southernmagnolia's Blog

Red Mittens in the Trees
Sep 18, 2009 | 2:31 AM PST
Tags: sassafras , tomatoes , zinnias , hummingbirds

I was standing out in our backyard, looking into the woods.  The sassafras trees' leaves are turning red and look like childrens' mittens waving in the breeze.  A few leaves fluttered from oak trees and blew to the ground.  I like the changing of the seasons because it gives me a sense of freshness, newness, renewal.  I like the autumn because I love the holidays, and autumn gets me thinking about how I'll decorate this year.

The garden is drying back and the zinnias are about spent.  I leave the flowers there until I quit getting any new blooms.  I can't bear to yank them out when they are still producing flowers, even though the stalks are getting splindly and the leaves are turning brown.  The pentas are still going strong and the hummingbirds are still visiting.  Last year we saw the last one in early October. 

I am not a tomato gardener.  In all, we have gotten 21 tomatoes from the two plants and I didn't think they tasted any better than grocery store tomatoes.  For all the effort and the cost of the plants, I am not going to put them in again.  Not unless someone I personally know gives me some plants that will yield some really flavorful tomatoes. 

I am going to Southern Vistas nursery today and get some new flowers for the fall and hope to put them in this weekend.