The Backyard On Halloween 2025

 Friday, October 31, 2025

This mum I planted a couple years ago is finally showing some flowers. Pretty late in the season but better late than never. Hoping to get the potted mums in the ground soon to try and get another season out of them. 

Glad I worked on uncovering these garden stones this year. They look great. 

Will be cutting the hostas back soon. 

Norway pine. 

Should probably bring the red chairs in soon and then get in the habit of bringing them out only when needed so they don't get left out all winter. 

And, should probably cut this back a bit more so that it's not such an unmanageable job in the spring. 
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Leaves Are Changing but the Trees Aren't Too Willing to Give Them Up Yet

 Friday, October 31, 2025

Walked up to Walgreen's today to pick up Halloween candy. 

Dale and I are both amazed how many trees haven't lost their leaves yet. 

Anyway, the colors are pretty to look at. I just hope they're down before they start doing street sweeping and stop doing yard waste pickups. 

I got lots of pictures of what I'm seeing around the neighborhood. 

Celosia Bites the Dust

 Wednesday, October 29, 2025

We had a freeze about a week ago and the celosia did not fare well. The mums and the pansies were fine. 

Cigar Time

Sunday, October 26, 2025

Cigar time.

Listened to classical Halloween playlist. 

Smoked a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur and it was awsome. 

Sat under the Norway pine in our back yard. 

The Back Yard Today

 Thursday, October 23, 2025

This is a photo of the tree across the alley from us taken this past Friday.

And here it is today. Can you believe it lost all of its leaves in just under a week? 

The temperature is supposed to hit freezing tonight. We'll see how the celosia does. 

The kale and the mums are a bit heartier so I'm sure they'll do better with the chill. 

Dale and I were commenting on how golden the October light looks especially in the afternoon. 

I've cut back most of the rhubarb except for this one plant. It was doing the best of the rest as it had the fewest dried out stalks. 

The backyard is covered in shade earlier and earlier because Andrea's house, which is on an incline from ours, is blocking the sun. This photo was taken at 4:18 p.m.

The farthest reaches of the yard still get some rays at this time of day. 

Our silver maple in the front can take its time dropping its leaves but it's making some slow yet steady progress. 

As October progresses the shadows keep getting longer.

Today was my first day back at school in 5 months. I was there for a few hours to help with the strike vote. I really enjoyed seeing former colleagues. I celebrated my triumphant return with a cigar after I got home. 

After my cigar Dale and I headed over to The Howe for dinner. Thursday is mac & cheese night. 

Lots of Digging Today

Monday, October 20, 2025

Recently Dale removed the overgrowing grass on the back walk. 

I saved some of it that was still attached to the roots and transplanted it over by the fern garden stones where there are numerous bare spots. 

I also cleared out a bunch of the plants on the north side of the house which I think are chives. They look rather nice when they flower but they are also prolific spreaders. You can see to the right in the above picture how invasive they can be. This whole space is supposed to be lily-of-the-valley which is pictured on the left. 

The dirt between the other onion/chive plants and the hose is the area I cleared out.