Sunday 8 November 2009

Sunday safari

I walk into the garden, and without hesitation head straight back to the house for scarf and gloves........
It is cold.....cold and wet........a get through to your bones sort of cold......

Some blooms survived last nights torrential rain......


pretty in pink they glow in the gloom of the day......



A solitary 'Susan' peeps out from the border and smiles........
One of my favourite shrubs, Mahonia Charity..........winter blooms for the bumbles, if they wake from their winter sleep. Something to cheer when days are gloomy......
Fungi dots the garden......in different shapes and form.....
They fascinate me. Tell me, do you like fungi?
A Dunnock hides in the shadows......I miss her sweet song.........the birds are quiet.
A Blue Tit fluffs up his feathers .....he needs to stay warm........
Sweet Nella surveys the garden......she can sense the changes........no bees, no bugs, no butterflies.........we are walking the path to winter.......my gardens are beginning to sleep........
Happy safari Sunday.......

26 comments:

Liz said...

Lovely photos Cheryl, very moody, shows November perfectly :)

It's great to see you still have some flowers out, I wonder how much longer the Cosmos will survive?? Mine are still with me, and hope they last for a while longer...

It has definitely got colder over the past few days or so, even with the sun out... I noticed lots of midges in the garden today taking advantage of the sun... I was surprised to see so many.

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz.....the Cosmos have been amazing....a lot of mine have gone slimy due to the heavy rain. Even though I have staked them, they are so large they have pulled the bamboo stake over.

It is really cold here today....we have a log fire glowing this evening. It really has changed dramatically in a short period of time......

Have a good week.......

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Of course I like fungi, they are indeed fascinating (and cute!). I like Nella's ears. :)

Q said...

Dear Cheryl,
I love this November safari post. All of your blooms, with their water droplets, are beautiful. I can tell you had a heavy rain. November's flowers have a special light. They seem to glow.
It is warm at my house. Lots of bees and butterflies. Southerly breezes are bringimg warm gulf air into my backyard. I am working outside gathering seeds and harvesting the last of the herbs.
Your Nella is so darling. She knows the wheel is turning.
It is time for me to get my gardens ready for winter too. Any day the wind will shift and the North wind will blow.
Stay warm and dry my friend.
Walking in your gardens is good for my soul. Thank you.
Happy Sunday safari.
Stay strong,
Sherry

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Those beautiful blooms are trying to make you think summer isn't over. However we know the truth. What luck to be able to grow mahonia. I think it is so pretty with its wintery blooms then berries. We have been having Indian Summer here. So warm and windy. I love to see fungi but I am allergic to them. We have had such a wet fall that there are tons of mould and fungi spores. I am fighting the allergy fight. UGH.

Cheryl said...

Hi Monica....I like Nellas ears too!

Cheryl said...

Dear Sherry.....you have the weather that I had last week. Bees and butterflies are with you once again, how lovely, an added bonus.

Nella is sensitive to change.....I have been watching her......she is slowing down and eager to be by the warm fire.

It is so cold here this evening....there is a mist over the garden and it looks quite eerie.....

Happy safari Sherry
Stay strong

Liz said...

Hi Cheryl, I had to add in lots of extra bamboo canes in the high winds - that's how I discovered the casualty... Luckily the other Cosmos seem to have survived so far, I just hope they manage it to next weekend...

I hope you have a good week too... Are you managing to get around the garden ok now?
I didn't do anything I had planned the past few days, it's just too depressing out there at the moment! The jobs will have to wait until spring :)

Rose said...

I love the raindrops dripping off the blooms. We have had a few days of Indian summer--warm and sunny; I've really been enjoying it. But I know that all too soon that will change. Stay warm, my friend.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I'm glad you went back for your gloves, and didn't just stay in. I enjoyed your walk about. I always think there is something wrong when mushrooms come up, but I should look into it more. If they are in Heidi's path, I try to get rid of them.

Your question made me stop and think. Fungi are part of nature, after all. I do enjoy seeing them in photos.

Meems said...

Dear Cheryl,
Such lovely glistening flowers left in your garden this autumn. I think I always feel a tinge of envy wishing I could wear my scarves more often. But then the trade-off would be that MY garden would sleep and I wouldn't want that.

Your little birdies look like they are trying to stay warm all puffed out... I just love seeing them... anywhere... anytime.

Loved your new antique wooden piece with the ferns in a previous post. You put it to perfect use.
Always love a stroll through your beautiful gardens.
Meems @ Hoe and Shovel

Cheryl said...

Hi Liz....thank you, yes I am able to get around now, the foot is just a little tender. I have been very careful though but I just cannot sit still, I need to be out in my garden....

Mr P suffers with SAD....fortunately I do not and love the winter months.I like to look at the 'bones' of the garden and see if there is anything I can add to improve the landscape during winter.

Cheryl said...

Hi Sue......Fungi can indicate many things but as you so rightly say they are all part of nature.
They all have a purpose. I think people are a little frightened of them...
My little dog does not touch them fortunately.....

ShySongbird said...

Beautiful photos guaranteed to brighten a dull day Cheryl. The ones with the raindrops look so pretty.

Yes I do like fungi although like Lisa I am allergic to the spores. We had a Giant Puffball in the garden for the first time this year, unfortunately it was in a difficult place to photograph.

It sounds like we share foot injuries at the moment! Mine had just healed after a month when last Monday I hurt it again...so back to square one :( Is yours the same one you injured in a rabbit hole some time ago?

Lovely to see sweet Nella again, she always looks very alert.

Roses and Lilacs said...

Interesting fungus. They always fascinate me. You still have a few things blooming. We still have bright green grass but the flowers are gone and the trees are bare.
Marnie

NCmountainwoman said...

Yes, I do like fungi. I love their varied shapes and colors and am always surprised to see new ones in the woods.

Lovely photographs and narrative describing the garden preparing to rest.

Cheryl said...

Hi Jan.....How do the spores affect you? I am just interested....

Yes it is the same ankle. I injured it last year....a couple of weeks ago I turned it (a rabbit hole). It has been badly swollen and extremely painful but at last, thank goodness, I can walk on it properly. I am being extremely careful though.
Did you have a fall? and are you better now? I do sincerely hope so....

Cheryl said...

Hi Marnie....Things change in the blink of an eye, don't they?
Our trees are bare but at the moment I do still have blooms...how long for who knows.....

Cheryl said...

Hi ncmountainwoman....thank you.
I like surprises in the garden and fungi is one that always fascinates me.

Pat said...

Yes, I find fungi very interesting.
Your Dunnock looks a lot like our Song Sparrow...enjoy the sounds of nature...makes me feel at peace with the world.

Gail said...

I know you miss those bees buzzing around...I do, too...when the freezes arrive I'll be over here and we can miss them together!

I love fungi! With all the rain we had there has been an abundance of fun colored fungi every where.

Keep warm, dear Cheryl, gail

marmee said...

cheryl,

oh how i love to walk your garden with you. life is full/busy right now but coming here for a few minutes this morning has lifted my spirit. thank you for sharing your beauty. i love see nella and her knowing things are changing.
happy days of autumn.

Wendy said...

Yes, I find fungi fascinating too. LOL! It pops up unannounced in all kinds of sizes and shapes and makes itself comfortable in everybody's lawn!

Your garden is pretty. I like the water drops on your lovely pink flowers. Yes, gardens are getting ready to go to sleep (except for your sassy susan, with her bright and cheerful smile. I think she'll be up later than anyone else).

Sorry your weather has turned wet and cold. I hope Nella keeps you warm.

Cheryl said...

Hi Gail....yes I shall miss the bees....but it reassures me to know that I am not alone....and that there are others who care for them us much as I do.....

Sweet thought we shall miss them together......

Cheryl said...

Hi Marmee....I guessed that you were very busy. Your life is full of family and your beautiful grounds, that is more than enough for anyone....

Take care and do stop and take time to smell the flowers......

Cheryl said...

Hi Wendy....the Susan was a lovely surprise....I only bought it at the end of summer, and thought I would not get any blooms till next year. I can see I am going to love this plant.....

It is damp and cold again today....too cold.....

Have a good week and hope the sun is shining in your part of the world.....