Dinner Plate Dahlia

Dinner Plate Dahlia
Originally uploaded by Rexfree_99

The first killing frost is just around the corner and in the meantime, the giant dahlias are just gorgeous. They are full of ants but I still am cutting them and bringing them in or putting them out on the deck. They are just wonderful to see at this time of year.
While I was in the garden a short while ago, on a very very windy afternoon, I saw down in a protected space and watched the bushtits and hummingbirds visit the Pineapple sage, the Hollyhocks and the Joseph's Coat rose...beautiful in spite of the icy wind.

I was going to plant my lettuces and swiss chard this afternoon when the winds die down, but just noticed that one of my oldest cats has an abcess in her mouth. Instead of working in the yard, I will be taking Samson to the Vet and probably having her put to sleep. She doesn't weigh more than a feather and I don't think she would withstand any invasive procedures. She is about 16 years old if not older.

Still Life: Dahlias with Ants

Still Life: Dahlias with Ants
Originally uploaded by Rexfree_99

view profile
Rexfree_99 Pro User says:

Wanted to bring in some fall flowers, and cut some dahlias...got into the house and realized that they and me were crawling with ants. I plunged them into my favorite floating bowl that I picked up in Japan, and rushed them outside for an outdoor arrangement.
Living and gardening by the creek does have some drawbacks. The ants are just everywhere.

Turkey looking for a spot to roost

Turkey looking for a spot to roost
Originally uploaded by Rexfree_99

In the spring, we had a fairly large flock of turkeys, but by mid-summer, we were down to two, and now we have only one. Hopefully this one will be able to join up with another flock. It is roosting very near the oaks over the house, but I haven't spotted the place yet.