My Dahlias, grown from bulbs, are about five feet high. I hope they will bloom soon. A fall flower, I hope for a long Indian summer so they have a chance to reach fruition.

The toadstools show evidence of a cold winter to come, I am told by a gardener friend. Soft rain is falling today and the peacefulness is magnificent. I saw a flock of birds this morning in formation heading south. That is the sort of thing I usually associate with Thanksgiving.

Today is rainy and cool. A chilly wind blew in this week, cooling things off, though it has not been a particularly hot summer. Weather was decent enough for performing at Priddis Valley Gardens last weekend. This is the pond, in the healing garden, my view from the stage. Kelly’s gardens are such a magical place.

This is the first time I have grown calla lilies. What a treat to see them sprout, though they are not as tall as I thought they would be.

Some of the sunflowers are six feet high, and buds are forming. Everything is about a month late this year, by nearly one month, except for the birds.

Just this week, I noticed the sun is setting earlier now. These crepuscule rays caught my eye.

I wove my way through construction ridden paving zones to get to an unobstructed spot on the west side to get a shot of the sunset. By then the light had changed, but still it was worth the trip.

Time to regroup for fall. My twelve year stint in the Arctic taught me how to make the most of the long dark months. It can be a productive time for creative pursuits. Anything is possible with warm woolen socks!