Early Fall Holdouts (2010)

i say this every year - it's a certainty that i get teary eyed at least twice a calendar year - on the day i take my tropical and house plants outside for the season, because i'm so happy it's finally warm, AND - on the day i have to take them in because of the cold! That day is not a happy one...and this is that day (sniff...)

One of my Kalanchoes (Mother of Thousands) that went crazy this year. Didn't realize it was a vine - till this! Strange and ugly - but interesting!

Another Kalanchoe - i remember the cultivar name of this one - "Big Mama"! Having many babies this time of year (anyone wants any, let me know!)

The Amsonias have turned their golden autumn colors ( "amsoniared" has been my online name for many years - and yes, i know their flowers are blue...!)

Another Amsonia.... 

 And my first one (and namesake), Amsonia tabernaemontana, (Eastern Bluestar) with thicker leaves.

  

The Castor bean is smaller than it usually is, but still became a pretty good speciman!

But any day now, a frost will get it, and i'll have to start from seed all over again in the Spring

And one of my favorite small trees, Cherokee Daybreak dogwood, with its variegated leaves flushing pink now. Very pretty, but i'd still rather have it showing its Summer color!

Happy Fall ! (NOT)

Only a few more hours of Summer - it's the time of year i dread! Yes, the days are cooler (except that the whole summer was cool this year), a lot of the days are very pretty (except that i'm at work 5 days a week and can't enjoy them), the leaves turn beautiful colors (except that it means the leaves are DYING)...See where i'm coming from? Don't think i CAN be satisfied in the Autumn! It would be my favorite time of year IF the next season was Spring - but since we have cold weather- meaning weather plants will not grow in- from October through April (at least), to ME it's sad.

This is also the time of year i start grasping at straws- "Well, at least the trees haven't started changing colors yet." "Well, at least it's still warm." "Well, at least i can still feed the fish in the pond." "Well, the trees are changing, but they still have their leaves." "Well, at least it hasn't snowed yet." "Well, at least the ground is still soft enough to plant bulbs." "Well, at least there's a few more weeks of Daylight Savings time, and i can still have some time outside before dark." "Well, at least it's not REAL cold yet.".... You get the idea.

i have always said that i cry 2 times a year (barring the occasional wedding or funeral). First, on the first beautiful warm Spring day that I can move my houseplants outside - those are tears of happiness! And the other is the day the first frost is supposed to hit, and i have to bring them all back inside, because that day is when i realize that Winter is truly here....After that, i do finally reach the point where i resign myself to the fact that Summer is NOT coming back, and i begin to enjoy the season somewhat. But i'm not very happy about it! ):o/