Autumn in the Garden

Every season has its own special beauty, but with my favorite beckoning, it will soon be the time of year when all gardens are pretty much equal! Until last week when I took this photo of my still-blossoming 'Blanket Flowers', I could claim bragging rights as one of the showiest in the neighborhood...and my neighbors would approve this message, lol! Although we are having an unexpected late-summer heat wave here in the PNW, most plants & trees are on the wane and leaves are turning their usual autumn colors. As the temps cool [next week] and the falling leaves begin covering everyone's formerly manicured, sculpted & beloved garden-yards, we are all one, it seems. Even the worst yard, the one or two in the hood no one tends or cares about, is the same as the best, especially when the winter doldrums arrive & the first snow sheds it's 'blanket' of white. C'est la vie, speaking strictly for gardens in my neck of the woods, of course. Some of you have the luxury of year-round gardening!

Late fall & winter give us a bit of a rest, so we can get excited for spring's arrival with renewed energy to tend our gardens once more. Not that we aren't busy working a winter garden, not to mention all the pruning, etc., but it's a lot less work. And, when spring does finally come, there will be less complaining from me as we had to take down a large redwood last summer that shed a ton of needles each fall-winter for the past 21 years. I used to dread that part of the annual cleanup, as no matter what we came up with to collect the needles, it never quite worked! I don't allow blowers or vacuums either; too loud, obnoxious & disruptive for both plants & bugs, so we, I, would get out there & remove them by hand. Tedious! The layers of leaves our lovely oaks, madrona, pines, fruit trees, etc., contribute generously just add to the mix. Sometimes we just rake them up in piles & let them sit, which allows for a rich mulch. Yep, it's a labor of love, our garden, and we do it without outside help...except, of course, the occasional tree removal guys! They are really something, btw.

As the weather cools more drastically & the rain-snow descends, most of us begin to switch it up from time spent outdoors to spending more & more time indoors, unless you are a winter sports enthusiast, of course, and even then you will need to come in from the cold to warm your bones! Most of us, like I said, begin to embrace the special comforts of homey activities, like Scrabble, puzzles, fireside chats, sipping a hot cup of tea or spiced cider, reading, watching old movies & getting cozy in a soft cuddly blanket. That reminds me, my 'Blanket Flowers' on a BLANKET, in this case 'fleece', would make the perfect pop of color for your own warm & fuzzy collection...or a comforting gift for family or friends! Check out the other options, too, like fine art prints [matted & framed], totes, greeting cards & more.

Click on the 'Click Here for More Information' tab just below to see this image & print options! Check out ALL my 'Images' & 'Collections' while there, as well. Please note ~ our Pixels.com sites offer more of a selection for purchase, but remember to return here to Fine Art America in order to leave a comment on our blogs! It's just set up that way for some odd reason. Questions are always welcome!

Enjoy the change of seasons! And cross fingers re the November election...may the BEST man [and woman] win to restore sanity!

~Brooks

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