Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Fall - On The Home Front

FALL?  Not so much today.  It has been in the 80's all this week (and last) and humid.  We are setting records on the heat index for these October days.
Well, from what they say the bottom falls out in a day or so.  High Thursday is to be 58* and lows this weekend in upper 30's.  They are NOT calling for a freeze, but patchy frost in and around the area.
I guess it's time.

Today it still looks pretty in some areas of our yard.  I have about half of the garden pulled out - more to go.  Yard is mowed, but flower beds need fall work.

     My decorations keep changing.  Kitties have decided to become part of the table decorations!

 
                                               Lilly in a box.  She sure does fill it up!
 

Okra is still blooming.  They have the prettiest flowers.  Cream colored with dark purple/burgandy centers.


                         Fall New England asters and spring begonias are both going strong.

A volunteer cherry tomato plant and hummingbird vines growing in the front flower bed.  The tomato plant is huge as is the vine which volunteered as well.  It is amazing how much they have grown in the past month.  Nature at it's best.


Geraniums still in bloom - not as full - but pretty color.  Mums are blooming.  The best of summer and fall.

And then there is this!  YES, we have a REAL headstone in our backyard.  There is a story!!!! 

When G was working, a guy he worked with bought a home that had a bunch of trash piled up in the back.  G went to help clear, and they came across this stone.  The guy was going to trash it.  G brought it home.  We did some research and found out that it actually belonged in a family cemetery about 30-40  miles from here.  We found the location - in the middle of the woods and straight up hill!!!  I managed to 'trespass' and climb the hill (many years ago) - and you would have a hard time knowing it was a cemetery - just little initialed blocks, scattered here and there.  The land owners never returned calls or answered the door.  We still haven't found a scout troop to help - as it is on private land.  (Scouts take care of a lot of small cemeteries around here).
The research we did, showed Mr. Hugh Boyd was the family head and his children, wife and himself were buried there.
Hugh Boyd died Oct. 12, 1876 at age 70.

So for now, his stone resides with us.  It is safe and it sure is a conversation starter!
Eventually we will get it back safely where it belongs.

Hope you enjoyed the walk around.  Fall is in the air and we will feel it soon.  For now, I am still enjoying the beauty of summer.

What is the weather like in your area?


14 comments:

  1. Until today it has been rather fall-like which is my favorite time of year. Today and the rest of the week it is in the mid to upper 70s and humid -- blech!! Your garden still looks pretty with all those flowers. Did you know you can eat okra flowers. They can be eaten just as you would squash flowers. Your fur babies are so cute -- Lily looks just like fall with her orange and black colors. We have two all black cats -- Henry and Shadow. They stay in all year round but especially at Halloween -- people can be so mean.

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    1. I did not know that okra flowers could e eaten. Fun facts to know and tell!
      Lilly is our baby and she weighs 20 lbs.!!
      I love black kitties. I am glad you keep them in. We used to have a black one that stayed out with Momma and Fluff and he was the fastest cat. No one could have gotten him - had they tried.
      Hope you get cool soon.

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  2. Please tell us what the bottom of the headstone says. I can't make it out in your photo. Thanks!

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    1. Jo I am working on that. The stone is very worn and I cant get an etching. I have taken close up pictures and added pencil where I could, and we are trying to get the picture readable. I will post as soon as I do.

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  3. Well, you've got a real conversation starter with that gravestone! Loved your story about it and where it belongs.

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    1. Thanks. I saddens me, that someone would just want to trash it. That was a bit of history. We will tend to it until it gets home.

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  4. Beautiful cats! I have a couple that look like Lilly. Interesting about the headstone sort of sad too. That would make for a scary Halloween decoration!! It was 41 degrees out when I got up, with the wind blowing. I am drowning in tomatoes, got to get them all picked before a frost. Tomatoes are everywhere waiting to be canned and dried! I'm having second thoughts on our gardening class. If it doesn't pick up, I think I will have wasted my time and money. I guess time will tell.... Your plants look really pretty and healthy, its sad that winter is right around the corner. Have an Awesome Day!!!

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    1. I thought about that with the headstone - but I will show it the reverence it deserves.
      Yes it is cooling. Today is the start - probably won't get to 80 - then in the 50's and 60's for the next many days. I need to go out and get the rest of the tomatoes today. Rain is coming, and I sure don't want to stand out in the cold rain.

      I am sorry the class isn't what you were expecting. I hope it picks up a bit.
      Blessings!

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  5. Our weather here in SW Missouri will be about the same as yours including the scattered frost. I also love Okra flowers (and okra). They remind of of the old time Rose of Sharon. I need to go through the garden and pick the rest of the beets, herbs and see if there is anything worth saving on the tomatoes. Bought a couple of extra Parsley plants so I'd have some to dehydrate. The Swallowtail caterpillars decimated the ones I bought in the Spring. I looked at the Parsley to see if it had grown and lo and behold there is a Swallowtail caterpillar eating away. As long as it was just one, I let him be. Will check to see if he's gone yet. I want to dig up the Rosemary also. I'm already starting to feel the effects of the diminishing daylight hours. Not a good thing.

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    1. It has been raining most of the day - so I didn't get out to the big garden. I did cut garlic chives and thyme and they have been died in the dehydrator.
      I planted rosemary in a pot this year - so may bring that in tomorrow.

      I hate the shorter daylight hours too. My mood always changes. Then there will be the time change UGH!
      Try to have a good one!

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  6. It's still pretty warm here, too. But next week we are expecting cooler temp's.... can't wait!!! I think it is totally awesome that you have the tombstone in your yard!! What a unique piece!

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    1. We woke t 50 this morning. Pretty much the high for the day! crazy after 80's this week. I do believe fall is here.
      yes, it is unique and maybe a little weird to some. But I have always gone to the beat of a different drummer!

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  7. I love how the cat just joins the decorations. That was nice that your husband keep the head stone. I love going to old cemeteries and looking at the headstones. There is a lot of history in them. It is mid 70's here. Just very humid but it has been raining.

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    1. Yep, the kitties just make themselves at home amongst the decorations.
      I love cemeteries as well. Not just the history, but the beautiful stones. I have so many pictures from cemeteries.

      I think we are done with 70's.!

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