Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter
Carol Bishop Hipps
Time goes by and nature is in a hurry. Just have to work with what I have.
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Several years ago, I wrote a story of grandpa and the bluebonnets. See A Bluebonnet Story, April 2013.
It is time to get a little philosophical about this plant. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where they do their magic in Spring and have maybe tried to grow them wild on your property you will understand.
This morning after weeks of no attention and no rain or watering, there are probably hundreds of seedlings at the 2 leaf stage. Some crowded in tight bunches and some a lone tiny gem.
It is in the 60's this morning and cloudy enough to not fight sun in the eyes. Nearly perfect for me. A little drizzle and 55° would just about do it.
After weeks of heat, no rain and being gone from home and a bit of a reminder that hubby and I are not as young as we used to be, I finally got to play in the garden. I am working on an area that once held such promise and heat and no rain finally did in the majority of it. I am not able to work hours and hours redoing year after year. I will have to enjoy pictures from my blog. My ideas were good, I am just not able to keep up with 9 separate plots. The areas I took out have been an eyesore to some, I am sure. I do what I can.
The plan was to remove most of the vegetation and then (what was I thinking?) level out the slope so that when rain did come, probably a heavy down pour...) seeds wouldn't wash away. Plans changed when I saw how many bluebonnet seedlings there are. Sometimes, timing is everything and plans have to be altered. I will pull a bluebonnet when it acts like a weed, but it is hard to scrape them off for aesthetics.
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| I did not sow one bluebonnet seed. Nature did. |
The plan is at this point to leave not solved areas and work on big weeds. Then get some sort of carrier for the tiny wild flower seeds so they won't fall to earth in a clump... and then water with fingers crossed.
I am also going to check when is the best time to sow the seeds. Last year, I sowed some at the wrong time, with no carrier particles and wind. The result was a disaster.
Hail, old October, bright and chill,
First freedman from the summer sun!
Spice high the bowl, and drink your fill!
Thank heaven, at last the summer's done!
~Thomas Constable (1812–1881), "Old October"
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