I Was Out Before the Mosquitoes

This is a bird's eye view of my flowers in the woods this morning. I was up before the mosquitoes and did quite a bit of work in the yard. It was cool and very refreshing out. The wrens were the only birds singing to me as I worked. My knockouts needed deadheading. They put out a blast of color weeks before, and now they are full of buds...ready for the next show. The red lilies are just about finished. My Stellas are still very pretty...I tidied them up a bit. I moved over to where my herbs are and cleaned up that bed. The Ajuga is crawling in between everything, so I pulled some of that out. I picked a cherry tomato and ate it...it was really tart. People started going by...walking, jogging, and cars heading for work. I went out to the mailbox and tidied the Stellas out there. The Zinnias are about ready to bloom. I just planted a few seeds in with the Lilies, by the mailbox, for color after the Lilies are gone. I grabbed the paper and came back to the front of the house. The hanging baskets are pretty and getting full.....stay away J. Beetles. The container is getting lush. I have to throw some water on these everyday, but I haven't watered much else. Around back, Joe's tomatoes are getting full of fruit. Can't wait for a BLT. The woods was the next stop. It is a cloudy day, but it is bright enough for pictures. The woods is getting overgrown and only the hardy will survive. I took some pictures and clipped away at a maple tree that I had planted a couple of years ago. Every year it wants to grow bigger, but I have kept it in line so it doesn't get so big. I looked at it this morning and thought that taking care of the woods, like I have in the past, is getting hard for me. Why not let the Maple grow and just let nature take it's course and see what happens in that spot. It will get big and might be a focal point in my fall border. The leaves are a coppery color turning to red. I have a obelisk right behind it...it could be moved, so that it can be seen somewhere else. I put down my shears and decided to just let it be. Turning to go back up to the house, I thought about my age.

I'm going to quote Sydney Eddison here...she authored a book entitled... Gardening for a Lifetime....."Old age takes us by surprise. I'm stunned by it. In the sliding glass doors to the kitchen, I catch glimpses of and old woman hobbling around in my garden, and I realize in amazement that it's me."

Well, I'm not exactly hobbling, but I want to keep gardening as long as I can, but I do have to realize that I have to give in and let Mother Nature help me. She will determine what plants will survive now...I'll just give her the lead and follow.

Balisha