"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Where did October go?

How on earth can October almost be over?  Time has been just flying by.  It seems that just doing the regular day to day things have taken so much time that I have little time left for blogging.  Every so often I get a chance to visit a blog or two, but not as many as I'd like.  When I realized that the month is almost over I couldn't believe it.  We've had mostly beautiful fall weather and every chance I get I run out to do a little cleaning up or planting.  Yesterday the Littlest Gardener and I spent a couple of hours cleaning up the front raised beds, emptying containers, cutting things back and even planted a few bulbs.  I just never know when the last of the sun will be and want to soak in every ray I can!

This is similar to the view out the kitchen window.  Washing dishes isn't so bad when you have something pretty to look at.  The Oakleaf Hydrangea with the Pennisetum in front is such a pretty combination.

A container on the deck is a galvanized bucket with holes drilled in the bottom.  It's hard to see in the picture, but this Kale has pink edges on the white leaves almost the same color as the Violas.

'Rozanne' just doesn't have any intention of slowing down.  I have three in my yard and they are all blooming still.

I did some cleanup around the pond yesterday, cutting back all the yellowed Hostas.  In this washtub I've got another Kale and Violas.

My American Beautyberry 'Profusion' grows low to the ground, maybe not quite enough sun?  It does have lots of berries though and has only been here a couple of years.

LOVE the purple berries.

The most gorgeous show going on around here are the Japanese Maples.  Someday I will walk up our short street to take pictures of everyones fall colored Japanese Maples.  It's so colorful on our street right now.  Our big Japanese Maple turns this pretty gold color before losing it's leaves.

The sun makes the leaves just glow!

I have to admit that my short bursts of time spent on the computer have been partially spent on Pinterest.  So many great ideas!  Here's one that the Littlest Gardener and I did yesterday.  It was very easy and aside from me melting some chocolate chips, the Littlest Gardener who just turned 5, was able to do some by herself.

Just take an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss and dip it into melted chocolate chips.  Then push it onto a Nutterbutter round cookie, take a chocolate chip and dip it into the melted chocolate and "glue" it onto the other side of the cookie.  We are calling them "haycorns" like Piglet does in Winnie the Pooh.  (I can't find the original source of this recipe, there are many variations on the internet, if you know where the original idea came from I would be happy to give them credit.)

Hope you are enjoying October, at least what's left of it!
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

29 comments:

  1. Although October is almost gone, your garden still looks good! Mouthwatering snacks made by the Littlest Gardener!

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  2. Yum! I am going to try this recipe for sure. Your sweetie did a beautiful job 'baking'. Love your florals & autumn pics. Yes, the month has flown by ...

    Have a lovely weekend ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  3. Your garden still looks very nice. The hot hot summer left mine looking very sad. Just hope I haven't lost some of my plants. Hoping for rain soon.

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  4. I am enjoying October! We've had some nice weather lately, a bit of sun and clouds, not that much rain. I'm getting a lot of clean-up done in the garden, like you, going out to get as much done as I can when I have the time and the energy. I love that picture of the little fairy with the Rozanne blooms. Those acorn cookies look so good!

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  5. I saw those precious little cookies on pinterest as well. I would love to make them for my children, but I have a nut allergy in my class. I am so enjoying October, I hate to see it pass.

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  6. Bonnie - I saw them made with Nilla wafers too, maybe that would work?

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  7. Your garden is still looking lovely and I love those maple trees. Most of the "fall" color we're seeing around here, unfortunately, is trees that died in the drought :-(
    (Not ours, thank goodness)

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  8. Hey Catherine, I love your container pots and wow..your Japanese maple is so beautiful! I bet you can just get lost in thought while looking at it all golden in the sun.
    Looks like you and LG had a 'sweet' time making your autumn treats :) She's such a cutie! Cheers, Jenni

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  9. Things in your garden are still looking beautiful. We've had some hard frost up here and things are looking pretty sad.

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  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  11. Ok, HAVE to try the haycorns. Love it!
    Everything looks beautiful in your garden. I agree- where did the time go??? No I can't believe October is almost over. Nuts. We just got a cold front so it is chilly here and finally feels like fall. It is wonderful! Your beautyberry- I don't know- maybe more sun- I have mine in full sun and they are rockin' and rolling but yours have berries, so they can't be that unhappy... I love the Japanese Maples- such beautiful color!!!

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  12. Absolutely glorious J. maple! My favorite tree and yours is so big. Please do take some pictures at I'd love to see all the fall color. Pinterest? What is that? Never heard of it but the Hershey kisses look good. It's great the Littlest Gardener can do them herself.

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  13. Hi Catherine. I am with you girl I do not know where this month has gone.
    I love the Kale container. It is so pretty with the violas. The purple berries on your Beautyberry bush are so pretty.
    I bet there was a lot of finger licking going on making those hayhorns. LOL! They do look yummy. The Littlest Gardener did a nice job making them.

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  14. Tina - Pinterest is a virtual pinboard, hard to explain, but here's the link to it. It's very fun, lots of great ideas.
    http://pinterest.com/

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  15. Hi,

    I refuse to accept that it's almost November... It's just not happening. I cannot believe it. Where has the past year gone???!!!

    Lovely to see you still have blooms though, and we've been having generally very nice and mild weather for the past week or more. Making it much easier to get jobs done and as if by magic I'm constantly finding new jobs to do!

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  16. Your post title drew me into your blog, and I'm so glad! October did, indeed, fly by! I love the Beautyberry--that's one I hope to plant soon! And the photos looking up into the Maples are incredible! I took some shots of our Oaks the other day that look iike stained glass with the light behind them. Happy Autumn!

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  17. Oh gosh, my grands will LOVE this.

    Thanks so much.

    Garden looks great and lovely October. I am so getting back in the swing of things.

    Love,

    S

    Littlest Gardener is gorgeous!

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  18. Your garden doesn't seem to notice it's November. Keep up the blooms!
    I've followed your blog for a while here, and thought I'd take a stab at it. Would you mind checking it out and let me know if you have any help?
    gardeninginwesternwashington.blogspot.com

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  19. Gorgeous new fall header on your blog Catherine. I love that we've both been blessed with some fabulous fall weather. After a dismal summer, I'm happy to see so much sunshine! I must admit though, I'm having an attack of Japanese Maple envy. I really need to figure out where to plant one here. Your mature trees are stunning.

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  20. Hi Catherine! I remember your huge maple from some earlier posts, it is really beautiful! Rosanne is still blooming, ha? What a good plant. My campanulas go strong right now - it is nice to have some blue color in fall!
    You have such a good helper there! She works in the garden and in the kitchen too!
    Take care

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  21. Gode efterårsbilleder.
    Hvor ser det fin ud i din have.
    Tak for rundvisningen.

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  22. Catherine your garden is still going strong and looking lovely...those maples are stunning...leaves and blooms are gone...freezing nights...

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  23. I'm also a fan of Callicarpa. I put some photos of it on my blog on 13 and 14 October. I hope you will visit my blog to see them (and other things of course!)
    We had great weather during most of October, so many of my plants have kept going longer than usual. I expect you have had your first frost by now, haven't you?

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  24. This month flew by, but what a great idea to spend some of it in the kitchen.

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  25. Love your garden in the fall. It looks as interesting as it does spring and summer. I hope winter weather stays away for awhile.

    Eileen

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  26. Hi Cathrine, I loved to get a glimpse into your garden as always. The galvanized containers with the kale and the violas are very pretty and your American Beautyberry 'Profusion' is to die for. I am wondering if this shrub would grow in Southern California? My hardy geranium 'Rozanne' is still flowering a little bit, too. I wanted to buy two more yesterday, but they were sold out, but I don't give up so easily :-)! Happy Halloween!
    Christina

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  27. Oh yes. That Pinterest! It can keep a person occupied for hours. I love the haycorns! Your garden still looks wonderful and that tree photo is amazing. I'm wondering where October went too. Time flies...

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  28. I hear you about October flying by - the end of the month meant my baby was 2 months old already! I love your kale and viola combo, such pretty, feminine colors. Your littlest gardener is quite a cook. I'm impressed you have the patience to bake with her. My mom does better at baking with my girls - I always seem to forget an ingredient or get frustrated with their fingers in everything and flour all over when they try to help. I'm hoping I'll be more patient by the time I'm a grandma!

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  29. Those cookie treats are almost as sweet as that little cook in the kitchen. :)

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