Orange and not orange...

My porch is surrounded by nasturtiums and a pumpkin vine!

I tried to get them to climb a stick, but that didn't work well. Next year I think I might shape something out of chicken wire and a tomato cage to see if I can make them grow up that!

I really do love the way they try to take over. 

The plants actually grew on a chair after I coaxed the vines.

I will miss this riot of orange and green after the frost hits.

Here is an old barrel with a skeleton goat and one of the pumpkins that got chewed on. Since the other ones grew up nice, I may toss this one back in the pasture for the red headed mules to munch on.

I do adore the warty pumpkins, they have so much character!

And the stars of the oranges are the Nasturtiums.

These old time orange ones really shine and do so well. I've tried other colors and they aren't as prolific as these seem to be.

And not Orange.

Lil' Richard out in the morning light near the old oak.

This was another hot hot day. The humidity was pretty intense in the morning but that evaporated quickly.

I didn't get out in the woods to hunt up those maple trees across the field. For whatever reason, it seemed like grabbing a blanket and sitting under the pines in the shade with Charlie was a better choice late this afternoon. The breezes were soothing and cool under the trees.

So we just enjoyed the quiet time.

Tonight is a full moon with a partial eclipse happening! I hope to be able to stay awake for that!

AND...I missed a wonderful display of the Aurora Borealis last night. 

 

Uff..dah... that cold!

Yup. Monday evening the slightly sore throat I had all weekend turned into a wonderful feverish cold. I had a temperature and everything.

The general feeling of being run over by a dump truck is pretty sucky. 

I confined myself to the porch or to an upstairs bedroom. I knew rest was needed. 

I told hubby that he and Charlie were 'on their own' for the afternoon while I hid out upstairs. I slept for hours and hours. When I got up, ....

someone...had fed Charlie his supper, let him out and brought him back in. He was also able to make instant oatmeal for supper and he was able to remember to take his meds!

I ate some jello and headed back upstairs for the night. 

By morning, the fever was gone but the head cold settled in to make itself a nuisance.

I went out for fresh air and found those beauties in the pasture. Pumpkins and gourds! I generally toss pumpkins and squash innards out in one of the fenced in areas near the house. The mules eat pumpkins and squash also. I imagine the seeds were stomped into the ground over winter and viola! I have gourds and wild looking pumpkins from last year growing hither...thither, and yon.

I guess I'm going to save seeds from these exotic looking things again for next year! I paid $10 for a warty pumpkin decoration last year and it looks like I'll have several more on the vine.

I'm a seed saver so I can plant my favorite things over and over. My seed table. Each container is saved and reused. Some of the seeds need quite a bit of time to dry out. I use silica packets that come with hubby's meds to keep the seeds dry again until spring. This is my mess.

Favorite flowers to gather are, sunflowers, nasturtium, 4 o'clock, zinnia, blue cosmos, orange cosmos, and
morning glories. This year I'm going to add some seed heads from the Bee Balm and see if I toss them in another garden they will grow!

I'm going to order a large packet of bachelor buttons for one of the spots I have for next year. I have some volunteer Malva coming up alongside the house that I will relocate.

I think I am ready for a makeover of the gardens and a clearing out of what is on the west side of the house now that the trees are gone.

But today? 
I need to get all those errands done that I put off. Including getting that flat tire fixed!

Hopefully, I can take the Out of Order sign down and get back to business.