Autumn color is slow to develop this year, and it will be well into November before we can say we are seeing the peak. Rain this past week should help some leaves stay on the trees, and freezing temps overnight may bring out some color before they all fall off. At least I hope so. Still, there are things to do in the garden before it gets into winter.
The hydrangeas continue to bloom, last week the shrub was covered in these pink and green blooms.
Here and there, a beautiful lavendar one will appear.
The dahlias are going crazy, with flower heads so heavy that they keep falling over.
I cut some blooms for the kitchen counter. When they were done, I pulled the petals off and let them dry. These will make pretty purple color when I make paper again.
A pair of cardinals have been visiting the feeder daily. The male looked quite beautiful in the morning sun. The feeder was almost empty, so My Sweet Babboo filled it up again. The squirrels love this, as he will clean out the bottom and those seeds fall to the ground. They have to race the juncos to get them.
We don’t see a lot of sparrows, but this little guy is hanging around for the bounty. This is a female rose-breasted grosbeak, thanks Wendy for the help in identifying it!!
I picked the last of the tomato crop and let it ripen fully in the kitchen. I couldn’t resist drying the tomatoes and packing them in olive oil. We ate them Friday night on a pizza, just like last time.
With freezing temperatures on the way, I moved my tender plants to the sunroom to attempt overwintering again. We’ll see. It worked last year with the geraniums. I think I may need to prune them a bit. The amaryllis bulbs are in full dormancy, and I’ll let them rest for 8 weeks or so, then bring them inside for warmth. I don’t expect the yellow torenias to last (on the lower shelf on the left), but they were still profusely blooming and I couldn’t leave them to the frost.
Just this week, a mottled pink hydrangea bloomed. I need to get it and dry it for paper making too.
Visitors continue to stop by for a handout. When these guys came, I realized that I have not one, but two bachelor flocks of five turkeys each. These are larger with longer beards, much older than the other flock. They know me well, and came running up when I stepped out to the veranda.
They were happy for a few bites of whole wheat bread this day. They are plump, and well fed. Watch out, guys, Thanksgiving is coming!
Here and there, a few trees are looking more like fall.
This brilliant red color is on the mountain behind the house.
The other flock showed up a few days later. These are younger jakes that are smaller with short beards.
They are a bit shy, but will come up to get the bread bits thrown for them, if I am patient.
More leaves began changing.
The red breasted woodpecker is back, now that the feeder is full again.
I brought the Thanksgiving cactus into the kitchen and gave it some water. I let it dry out over summer, as it really responds well to neglect and abuse. It is going to be gorgeous, with lots of buds.
One bloom is well on its way.
And two more are right behind.
Rain this week made for a foggy morning in the valley. There is still a lot of green, but I think this week will turn the corner on color and we should hit the peak soon. We drove up to Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway on Friday, and there was quite a bit of color to see there. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera with me as we were just doing errands.
I have some clean up to do still in the flowerbeds. I haven’t bought more bulbs like I planned, so that needs to be done this week if I want more daffodils in the spring. It isn’t too late for bulb planting, but it is getting colder. My Farmer’s Almanac says that this coming week isn’t the best for planting flowers, the 15th and 16th are predicted to be the best days. If you are an early riser, the Leonid meteor shower is coming November 17-18, best visible to the southeast between 4 and 6 am.
Did you enjoy your extra hour of sleep? Or were you like me and up too early?
From My Carolina Home 
Your garden flowers still look lovely. Everything we have has been zapped by the frost/freeze we’ve had the last 3 nights….we are at 3,200 foot elevation so that’s not a surprise. We now have to hustle to get everything out of their crocks and pots, including the soil so it doesn’t freeze over the winter and break any of our large collection of stoneware crocks.
You had a lot of visitors. No bear this time? I may need to take some tips from you on the Thanksgiving cactus!
You know I always love seeing your turkeys, and that wood pecker, how beautiful! I can’t believe you still have hydrangea blooms, wonderful photos all!
Jenna
I enjoyed the extra sleep and I feel great. Your flowers are beautiful and you had quite the crowd of visitors. Awesome!
WOWWWW Carole, you are a marvelous tour guide. Your patch of property and gardens are beautiful and wonderful. Thank you as always for sharing your enthusiastic creativity in every single aspect of your busy life…… I mean that. I appreciate your blog. It has something for everyone, and those blogs are hard to find….. yours is a little gem
I believe that little “sparrow-like” visitor to your feeder is a female rose-breasted grosbeak. You have so many wildlife visitors, it’s always fun to see who stops by. Love looking at the colors of the flowers; everything here is pretty much brown now. Soon they will be covered in white.
Oh, my! I looked her up and I think you are right! Thank you! I know I have a male, so it makes sense.
Carole, Everything has been covered in white frost up in the mountains these past few mornings. Winterizing is completed, though there are still leaves to rake up for that last layer of mulch. I love seeing that you still had lavender hydrangeas! Ours are asleep for the winter!
-Jean ❤
I just love your pet turkeys!
We didn’t have great color here in Northern Indiana like we usually do. We have had two killing frosts now and have not been able to get all our outdoor tasks done yet. As you might guess I love birds and keep our feeders and suet feeders full. I don’t think Junco stay year round here, but I saw the first one at the feeders two days ago. We have feral cats hanging around so I suspect we will have to set traps so we can take them to the Humane Society. I can’t imagine how feral cats live through the winter. I live 3 houses off a small connecting highway. We often see a flock of turkeys on the other side, but I’m pretty sure they don’t come to my side. I think their feathers are pretty if you are lucky enough to see them up close.
My dogs don’t know nuthin about time change. They were up and ready to eat at the normal time, even if the clock said they had to wait another hour. LOL
xx, Carol
Beautiful photos, Carole. Your hydrangeas are amazing! I always love seeing the turkeys, too.
Autumn colors are really late for you this year. It’s so nice to see the birds back to the feeders again. Yes, those turkeys better be on the lookout.
As I expected, we went from comfortable temps in the 60’s to daily highs in the 40’s. We didn’t have a real killing frost yet, but stuff is really starting to fade, so now I have to bring in clay pots so they don’t freeze and dig up the dahlia tubers. Maybe tomorrow if it doesn’t rain. Our leaves were brought down by high winds last Thursday night, and it looks like most of ours blew across the street to the neighbor’s yard.
Someone needs to remind my dog that the time changed. Your garden is so beautiful. Every color of the rainbow – no wonder you quilt so beautifully! So much inspiration at your finger tips. Living in Northern Ill. we too had frost and snow and the leaves went from a little color to on the ground overnight. Missed the color but love to drag my feet through the leaves like a kid. Thanks for all the pictures and sharing your mountains with us Flatlanders.
You must love color as much as I do! It’s something only the Creator can make….we just get to enjoy it! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy the beauty of those trees and please keep sharing with us! Bonnie in South GA
You live in a lovely place and have wild turkeys too! I seriously covet your Thanksgiving (Christmas) cactus. —Evelyn from far western Georgia
You certainly live in an awesome place. I am so glad you appreciate it and share it with us.
Your neck of the woods is beautiful!! You definitely have a green thumb and the willingness to care for your garden…such amazing flowers!! Your turkey friends are so fun to watch, as are all the birds that visit your home. We’ve have temps in the teens (4,500 feet on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains will do that), so everything in the garden is finished for the year. Leaves are gone and the gutters on the house are clean!!
Your garden & critter pictures are so fun. I really enjoy them – flowers, bird feeders, and turkeys.
Love the photos! Thanks for sharing
Carole, I always enjoy reports on your gardening! Aren’t dahlias amazing, I have enjoyed growing them this year. We have lots of turkeys that visit. They will always come into the pasture when it is raining! Have a wonderful week!
Your garden is lasting well with the changing weather conditions. The hydrangeas are still looking beautiful.
Great to see a lot of bird life still around.