Jack's Autumn Diary

8 Apr '07 7:21 pm

I find it difficult to get cranked up after the holiday in Namibia. I lack the energy to start on new projects and am frustrated by what happened (or didn't happen) in my absence. The lower Rosemary Border, for instance, has been rather haphazardly cleared, looking like a mangy dog now. Why? Plus I wanted to leave the plant material as a mulch in order to finish seeding. Now it is on the compost heap and next year will be coming up all over. (Guess that will cause much joy though Laughing

) I didn't expect the staff to start clearing yet, I guess... But now we can plant a Namaqua mix for winter!

Comparing autumn pics with last year - autumn, to my surprise, is late! The oaks seem on schedule, but maples, liquodambers and others seem over two weeks behind. Perhaps it was the heat which lasted till mid March.

Anyway, inspired by Gordon's regular postings on developments in his garden and season, I intend to get into the swing of autumn. Right now there is too much headspace and too little get out there and be part of it in my life (a rather constant failing: I love something a friend of mine said of herself after spending an entire weekend sitting on the inner edge of the underwater level of The Embarkment, with her elbows and book on the edge of the lowest level above water: "My head and my body don't often get together")

To celebrate autumn I took a new autumn avatar pic yesterday, with a composition that can be squared off, making the most of the available space. As always the subject is my garden's icon, the bridge, which is in what I call a Rustic Deconstructivist Oriental Style Wink

The foreground tree is a Parrotia. And as pics are the thing, I shall post a few randow autumn pics taken since my return last week.

10 Apr '07 2:38 am

That's the way to go Jack. I loved your photo looking up into the maple tree. Such beautiful soft colors.

11 Apr '07 6:38 am

Spring is just getting underway here, but Autumn is still my favorite time of year. Always has been. Don't get me wrong. I love Summer and Spring very much, but there is something about fall time that is hard to express. Always my favorite.

Nice pix, Jack.

Christopher

15 Apr '07 9:03 pm

I've been taking photos over the last few days and hope to post a few tonight. Right now I'm off to Sunday lunch with friends. As usual half of me resents leaving the garden to do other things...

Meanwhile I leave you this shot of - finally - ALL 5 DOGS TOGETHER!

16 Apr '07 12:59 am

Wow!! I do love the photo AND the dogs! What a great instant to capture them all together!

16 Apr '07 3:34 am

How marvelous to enjoy the quiet richness of autumn in your garden
just as spring is blustering and violently shaking off
the last of her tender blossoms here in mine.

There is a storm front moving through, cold air colliding with warm,
gusty winds whipping Cherry blossoms and Wisteria to pieces, there are
tornado watches in effect today, peeks of sun followed almost instantly
by thundery, streaming downpours! Shocked

Spring can be such a moody season.

Don't get me wrong, I'm in no hurry for autumn to arrive here,
but your lovely photos are so calming, just what I need today, thanks much.

Now, hurry along on your walk, those precious pups have waited long enough. Laughing

16 Apr '07 3:39 am

Ditto!

16 Apr '07 4:42 am

I love your dogs. Quite the crew.

Christopher

16 Apr '07 6:17 am

After lunch a friend brought her aunt, a famous gardener on the mountain in her day, now 89 and the short-term memory quite gone, and we walked, after coffee under the oak, across the dam wall, over the bridge and all round the dam collecting autumn leaves. She was enchanted, and the fact that she told me 50 times that I live in paradise had little to do with her memory lapses Smile

Oh, that I may still be able to walk this route 40 years from now!

Here are the pics from the last few days, in no particular order, and with random comments...

Well not quite: I'll start with shots from the Long Border, the 80 odd meters that flank the drive from the public road down to the first dam. It started life colour-themed, but very quickly became more of a shrub border. It is pleasing, but one of the many areas in the garden that can do with some ruthless rethinking...

16 Apr '07 4:27 pm

Here's a pic that I didn't realise I hadn't posted yesterday. This unusual looking shield spider is very common on the farm, but I've never seen it anywhere else. The colours and patterns show some variation from spider to spider.

This lady was sitting right on my lens after I'd crawled through some undergrowth to get the liquodamber close-ups...

Jack's Autumn Diary

Jack's Autumn Diary

Fall ramblings

I almost envy you.

HEADLINE: Photogenic autumn leads to canine frustration

Ahh, such peace ~

Sunday evening

Spiderman!