Impatiens

I love having white impatiens in shady parts of the yard because they really stand out.

Pumpkins

As I drove past our neighbor Julie's yard, which goes right up to the alley, I noticed a big orange ball. After pulling into the garage I walked back to look at it. It turns out it's a pumpkin and there's an even bigger green one growing right next to it.

Unknown Perennial

Above is a perennial that's growing in the garden by the grill. I don't remember what it's called but the small yellow flowers are quite pretty.

The Back Stoop

The back stoop.

Looks like we're at 13 hours and 28 minutes for total daylight.

Groggy Froggy - Squire House Part 3

While clomping around the grounds at Squire House Gardens on Saturday, Noel and I found this little guy on a lily pad in the lily pond. He looked quite content if but a little tired.

Squire House Gardens Part 2

This white hibiscus plant was growing in the garden at Squire House. I found it to be quite beautiful.

Squire House Gardens Part 1

My friend Noel and I took a trip out to Afton today to visit Squire House Gardens. We usually try to make the trip twice a year - once in warmer weather and once just before the holidays. Martin, the proprietor, is always friendly and happy to see us. We ate at the Afton Inn restaurant which used to be called the Catfish Saloon but is now going by the name Current. The new joint is much better. Squire House had some beautiful hibiscus plants. These two red ones were for sale.

MN State Fair 2011

Dale and I went to the State Fair last night. Outside the Agriculture/Horticulture building I saw these hostas with unusually large leaves.

Woke Up to Wind

We woke up to heavy wind this morning and then got a nice rain shower. Very hot this afternoon.

Deb's Other Grasshopper

Another grasshopper hanging out at Deb's house.

Deb's Grasshopper

Deb and I were both out in our respective yards this afternoon. As I was planting some ornamental kale that Dale and I had picked up earlier at Bachman's, I heard a scream. "Deb?", I said as I jogged over to her side of the yard. She was laughing by the time I got there and said, "Oh, sweetie, it was only a grasshopper." She had been weeding and it had jumped out and startled her. Of course I had to get a photo and I think it turned out rather well if I do say so myself. (P.S. Don't fret over the peeling paint on Deb's basement window as the painters are coming tomorrow. I actually think it adds some rustic charm to the photo.)

Mushroom

Found this one in the yard this morning.

More Blooming Boulevards

The above are photos from a couple of neighbor's blooming boulevards. One of these days I'd love to get some flowers going on our boulevard.

Coneflowers

A few years ago I had three amazing coneflower plants in the backyard. For the last two summers only one has come back and it ain't lookin' so good. I miss them because they were big and beautiful and they attracted lots of butterflies. Anyway, a lot of the coneflowers around the neighborhood are looking way past their peak and are just looking a bit tired.

The top photo shows my sad looking coneflower plant that's tried hard the past couple summers but just never quite made it to its former glory. The bottom photo shows a coneflower plant growing on a neighbor's blooming boulevard. They just don't look as perky when you get to this time of August.

Deb's Addition - Looking Good

Deb says the house painters are coming next week.

Total Daylight: 14 Hours and 00 Minutes

The shorter days are becoming more and more obvious - especially so (to me, at least) in the evening. I'm up so much later than Dale is so I'll have to ask him if he's noticing a difference in the morning. The photo shows a pot of impatiens in the foreground and the pot of coleus in the background. Both are located by the rhubarb garden by the garage.

A Pot Full of Coleus

To the right of the pot of coleus is some rhubarb that's still hangin' on. I've been told that after the Fourth of July rhubarb starts getting kind of rubbery.

Even MORE Grasshopper

I photoshopped one of the grasshopper pictures I took yesterday to make it look like an oil painting. I think it turned out pretty well.

More Photos of the Grasshopper

Grasshopper

Found this little guy on the spigot as I went to turn on the hose to water the flowers. He barely moved as I turned on the water and, as you can see from the photo, he let me get pretty close to take his picture. He jumped onto the side of the house as I turned the water off.

Found this little guy on the spigot as I went to turn on the hose to water the flowers. He barely moved as I turned on the water and, as you can see from the photo, he let me get pretty close to take his picture. He jumped onto the side of the house as I turned the water off.

I Love August

Yesterday at church a seminary student gave the homily. He began by saying how much he hates August and that to him this month is to summer what February is to winter - long and drawn out. He lost all of my attention at this point. It wasn't out of anger because, after all, he is entitled to his own opinion, but because I began to drift off and think about the many reasons I love August. It happens to be the month of my birthday but, more than this, it's the time of the season that I'm relaxed and beginning to look forward to going back to work while still appreciative of the vacation time I have left. I love fall and in August I begin to notice signs of the inevitable changes of the season - the changes in light, leaves, temperature and even the length of time between cricket chirps in the evening. In addition to this the days, while still warm, are not a likely to be as stiflingly hot as July. Oh yeah, and the Minnesota State Fair is on the horizon too (I believe it begins this year on August 25). The photo you see with this post is of a neighbor's blooming boulevard that I spotted on one of my walks today - a beautiful August day.

August Full Moon

The August full moon was yesterday, Saturday, August 13. Tribes that fished got to name this one. According to the Farmer's Almanac, sturgeon, a large fish, are more likely to be caught in the month of August.

Mark's Blooming Boulevard

Ran into our neighbor Mark as I was walking up to Walgreens to get some ice for cocktails tonight. These flowers are on his blooming boulevard and although I took this photo back on July 22 they still look pretty close to what you see here. Heavy showers overnight last night. It was still raining when I woke up this morning. I love waking up to the sound of rain.

Deb's Addition - Driveway View

Here's the view of the addition from Deb's driveway.

Signs of Fall

It's August and some of the trees are sensing the change in light and starting to show signs of changing color. This one, which I found on a walk, is particularly far along. Very pretty.

Deb's Addition - Roof On

Again, I can't believe how speedy these guys are.

Front Yard - Planter

Can you believe the time elapse here is only about 2 1/2 weeks? Look how much the sweet potato vine has grown! Also, haven't reported on daylight recently. We're at 14 hours and 17 minutes.

Sweet Potato Vine

I love the lime green color of the sweet potato vine. It's a nice contrast with the darker greens of the grass, leaves and many other plants. It also looks particularly good in the shade along with the white impatiens in the same planter.

Decorative Grasses

I wish these decorative grasses were perennials rather than annuals. They look so pretty blowing gently in the breeze.

Deb's Addition - I'm Impressed With How Fast These Guys Are Moving

Deb's Addition - Movin' Right Along

I can't believe how much they got done today. Deb was upset when she got home from work yesterday. It looks like some of the construction guys machinery put a crack in her driveway.

Deb's Addition - Back Steps Gone

Lots going on in Deb's yard today. There was some pretty heavy duty machinery needed to take out her concrete back steps. Somehow it did a little damage to the pavement in her driveway and she was none too happy about it. Anyway, a lot of the materials for the addition are now sitting in her yard.

Trip to Bachman's

Stopped by Bachman's today to get a few annuals and boy are they cleared out. Found a few coleus left and grabbed 'em. Also found this butterfly on a plant there. Very pretty.

Deb's Addition

Deb stopped by yesterday to tell us that work on her addition will start tomorrow. She said that it is going to be a little bigger than she originally planned. She's a little over-worried about the noise they'll be making disturbing me. Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing it!

Return Home

Just got back from visiting Brenda and Irv in Colorado. Found the yard to be looking great when we pulled in the driveway. Mom's been coming over to water and our neighbors Jim, Megan and Deb helped out too.