Almost Autumn

 Starting to feel like fall, well some days anyway.  Lower 50's this past Friday night here.   Few more days and then it's officially Autumn.  Still summer and I don't like to rush the seasons.  I enjoy them all.  Pulling bins from the attic to go through. No fun doing that.  

I did purchase a few pots of mums.  They are not my favorite flower but there are some pretty ones out there.  

 Mom called them a funeral flower.    I guess because they were mostly used at funerals and gravesites as she remembers them more for.   Mom grew lots of flowers but don't remember mums being one of them.

 

I like the red or bright yellow ones if the garden center has them.   A few I purchased in the last few years are planted in different areas of the yard, some planted under dogwood in front.  So easy to root. I have some that I broke off from the main plant and just stuck in the ground.  I like to have them grow a little more natural and not as rounded.  I still have to cut them back between blooming periods to keep them in shape and to keep blooming longer

Home Depot has some pretty welcome mats and this one on the porch can go at the front door.

I did find my garland of leaves which I placed on dining area table.  Candles in the center along with some nuts and dried flowers.

Speaking of flowers, my tea rose has flowered nicely along with another rose bush.  Always prettier in early Spring and in Autumn.

A view from my bedroom window shows the red rose bush along the fence.  Little untidy in the area right now as I am moving pots and sweeping debris from the area.

red rose and okra plants growing along side the fence.

My sweet granddaughter loves picking for me a pretty Hibiscus bloom from her plant she had her Dad purchase for her from Home Depot. The plant is a mix of several colors and so pretty. 

Drying what is left coming in from the green beans I planted this year.  Locally grown squash dries well,  Good in soups for winter along with okra that is still producing.  Can't have gumbo without okra and I love shrimp gumbo. 

Dried tomatoes

Dried green peppers.  I like to grind them along with dried tomatoes into a powder to use in soups.

Beans ready for dryer

 Okra and other vegetables in a mason jar.  Good for soups and stews.

More drying on the way.

Bush Okra, a plant that is smaller and more compact, great for pots on the patio.

see those pods for picking?

This next picture is the tall Okra

Peppers still going strong.  Peas in pot coming up alongside them?

Pretty blooming Dahlia on patio

A break Sunday with a drive to Colonial Beach in Va. 

Dinner at High Tides restaurant of fish followed by walk on beach, then home.

Sitting pretty at the beach

Mottled bark on this Maple tree is just so pretty

Several of these posted along the beach.   

No confusion on what you can or cannot do  (click to enlarge to read)

Sharing with Inspire Me Monday

This is it for today 

Betsy 

Short shoreline drive of Colonial beach.

I should have rolled down the windows for clearer picture.