There is Still Beauty to be Found

We are in the last days of this November's warmth. Zinnias are still blooming....

..... and there were a dozen raspberries to greet me as I walked around the gardens with my camera this morning.

Crops that don't mind a little cold are looking good. I am waiting for a hard frost to tenderize the kale before I freeze it.

The last of the mesclun mix of salad greens is perfectly fine. Sadly, certain weeds haven't minded the few frosts we've had. I've given up on weeding for this year.

The crops which grew where we planted the rye grass cover crop last year seemed to do quite well. We planted it again this year. That and the load of well-rotted cow manure will make for the start of a great garden next year.

The last of the blueberry varieties are still looking pretty.....

.... and the tomato cages have been stored for the winter.

Last week, I helped with some tidying up at the Art Hive in town. One of our neighbours there who does not have a home swept a long section of the sidewalk on that block. He bagged the leaves and we took them home to compost.

Oh, and the white stuff? Crappy cereals that some people think homeless folks would like. It looks like the squirrels don't like it either.

INaturalist says that this plant is "Common Self-heal". I've never paid much attention to it. Many indigenous groups of people used it as a medication. They also made a tea from the entire plant.

Our compost bays are looking like they should. Oldest on the left, last year's compost in the centre and this year's on the right. In the spring we will start filling the left one and take soil out of the middle one for the gardens. I took this picture for Mary-Beth who loves compost piles.

Don't think a bird is using this home. Sometimes, homes need to be adapted to suit their tenants.

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Ruby Jewel Crabapples. They will brighten every day of the coming winter. Thank you, Ruby Jewell.

We are trying to build up the soil behind the rock wall. Underneath the straw, rhubarb plants are sleeping. Not the sunniest spot, but better than nothing

A rudbeckia straggler.....

.... and lookee here! Two squash that I missed. Anyone who has been following my garden posts will remember that a "pumpkin" plant leaped over the rock wall and into the perennial garden this summer. Turns out it was a squash plant and these two were hiding under a peony bush.

Our mix of native plants and garden perennials looks a bit wild at this time of year. In the winter, little chickadees and sparrows will use them as perches to view their terraine.

New York Ironweed flowers go papery in the fall.

The green mulch is very happy behind the rock wall.

And, a slightly mixed up daylily. King Arthur is its name.

I like the image below. It encapsulates the mixed up happenings in the garden this November. Background showing fall colours and lack of leaves on the trees and foreground Sweet Alyssum and MeadowSage blooming like it was July. A bit scary, but it is our reality.

The 2027 gardening year will begin 3 or 4 months with indoor planting of seeds like these Verbena Bonariensis. These are going to Marnie, who has a new love for them.

And, speaking of going places... the last 3 kiwis went into my mouth.

Yum!

Maybe our next walk through the gardens will include some snow. There are snowflakes showing in the weather forecast for the end of the week.

Until then....

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”

Anne Frank