Month: September 2024

The Dawn of the Day After

| Flower Roberts

Helene lived up to the second L that I gave her. It was hard to sleep after scrolling photos of all the devastation and wondering what was silently floating past in the darkness.
I crept out at dawn to a glorious sky full of stars and a moon that looked like a smile. The calm after the storm is both un-nerving and comforting, like chit chat at a funeral.
The insects were singing. I could see the silouette of our local deer herd grazing on the wet grass.
What will the sun expose?
I will share some photos of the unmanned boat and boathouse parade of yesterday evening.

This is one of many boathouses. If you are missing one, head south. Watch out for massive amounts of debris. It has been mayhem on the river.
Loose Pontoon

This pontoon came by three times. The island splits the flow of the river. We saw it pass, circle back up river, then get caught in the  main current again.

We are thankful to be safe, high on a hill. Our power was restored after only twelve hours. Grateful for every little thing as the sun rises on a new day after Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

I will add my thoughts that not only do I believe in death and gravity, but I am a firm believer in the power of weather and water.

FLOW SAFE & DRY

Hellene in Swing

| Flower Roberts

We are being visited by Hellene with her wild wind and crazy rain.
The river is high, brown and choppy. This ribbon of water will be a parade of debris, loose boats and boat houses later.
We have been here a long time. Long enough to not be surprised by the power of water and wind.
What happens is beyond our control. All we can do is watch the show and clean up the mess when its over.
I will have my camera ready for action. Until then, I will watch the trees dance wildly then stop abruptly…like the music ended only to begin again suddenly.
FLOW

Just One Butternut

| Flower Roberts

It happens every summer without fail. One appears in my garden from the place where I buried compost. If more show up, they are removed. It takes just one you see.

Butternut on the move.
Butternut hanging around in the garden.

That one butternut vine winds its way around the garden, over and under the fences. It will not be contained.

Its gorgeous leaves hide its treasures. First they are a lovely green. Then they ripen to a color I call babydoll beige.

This year’s haul from one butternut.

That is when they are ready to be removed. We harvest all the butternut squash and haul away the massive vine, about the time of the equinox.


We store our stash in a cool, dry place. These are the winter’s vitamins and sunshine soups. All from one butternut.

FLOWER  is still trapped on the deck and using a walker.

RAILING ARRIVES TOMORROW!

Stay tuned.

Our Bop Loved Blue

| Flower Roberts

Not just any blue, bluebird blue.
I have refurbished two things that belonged to my daddy.
One is a metal file box. I have cleaned it and sprayed it with the perfect blue paint. This will be my writing box. I can carry my supplies where ever I wish to write.

Label ripped to remove the key.

The other object is my daddy’s sun hat. I soaked it and it still was yellowish around the band. So I dyed it…blue.

Bop’s hat.

We will leave this refurbished blue hat in the mountains for whomever forgets to pack a hat.

Bop had skin cancer on top of his head.

The cancer was removed and skin from his thigh was grafted over the spot.

Then the surgeon sewed something that looked like a chalkboard eraser or an ice cream sandwich onto the top of his head. We called him Eraser Head until it was removed.

Eraser head in his blue chair.

When the bandage came off, he had wispy thigh hair on top of his head. This made my sister and me squeal when we combed his hair.

Daddy showing some thigh.

My daddy is still helping us out. He would be pleased that these possessions of his are still useful.

Our Kiki. Still cute at 92.

Daddy loved blue and he loved Kiki too, no matter what color she wore

FLOWER

September is Pink

| Flower Roberts

The early fall color in my yard is pink. 

Pink Muhly Grass will stay gorgeous through all of fall.

I know when the Pink Muhly and sedums bloom pink that cooler weather is on its way.

Sedums in hypertufa trough.

One of my favorite pink bloomers is Jewels of Opar ‘Limon.” It is a magical sight with its tiny, shiny seed pods and delicate pink blooms.

Jewels of Opar ‘Limon’

Flower is still trapped on her decks waiting for healing and railing. Stay tuned. Next week is the week!

Brilliant sedum

FLOW

It is Friday the Thirteenth

| Flower Roberts

My dahlia post that I published on the wrong blog in the middle of the night is now lost in cyberspace. Sometimes it is easier to start over than backtrack.

Many strange things have happened since my hip replacement. My head is still spinning. When I tell folks about the events they ask if I am still on pain medication. The answer is no. The craziness could be from the eight nights of insomnia. I am laying low today since it is Friday the 13th. I feel like the universe is messing with me!

I am stuck on my decks for a while longer until I am more stable and all the railing has been installed. My daughter fell up some steps last week. We live on a hill, so there are few flat spaces and steps are everywhere.

I have watched my dahlias from afar. No watering, weeding , deadheading or feeding.

Here they are. Their success is a testament to the soil prep and the staking I did in April before my right hip gave out and I jarred the whole left side of my body stumbling down some steps as I wrestled with a hose.

Firepot dahlia
Snow Country dahlia
Thomas A. Edison and Katydid

I hope this post makes it to you. Thanks Susan for letting me know that the booboo was worse than anticipated.

FLOWER is going back to bed. I am too tired to handle any more mischief.

Happy Friday the 13th!