Halloween is fun at our house!

Both Denny and I gleefullly anticipate Halloween during our retirement years!

We decorate moderately inside and out looking forward to the little goblins arriving.  Times have changed, most of them are little goblins and parents are nearby!  We put our lighted twinkling teeth in when we answer the door and grin widely,  which absolutely fascinates the little ones once they notice!  Their reactions are priceless!  Not scared, just speechless staring with amazement!  Parents watch with big grins on their faces.  And we also have treats for any pets that are along for the Trick or Treats Stroll.  

Yes, we have the usual assortment of pumpkins outside and then "Cedric" climbs out of his corner in the basement and "hangs around outside" to welcome all comers to our home on  the 31st!  He even turns on his eye lights so he can see better in the dark!   

I always have a difficult time picking out an assortment of gourds to sprinkle around inside with my other fall collection of seasonal elements!  They are all so lovely!

"Cedric"

 

Community Garden Award!

This week I was honored to attend an inspiring Awards presentation.  

Once upon a time I participated on this committee for several years enjoying the fellowship of special people honoring their veterans.  This memorial is surrounded by "pavers"  honoring by name veterans in Olmsted County, Minnesota and while sprucing up the garden beds, each of them privately visited the paver(s) of their loved ones.

One of our members is a Veteran himself and he has shared that the garden beds with their color and life seem to soften the memories of war when he visits there. 

This special presentation also honored the two ladies who were the original creators of these garden beds and have spent 15 years of service tending them!    

Spooks moved into my indoor fairy garden!

It's that time of the year!  

I have one Fairy Garden that is all artificial plants and I updated it this fall.

Of course the goblins found it and  moved right in one night! 

 

I'm wondering if a Thanksgiving Turkey will chase them away later?  And, then what happens when it snows?   I'll keep you posted to any changes in occupants.  It sits on my desk so it keeps me smiling and when Josie comes over she rearranges the scene a bit!

A fairy moved indoors at my house!

Yep, I moved a favorite small fairy garden container inside the other day and planted two ferns I had over purchased for some indoor terrariums so, ..... made a comfy spot and next thing I knew... one of my fairies with her favorite friends moved right in.  It's getting a bit chilly outside, so I guess I understand!

This sits on our kitchen dining table so we are enjoying her company when we are eating!

First Frost!

We finally got killing frost last nite!  I am hearing my gardening friends are looking forward to it also.  I think we are tired of gardening for the season!

I started fall clean up outside early so I am about done already!  Now I am waiting for the hostas to get bit once more by frost so they all will give up and lie down.  It is so easy then to go out on a dry day and just pick the leaves up and haul them to the compost site!  Much quicker and easier than cutting them down!  Also no risk of spreading any disease that might be hiding in one waiting to be spread to another one!  Clearing the leaves away also removes the protection they provide for the slug eggs that are sleeping on the ground for the winter!  I'm all for that!

Today,  just before we went out for an errand,  we quickly pulled the dead begonias out of their pots and yanked up the sun impatiens for a quick trip to the compost site! Nothing attractive about dead plants hanging out of pots or curled up in the ground!   Next week I'll gather up my yard art pieces and tuck them away for their winter nap.  I have a few new tulips to plant  in the ground and then I am done with fall garden prep!

A few more views taken in Mother Nature's Garden Beds while on our fall color drive the other day:

Falling into fall.....

Time to hit the SE MN roads to view Mother Nature's own garden beds!  We did our annual drive with a few destination eating places in mind!  First stop for food was at the famous Aroma Pie Shop in Whalen.  The color was about gone in that area but the pie was not disappointing a bit!

Then we headed to "The River"  (ole Mississippi, of course) and drove north towards our next destination dining place in Lake City!  I should not have stopped for my annual carmel apple at Pepin Heights Orchard because we were five minutes after closing at the Chickadee Cottage Cafe!  So I missed my awesome meal I was expecting there!  Well, I guess we may have to go again to Lake City  soon and then drive a bit further north to Red Wing,  so I can enjoy a bowl of that awesome potato soup at Chickadee before they close for the season!  Denny has not been there yet and I so want him to have some of that soup!

Mother Nature's Water Feature!

Winterizing in Minnesota

Minnesota State Horticulture Society sponsored a seminar on tips on winterizing your plants,  shrubs and trees for our Minnesota winter, which will soon be on our doorsteps!

It was only an hour but was packed with information presented by Megan Magee of Family Tree Landscape & Nursery, Inc. located in Rochester, MN.  Megan sure knows her stuff and how to communicate effectively to a mixed audience of gardeners!  Not only did we have handouts to follow her presentation with but she took us outside to demonstrate how to prune shrubs with loppers and also, the faster easy way, with a gas powered hedge trimmer!  We also got a first hand demo on cutting back perennials and wrapping a tree trunk!   Needless to say, we were impressed and left with new confidence and ideas to keep our plants, trees and shrubs healthy and in great condition for spring!

I just thought I was almost done with winterizing tasks but learned how to prune my various hydrangeas, prune our new shrubs and how we'd be wise to wrap a few newer tree trunks and my hydrangea tree trunks!  A new trick using a bed sheet to catch cuttings will save lots of picking up chores! 

Keep your eyes open for these opportunities to learn.  They are often low cost and put on by professionals in your local nurseries!  There were quite a few experienced gardeners in the audience and we all picked up some new great tips to help us with these fall chores!

Best $10 I've spent for information in a long time!  The coffee, cookies and networking with gardening friends as pretty good also!