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| Sweet Potato Flower |
September is not the best month for my garden because it is so hot. But, this morning, when I took a walk in the garden, I noticed that there were flowers on one of the sweet potato vines and I wanted to take a picture of it.
Then, I noticed the yellow rose:
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| Yellow Rose |
I also thought that it was time to show how Baby Melon was coming along - it is almost as big as my hand:
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| Baby Melon |
In the meantime, the other two watermelons are doing well, too:
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| Walter Melon III (aka Dandy Macaroni) |
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| Wawa Melon |
M and I think that they are personal sized watermelons and will not get much bigger. Now it is a matter of knowing when to reduce watering them so they can become sweeter, without damaging the Asian pear tree whose planting bed they are sharing!
Finally, I picked more okra:
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| Okra Harvest; 9/13 |
Later in the evening, I watered the front garden. I noticed more of the droppings that M had identified as a coyote's and nearby, some tufts of white fur. Then, I noticed that there were many more tufts of white fur in neighbor T's front garden. I am not sure if one of the bunnies had another encounter with a predator! I saw Pirate Bun a couple of evenings ago, but, didn't see Snow Bunny. I don't want them eating my fruits and vegetables, but, I don't want them to end up as a coyote's dinner, either!
Still later in the evening, when I returned home after going across the street to collect something from my cousin, the neighbor's little dog was in my front garden, barking his head off at me and coming towards me. Ever since the other neighbor's two dogs rushed out barking at me and bit me, I am nervous of dogs, so I asked, in a loud voice, whose dog was he and what was he doing in my yard, without a leash and barking at me? Two boys who were playing in the driveway, next door, heard me and called the dog back! I told them that they shouldn't allow their dog to run around without a leash.
In other news, I did laundry, today, wrote a character reference for a friend's daughter who was applying to a new job, did some cooking, and mopped the kitchen floor.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Flowers in my garden
- The okra harvest
- The watermelons
- Water for the garden
- Chatting with family and friends on the phone
- The okra harvest
- The watermelons
- Water for the garden
- Chatting with family and friends on the phone
Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden.
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September Decluttering: I am continuing to declutter at least one item a day in September, too.
9/1 - 1 Crossword book, completed (recycled)
9/2 - 1 T shirt (daughter's; to be donated)
9/3 - 1 knitting book (to be donated)
9/4 - unused cards (to be donated)
9/5 - 1 participation medal (daughter's; tossed)
9/6 - 1 seashell necklace (to be donated)
9/7 - 3 copper bowls (to be donated)
- 3 text books (daughter's; recycled)
9/8 - 1 text book (daughter's; recycled)
9/9 - 2 metal spare parts that are no longer needed (recycled)
9/10 - 1 CD (chemistry lecture supplement; daughter's; tossed)
9/11 - 1 bag of small plastic toy reptiles and amphibians (3 snakes, 4 frogs, and 4 lizards; to be donated)
9/12 - 2 crocheted shawls
9/13 - 1 ice bucket printer paper tray
Your garden has produced wonderfully this year and your yellow rose is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why some people allow their dogs to wander around like that, even well behaved ones. It sounds as though it was friendly at least, but you weren't to know that. X
Thank you, Jules; I'm very pleased with how the garden has been doing, this year. Lots of effort on M's part, fertilizing, watering, etc. The dog was probably friendly, but, I don't know; the neighbor in the house directly behind them has complained to me that their dogs have jumped over the wall and attacked her little dog! People really shouldn't let their dogs run around off-leash and there is a leash law here, but, of course, they don't always follow that law!
DeleteIt may be hot, but you found some good things in your garden. I think sweet potato flowers are especially pretty.
ReplyDeleteI did find some good things, didn't I? :) I think the sweet potato flowers look a bit like morning glory (they are in the same family).
DeleteThe first time I saw a sweet potato flower I thought it was a morning glory.
DeleteEven though they are in the same family, morning glory is toxic to humans and pets, although deer apparently eat them without any problem!
DeleteI do hope the rabbits are unharmed. And well done for speaking out about the dog in your front garden ... that would have scared me too.
ReplyDeleteHow much longer do you think you'll have to wait for the watermelons to be ready? The okra I bought were green. Do yours have a different taste or are they just the same? You're getting a decent crop from your plants. Is it an annual or perennial plant? Sorry, this sounds like some sort of inquisition ... I'll stop asking questions now 😂
I am now on the look out for the rabbits to see if they are OK! I like dogs, but, after that one incident when another neighbor's dogs bit me, I am not too happy to have a dog off leash, barking at me, and in my own garden, too! I thought of you and the barely controlled dog you met on your visit to the locks, the other day!
DeleteI have no idea how much longer for the watermelons! I am guessing another 3 weeks or so? They are supposed to be ready for harvesting in 65-90 days after sowing, depending on the variety (I've no idea what variety I'm growing as the seed packet got tossed!) and sound hollow when thumped! Also, the vine tendrils are supposed to turn brown and dry up. I think Walter III is starting to show brown tendrils, but, he didn't sound hollow when I thumped him. But, we will be keeping an eye on him! :)
We planted both green and red okra. It looks like the green okra didn't grow! The red okra pods start out green and turn red when exposed to the sun, but, turn green when cooked! They taste the same as green okra, to me. It is supposed to be an annual; I'll keep them as long as I see them producing but, I think they'll be ready to be pulled out around November or so.
No problem about asking questions! :)
Oh no poor bunny.
ReplyDeleteYour sweet potato flower is just beautiful!
I might plant some of the red okra next year. We have had pretty decent luck with ours this year.
I hope the bunny managed to make a safe escape and just lost some of its fur!
DeleteThe sweet potato flower lasts only one day. But, it is a pretty flower, isn't it?
I am very happy with my okra plants! The green okra never germinated, but, the red okra are growing well. :)
Not fun to have coyotes around and I hope the bunny survived. I was concerned for a chipmunk that hadn't shown up for a couple of days as I often hear a broad shouldered hawk in the area, but he came this afternoon. There was another with a stumpy tail but I haven't seen it in a long while.
ReplyDeleteAs for the dog, I can understand your concern after being bitten. Here, on the other hand, my pal, the next door neighbour's dog came and wandered over to me while I was working in the yard so I took time out to have a game of chase with him and even found a stick to throw for him. After a couple of indifferent retrieves which didn't end at my feet, he took it and raced off home!
Yes, having coyotes around isn't much fun! So far, the only time I've seen one in the neighborhood was when I was in my car. I'm not sure I'd want to meet one when I was out, watering or walking! Glad your one chipmunk showed up and I hope that Stumpy will soon show up, too!
DeleteI thought of you and your neighbor's dog when I was asking the neighbor's dog what it was doing in my yard! I thought to myself, Bushlady wouldn't be yelling at her neighbor's dog! But, I am not about to make friends with this dog - I've no idea how friendly he is and I don't want to do anything to encourage it or let the neighbors think that it is OK for them to let their dogs wander into my yard to poop! It's not like they clean up after their dogs! Yes, I'm that mean old woman next door who yell at their dogs! Maybe your neighbor's dog was looking for his treats, not a game of "Fetch"! :D
Oh yes, he was looking for treats alright, but I wasn't about to go indoors at the time!
DeleteLOL.
DeleteDon't you just hate when dog owners let their dogs run amok without a leash? A responsible dog owner should have him on a leash. Getting bit by a dog is one of my biggest fears. Sorry you had to experience a dog bite. When my husband and I go to our walking park I always take my pepper spray with me, just in case. The pepper spray won't hurt the dog but it'll sure stop him. That baby melon almost looks like a light green pumpkin. Hope all is well with you and your daughter. Denise
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that I am forever telling the next door neighbors and their visitors that they should keep their dogs on leashes. I like dogs, but, I don't like them straying on my property and barking at me! A few weeks ago, too, I was out walking in my driveway, and a dog came running in and barked at me; then, when I asked it whose dog it was and why it was in my yard, a woman (who was apparently visiting my neighbors) called the dog back and I told her she should have it on a leash! I am seriously considering putting a fence and a gate to block off my front yard and driveway!
DeleteWe are keeping well, thank you, Denise; hope all is well with you, too. :)
Have you seen Snowball? I hope he is ok and it wasn't his fur.
ReplyDeleteI have a neighbor who is a bit casual about her dog when she walks it.
She doesn't use a leash when she's walking the dog early in the morning. Twice now I have been outside at around 6 am and the dog has cornered me in my own yard barking at me. All the while the owner is down the road ambling along out of site. Both times it seemed like it took forever for her to get to the dog to pull him away. She had no sense of urgency at all saying, "oh he won't hurt you" - (all indications to the contrary)
I was pretty shaken both times. So I understand how you feel.
Yes, I have seen Snowball and she is fine. She stays in the back garden, for the most part, sleeping!
DeleteIt is scary when dogs just wander in to your garden and bark at you! They might just be barking a greeting, but, if you don't really know the dog and the owner is not around, you don't know if they are being friendly or not!