Harvest Monday

 Prize length cucumber.

 More basil than I know what to do with.

Picking tomatoes green and letting them ripen on the counter.

Other harvest may be viewed at

Daphne's Dandelions.

Friday Favorite

I know Black-eyed Susans are known as Rudbeckia and that there are lots of varieties.  But I much prefer Black-eyed Susans because all of the ones I have came to me from others and who knows what variety and they are a tad different.  At this time of year they can be counted on to be in full flower and be a favorite.

Here they are with a note if I can remember about who gave them to me or how they got to growing where they are.

At my front door there is this very large stand of yellow faces.  These came with me from my old house when I dug up some lilies of the valley that had been at my husband's grandparents home and transplanted to our old home.  I wasn't going to leave them behind when we built this house so when the time came to plant them (three years after we sold the old house) I went back for the lilies and got the Black-eyed Susans in the bargain.

This group was given to me by my friend, Marcy who is also a teacher.

This group came from someone in the church choir I do believe.

 This group came from the former church choir director.

 This group is self seeded from another bed.

 This group got transplanted with the iris which came from the church Peace garden.

 Another volunteer sowing.

They are still volunteering all over the place and I hate to pull them out.  I know the ground hog helps to control them as does the rabbit.  If I plant them farther afield and don't treat them with Liquid Fence, the deer will mow them down.  I will undoubtedly find more places for them because after all they are a favorite.

If You Sit Still Long Enough, They Will Come!

Or at least you hope they will!  I am not the best photographer and don't have the equipment that allows me to super zoom in on the birds, but yesterday I spent some quiet time on the deck watching the bird antics.  Finally I decided to get the binoculars and the camera and managed to capture these shots.

 Goldfinch.  

The shot I wish I could have captured is the goldfinch perched on the black eyed susan nibbling on the flowers.

 Sharing the bird feeder.

Is that another kind of finch?  They love to eat the blossoms of my Autumn Joy sedum.

 Tufted titmouse.

The shot I wish I had is the titmouse working to open the sunflower seed grasped in its feet.

 What is that woodpecker making the racket in the woods?

 Is it a flicker?

 It never visits my feeders and its a rare sighting around here for me.

 Can you make out this little darling?

 Does its bill give it away?

 Silhouetted on the feeder sitting up straight.

More relaxed after a good drink.

The shot I wish I had is of the battles between the hummingbirds over feeding rights.

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday.

Scenes from the Harvest

Thursday

Saturday

Tomato production has slowed.  Cucumber production has returned after a lull.  Zucchini is at its end. Peppers are there to be picked when I need them. Basil is bountiful.

See what other gardeners have harvested by visiting Daphne's Dandelions.

It's time to pull the zucchini and tomato plants that have stopped producing.  Past time to plant some fall crops.