Country Girl Mums and Swamp Sunflower October 27, 2019

White Philippine Violet October 27, 2019

White Philippine Violet is an unreliable perennial but a heavy re-seeder.  It has popped up in so many places!  I think the seeds burst out of the pods rather than just drop to the ground, because plants are scattered far and wide in several of my gardens.  I have tried to grow the purple variety several times, but with no luck.  I really love the purple variety, so I'm disappointed about that.  I think of Philippine Violet as a shade plant, but it seems to be doing fine in the sunny spots where it has popped up.

Fall Flowers

 Dependable zinnias.

 This is Texas Aster.

 This is ageratum and Mint Marigold.

 A bud from La Vesuve rose.

 A cluster of flowers - Caldwell Pink.

All the blue salvias are an intense blue due to the cooler weather.

Week at the Farm October 23 - 27, 2019

Monday and Tuesday procedures for skin cancer on my nose.  Drove to the farm on Wednesday morning to rest.  Last weekend was an Airbnb guest, and the weekend before that we were in Florida for Al's 100 birthday (Dad, Nan, Me, Josh and family, and Max - Mom too sick to go).  And the two weeks before were something else.  So, despite the fact that I cannot work, it is really good to be here.

I wandered quite a bit looking at everything.  It has held up well considering I have not been here for 5 weeks - a record for us. 

• I walked through the gardens when we arrived.  The weather was so beautiful, and the garden were looking pretty good considering our lengthy absence.
• I deadheaded some roses - nice easy pleasant work.
• I felt so happy.
• There are so many things I want to work on, but I am successfully refraining from working.  And instead I'm making lists of plants that I want to buy to fill empty spaces.
• I had 5 yards of mushroom compost delivered on Friday.  It is there for when I can work again.
• Under my supervision, Bert amended the soil and planted 2 mustards and 3 collards.
• Saturday Josh, Amy and the girls came for a visit.  The girls weren't too freaked out by my black eye, etc., so I guess it's time to go back to work!   
• I did very little the entire time we were here - including walking around.  Slept a lot and healed.  Drove home to Houston on Sunday.  

Day at the Farm October 6, 2019

The Airbnb folks left at noon on Sunday, and Bert and I drove up for the remainder of the day.  We spent the night, and I drove in to work on Monday morning.  Bert took poor Rocky to the vet to get him a steroid shot and re-fill his itch-meds.  Next weekend is Bert's 50th reunion in New York, and the next weekend is Airbnb again. So we made a quick trip.  I watered a few areas where the plants were in distress.  It's dry.

• Watered in the Medicine Garden, the dry parts of the Star Garden, and the Rose Garden.
• Weeded here and there.
• Sprayed herbicide in the Vegetable Garden.  Spending money and effort and time on that soil mix was a waste.  I need compost for the Vegetable Garden, and I should have sprung for the large up-front cost rather than the dribs and drabs cost of the soil mix.  The seeds have performed horribly except for the Edamame - and I prepped that bed perfectly.
• Sprayed herbicide in the area around the Medicine Garden.
• Sprayed herbicide in the Star Garden.  I saw that my Senna tree / shrub died.  I thought it was going to die the last time I was here, and sure enough.
• Sprayed herbicide on the driveway.
• Sprayed herbicide in the Rose Garden.
• That's about it.