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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Friday of MEA Weekend

Friday, October 17, 2025

MEA weekend. Considering I'm not working right now I'm considering all of October is MEA month. I've been working over time on this fern garden bordering Andrea's retaining wall. The above photo dates back to October 2 and was taken shortly after I cut back the dead fern leaves. 

I cut back the overgrowth and reset the garden stones. 

I think it looks pretty fantastic if I do say so myself. 

Leaf changing update: Most trees haven't started turning except a few that are in the early stages. 

There are some exceptions which have completely changed. 

Including this one in the yard across the alley from us. 

Lit up a cigar while Dale was on a bike ride. 

He joined me outside when he got home. He said it wasn't because of the cigar he was sitting away from me but that it was just more comfortable over there. Okay. Sure. Fine. 

                      

He eventually moved closer.

We both commented how beautiful it was outside. 

It really was. 

Kale, Mums, Pumpkins, More!!

 Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Been working hard lately on cleaning up the gardens. This one has been cleared of all the dead fern leaves. I'm also cutting back the ground cover that's grown over the decorative border stones. 

The kale and mums are looking particularly good grouped together. 

    

Cleaned out this garden over by the garage. It was horribly overgrown and I wish I would have taken a before picture for the sake of comparison. Alas, I didn't think of it. 

Bought this pumpkin at Lund's today. They're selling them for $4.99 but you have to be a member otherwise they're $9.00 each. And you can only buy one per day. 

I bought one the other day so now I have two. 

Cigar in the yard this morning before I did my yard work. Leather jacket weather is back and it's glorious. 

Bat Garden Stone

I'm at my brother Pete's place in Arkansas for Thanksgiving. He has in his front yard one of the garden stones that Dad  made. It's the one with the bat and it's one of my favorites. I can't remember exactly when Dad made it but I'm sure it was sometime in the 2000s.

More of Dad's Garden Stones

Dad's Garden Stones

Becky and Sam have a lot of Dad's garden stones in their back-

yard. I photo-

graphed some of them while visiting them in Leaven-

worth.

Sam's Backyard Part 2

Another shot from Sam's backyard. Notice another of Dad's garden stones in the bottom right corner.

Sam's Backyard Part 1

Visited Sam, Becky and the boys in Leaven-

worth over Memor-

ial Day weekend. They've been working hard on the house and on the yard. Here's a shot from the backyard by the garage. In front of the frogs is one of Dad's garden stones. I found it interesting how clay-like their lawn and garden soil is there.

Dad

Dad died February 7, 2007 on a very cold yet sunny day just like today. I'm including a picture of one of his garden stones as a remembrance. He really did love to putter in the yard.