Horse Apple; Osage Orange

Don't forget to click on picture to see enlarged view

I love fall.  I repeat, I love fall! Every year, I walk down this particular road and watch for the Horse Apples.
I am including a web link so you can read the history of this tree and its fruit.  In reading the article, I didn't know this tree was in so many states.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1997/10-10-1997/hedgeapple.html

I remember as a new bride, hearing my mother-in-law talking about the Horse Apple and that it could repel cockroaches.

Coming from northern Minnesota, I was amazed that there was such a tree. I don't remember ever hearing of cockroaches living in Minnesota, country side .  Maybe it was in the city housing, but not where I grew up.

Now, I watch a particular tree that will one day have "mysteriously appear" the Horse Apple, Osage Orange.  This much I do know, the wood is very dense and hard to get to burn in the fireplace.
The "fruit" will one day just "be there". A lovely shade of sort of a light lime green.

This year, for some reason, I decided I would gather the fruit and put it in one of my pots.  I love the color!

I don't know how long they will stay just the "apple" before they begin to deteriorate, but I will enjoy them while I can.
This chair is in an area that will be full of bluebonnets in the spring.  Thus, I have to think of where to move it. 
I have benches of one sort or another scattered all around the garden area.  I sometimes really need to just sit and take a breather.  Better a bench or a chair than the ground.

The white bucket is holding a dilution of molasses.  I add a bit to each watering can full of rain water. Molasses helps with those mysterious little beasties that are good for the soil.
I am 99.9% organic and will encourage the "beasties" however I can.

Needless to say, I am not going to use the technical words for my gardening doings.  Just mentioning organic garden lets people know I don't like poisons of any stripe.

This has been one of those seldom perfect days.  Low 70's in the evening and 50's when I was sifting soil and potting up more California  Poppies.  They are so difficult to transplant.  If the sun comes out, I may lose all of them.  The matt of plants I had to pick from broke my heart in destroying some for the good of one (that may not make it).

I loaded the pots in my ever present green wagon to take to the court yard.  How did I ever get by without it?

Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful!' and sitting in the shade.”
― Rudyard Kipling, Complete Verse