Last bits of vacation last week

Common persimmon tree. A native with edible fruit! Yum! I will try to sprout some.
Yum. Gracie likes to eat fallen ripe persimmons.
Mom served blackberry cobbler with homemade no churn ice cream too.
A different day: leftover juice and berries from the cobbler with shortbread and whipping cream.
Judy gave me this Mexican sage which Paula helped me plant as soon as I got home last Saturday.
Good vacation but time to hit the road!
Reunited!!!! I am informed the cat was profoundly lonesome, clingy, and annoying in the absence of his big sister.

If you can’t tell, I took today off

First saffron crocus of the fall!
Hmm who could be in an attempted flower bed spot?
Nothing is growing there so I guess I will let it pass. Looks cozy.
I love the white avens foliage and flowers, but the seeds have been aggravating me by sticking to my pants. I decided to move a bunch of concrete pavers that got buried by leaves elsewhere to make the path clearer here to compost.
Ran out of energy and obvious pavers to move.

Cubist ideal of melon

That’s what some of my coworkers called this moon and stars watermelon.
Dog for scale with the ideal melon and its very cute spotted friend.
I think they didn’t have enough time to ripen before the vine died (not even frost, just sort of browned and died) as they weren’t as sweet as I was expecting or hoping. But definitely not awful. I will try growing again.

Exciting visitors of many species

A katydid on the pineapple sage!
A mantis on the zinnias in the rainbow garden.
Gracie brought her humans to visit us today!!
Waiting for Gracie to play again.
A very blue bee!!
Front of the blue bee.
Gracie is fun!!! She liked our very exciting frisbee except it was harder to pick up than her usual tennis balls and pine cones.
Gram liked we have the rare side door open to let in a sunny spot!

Bone meal

On Thursday last week, I put bone meal for phosphorus around the three tomatoes that haven’t flowered this year. Monday, I found flowers on one. I haven’t checked the others yet.
Maximilian sunflower flamingo.
Monday, I think this is switchgrass from some native seed mix. This is Sorghastrum nutans, another major tallgrass prairie species. Thanks Jeanne for the correction!!
Monday, a dog smiled.
Monday, also sorted seeds from Mom and others to plant now and later in winter.
Monday, got seeds in the mail!!
Monday, a plant hopper on okra.
Sunday stir fry contained garden poblanos and jalapeños.

Saturday harvest and new lake

The original moon and stars watermelon is still here. The tendril is turning brown so it may be ready soon?
I harvested 162 g of oregano from the front and back yard. The Chef dehydrated it and removed the stems, and the final dry weight was 20 g.
Some blackjack oak acorns.
Walking towards a new lake.
Briar got to stand in the lake.
A leopard frog in the raised bed, hiding.