September

 Turning the calendar to September is not my favorite thing to do. As a former elementary school teacher it always meant the end of summer freedom and back to work full time. But as a long retired person I honor the calendar declaration that summer ends, and autumn begins, on September 22. 

The sunflowers in the garden are tall and stretching for the sun, which we have had plenty of, but our tall trees shade the patch too much of the day. Now the days are cooler and cloudier, with possible rain. We need rain.

School is starting and daughter Jill is back at work. Irene is settling into her new apartment in Bellingham, anticipating her senior year at Western and enjoying her full calendar summer. 

Yesterday, September 1st, marked the end of an era here at the Reeder Homestead. Tom decided it was time to end his 40 + years of Bonsai creating and maintaining. Over the years he has created about 25 little tortured trees. Some were just experiments and not long lasting. Some expired after ten or more years. He sold a few. The ones in the header photo are the survivors. Now they need more maintenance than he can give them, what with all of the other work that needs doing around here. Yesterday we took them to Bonsai Northwest to be sold either outright or on consignment. Now they are in someone else's hands. Part of downsizing. 

In the garden fall blooming hardy cyclamen are popping up everywhere, either planted by Tom or squirrels or sprung out on their own. It's fun to find them here and there.

We have "harvested" hydrangeas to be dried for winter flower arrangements. They are hardening off in the garage, stems in shallow water. 

Some that are picked too early may shrivel. We'll see. There are more in the garden but I wanted to get them before rain spoils them. 

While leaves haven't started turning yet on the trees, the dry summer is causing browning up on maple trees. But there is plenty of orange in the raised beds. While lack of sun makes it hard to get many blooms, French marigolds and orange cosmos are exuberant!

Spring, summer, fall, winter, enjoy every day. I'm trying to.