Late summer

 I know, I know. It’s been a while. It seems that it takes three weeks to be gone for one—one week to get ready, one week to vacation, and one week to get caught up when you get back.

I have one post leftover from before my trip, and hope to continue to post vacation pics regularly over the next week or so. However, I’m getting lots of tomatoes right now, and those may cause delays. Just saying.

The oaks are dropping acorns now. At the end of July, some acorns came down early with branches when we had windy days. One morning, a doe and her still-spotted fawn came around to dine. I love the deer when they are eating something other than my garden or Terry’s trees.

A peaceful morning under the oak

I’ve had successes and failure with my prairie plantings this year. One of my very favorite plants is cardinal flower. It is so incredibly RED. I’m hoping I can collect seeds and get them to germinate so I can plant it everywhere.

Cardinal flower

The obedient plants, which I also put in last year, have done very well. The pollinators love them. There’s a big bumblebee front and center in this picture.

Obedient plant

I ordered three Queen of the Prairie plants. Two of them drown, even though it is allegedly a wetland plant. The third is doing well and has a striking pink inflorescence.

Queen of the Praire

I will get out for more pictures of flowers soon. The ironweed and lobelia that I grew from seed are about to bloom. I’m pleased with how some of the plants from last year are spreading. That’s my strategy—plant the most aggressive natives I can find and let them have at it!

More soon, I hope.