Mixed Blessing

A few posts ago I mentioned how the summer rains kept my flowers really pretty and blooming this year. We didn't seem to have as much rain as usual and it was definitely HOTTER-both an invitation for disaster in a Florida flower garden. But, for whatever reason, that wasn't the case this year. Maybe I boasted too soon.

Our flowers are still pretty even though I am now ready to replace a lot of the summer annuals with autumn flowers and color. But, since I don't visit all areas of our yard in the heat of summer, I was a bit distressed this morning to see the amount of vines and weeds that had taken over what we call the "point"...the side of our yard on the far side of the pool and an area we mostly just use as flat ground for games, etc. Because I have a lot of flower barriers growing up to kind of enclose this area (in my mind, some day, I thought about making it a bit of a hidden garden), I don't notice what happens over there as much as I do in the rest of the yard. I guess vines and weeds enjoyed the summer weather this year too because they had totally taken over the border garden. I headed out there this morning to put down a little mulch-and I discovered that it mulch time EVERYWHERE again also-but, I digress.

As so often happens with me, one thing leads to another and four hours later, I have rid the gardens of all of the invading vines and weeds and cut back the azalea hedges yet again. I keep being told by my lawn man that I shouldn't be cutting them back if I want a pretty bloom in the spring but I would rather make sure my yard is relatively snake free as we speak. Many of the times that I have come "face to face" with one of these slithery creatures is as I was weeding over there and stuck my hand under a plant to weed. It is now my habit to keep everything I can free of under-growth so I can see what I am getting myself into.

And so goes just another day in the life of me. Our yard and gardens are a lot of work but it is work that I enjoy. It makes me feel good (mostly when it is done) because there is an immediate visual confirmation of my hard work! And, the cooler temperatures we are experiencing don't hurt at all!

My bones are tired and a good, long soak is definitely in order. Then, I think it will be time to pour a glass of wine and sit down in my favorite spot with all of autumn around me and breathe in a sense of a good day's work-and pumpkin smells coming from everywhere-lol.

 
 So glad autumn has really arrived-at least in my world. Stay tuned.