in just three years that it's crammed in there and doesn't look as well as it once did. Next spring, we are going to seriously divide them, probably by half.

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  6. Do you know what variety your fountain grass is? It is so pretty, especially with the light coming through.

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    1. I've always posted so many photos of my Karly Rose grass, that I thought everyone knew what kind it was! It really is pretty with backlighting. It's just okay in winter though, the seedheads shatter early on. But all summer long it looks like that, so it's worth it.

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  7. I enjoy your beautiful botanical photos, Robin, especially the grasses. How exciting to raise monarchs! I have to go back and look at your previous postings about them. P. x

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    1. Thank you, and thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you'll come back to Robin's best again.

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    2. Thank you, and thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you'll come back to Robin's best again.

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