Bogieblog

Last of Fall Colors

Two maples at the roadside garden have put on an outstanding show this autumn. First, the Japanese Maple has turned a nice fiery red from its summer burgundy.

The next maple is one that in all rights, shouldn't b there. When I had the willow tree taken down three years ago, I had the tree service take out all the scrub trees in the rocky, poison ivy strewn jumble that would eventually become the roadside garden. I had told the tree service to take out everything. But, the guy left a little maple on one end and shrub on the other end because he and his wife thought it would look better. They did say they could come out anytime they were in town and remove those also if I decided later that they had chosen wrongly.

Well, I'm happy to have that little maple there and it is showing fine color this year

Despite the severe drought, the colors were great this year, so of course at least one anticipated showing had to not live up to expectation. October glory started turning on 10/17 and this pic taken on 10/18  was the first of what was to be a progression series to show its build up. (for reference, you can see the trunk of Autumn Blaze behind, with most of its leaves gone)

Unfortunately, it never got its full color and it now has only a few leaves at the top. However, last year it did put on a really nice show, so I won't complain. If you enlarge the picture, you can see a nice tree in the background, to the left of the stair rails, that had some really nice color at the end of the street.

I mowed/mulched leaves Thursday evening, then again yesterday. I'll have one more mowing to go before the white stuff flies.

Rain and Autumn Colors

We finally got some decent rains. October 13-14 we got a nice slow rain that left close to 1.75" of precipitation.

All of it soaked in preparing the ground for the next system. October 16-17 we got another 2.25+" of rain.

Although we were in severe drought at 12-15" below normal, that will help put a dent in our needs. The new drought monitor doesn't come out until the middle of the week but I hope the whole state went to Moderate. Heck, the North Country might have gone to Abnormally Dry since they received  the edges of systems that stayed up that way. They also got snow yesterday - some places getting 8".

Last pictures of Autumn Blaze as it lost most of its leaves yesterday from the wind that appeared after the rain yesterday. Picture taken 10/15

Athough the burning bush still has most of its leaves, it was at its peak on 10/15

This big maple is next to the shed and drops its leaves later than the "junk" maples out back.

Yesterday I dropped off some cat food at the ARLNH, the rescue that I got Rita from. While driving thru Goffstown, I had to stop and get a picture of these maples.

Two weekends ago I primed the pressure treated wood that makes up the new frame for the garage door. The frame was put up in mid July, but the PT was green so I gave it 2 months to dry. Actually, the handyman was supposed to come back, but since he didn't, and hadn't contacted me at all, I figured I would do it myself since it is getting close to being too cold to paint. Last Sunday I put on two coats of paint. Next year I will repaint the concrete block so the white overrun will be covered.

First Day

For Cop Car :)

Aptitude

From 123 Aptitude Test, Thanks to Cop Car's post.

The only surprise for the Personality Type was that I scored so high in Artistic.

You know, when I was younger, I wanted to be veterinarian. After dog grooming for a while, I understood that working with animals is only fun on my off time - I don't want to do that for my day job. Here are my results from the test - and I must say that it is probably pretty good.

 

October Color

Even thru the big wind we had in the middle of last week, the trees are holding onto a good amount of leaves.

Burgundy Belle, Planted 2017m in the driveway garden. Unfortunately the wind had a bunch of the leaves cupped, so the pic isn't as nice as I would like

Autumn Blaze, also planted 2017, is looking really nice and the burning bush in the background is partially turned.

October Glory hasn't even started turning yet so no pics of that one. However, the "junk" maples in the backyard are surprising me this year. I don't remember their ever having held color - they just turn from green to brown in one day. They have held color for 4-5 days so far.

Usually I get some mums and cabbage for added autumn color in the roadside garden (usually = last year since that is the first year for that garden :) ). With the drought, I wanted a little something that wouldn't need watering and I came up with this.

1st Mulching of the Leaves for 2020 Fall Season

Yesterday I raked leaves, mowed leaves (while mowing the grass), leaf blowed the pile from under the ramp where the rake can't reach, and did more leaf mowing. Fortunately I don't have to do the neighbor's yard too as he only gets leaves in the back yard - and what I can't see from my house, I don't take care of unless it is in the way of my regular mowing of his yard. Before/after pics (the aspect ratio on my phone got changed and I hadn't noticed - argh)

Took this pic after taking a couple passes thru the worst of it.

New double-sided compost bin. It was supposed to arrive today (Sunday), but came a day early so I put it together and set it in place. Actually pretty proud of myself as there were just 3 pictures for instructions (and they told me to scan a 3-D barcode to download directions to my phone. I would not have been able to see the directions on my phone and decided to try to puzzle it out on my own. Looking at it put together, I hear that "how hard can it be?" from the peanut gallery. Well, each barrel alone had 14 parts (not including the door). I not only got it together, but the only parts left were in the bag labeled "extra parts" . I'll transfer some material from my big barrel compost bin that does not get rolled because it is too heavy (the lid doesn't fit right so I can no longer close it anyway) and is in a shaded corner of the yard, so composting is really, really slow - and is really, really full.

Oh, and we got an inch of rain thru the week, so although it didn't really help on the drought front, at least it did help the gardens as the plants are getting ready for their winter's nap.