You can assume that for the next two weeks, every day that is dry, will have me working outside in Steffi's Garden. That's what I did today, that's what I will do tomorrow, and the next day, and the one after. Yes, there's planting: I put in four roses today (13 to go!) and I move one phlox and one heliopsis. But there's so much more! In my rush to get things in the ground, I had taken short cuts. I'm cleaning up after myself now -- pulling up patches of sod where they interfere with the rose air flow (roses need air flow!). I'm putting down mulch where it's thin. I'm ripping out tufts of grass where it does not belong. And, because these are all new plantings, I'm keeping up with a watering schedule.
This is truly insane behavior on my part if measured against my typical September activity. I always gave up on garden work by the end of August. The weeds were by then unmanageable, the earth was dry and crusted, flowers were drying up for the year. Why bother interfering with the natural progression of things? But this year is different in so many ways and my care for the garden is different as well. It is all my responsibility. I am the steward here. My ideas, my execution. And ideas evolve, and my enthusiasm for this project hasn't waned, and it is delightful to be working outside (no mosquitoes!) this fall.
After breakfast of course.
("I'm ready!")
Millie joins me, too, for part of the outdoor work.
I have some tidying to do inside her fenced yard. She keeps an eye on me.
People stroll by, offering lovely comments, Ed stops by to deposit one more box of papers and one more bucket of soil. I have hit a groove of contentedness and I'm not willing to let go of it.
In the evening, the young family is here for dinner. That includes Goose and of course, with Millie chasing after and then running away from Goose, the evening is very lively!
Given the weather, it's no surprise that at least half of the clan spends a good bit of time outside. On the porch, taking small walks, watching the dogs go wild every time another dog walks by.
Eventually though we all come in to eat. With the lights on -- that's how close to winter we are!
But no frost yet. And so I will continue: digging, planting, moving, cleaning up...
with so much love...
