Autumn sighs

 In September we drove to Acadia National Park in Maine.  The sunset from Cadillac Mountain was singularly the most breathtaking natural sight I have ever seen.  Just something about being one of the first in the country to see the dawning of another glorious day...............

Everything about our trip through Northern New England was perfect except for the moment that I dropped my camera on the pavement, smashing the lens.  We replaced the camera rather quickly with a shatterproof update.  But apparently I find gardening guides much more enjoyable and easier to follow than gadget guides;  absence from my blog has been a long one as I attempt to get back to snapping garden pics.  

It has been an autumn for large projects and small projects.  The area pictured below had become painful to look at.  Between "settling" and the lack of a back support for this sloped area, the soil level had sunk far below the wall.  I removed all the plants from the area.  Hank made a most informal wall of bricks along the  back and delivered from my secret supply of dirt five wheelbarrows full of the good stuff.  I reduced the size of the generously spreading dainthus and cerastium and re-planted them in their new level area, along with their neighbors, alchimella, daylily, veronica, and flax.  But the job was not complete until I set my sentimental "Falls Village limestone" back in its proper spot.

I have often said to my children as I marched them upstairs to clean their rooms, "And if it doesn't get worse before it gets better you're not doing a good job!" That personal maxim of mine also applies to big garden projects such as the one pictured below.There had been three mop-head hydrangea just below the windows of our back porch. They had outgrown their space and were smothering the perennials with their four year growth heavy laden with 12 inch blossom heads.  Hank relocated two of them to the back yard (I told him that every horseshoe pit needs hydrangea accents). The largest remaining one was hatcheted into three sections and replanted those in the original spots. All put back together now....hope I haven't led a mass execution of hydrangea.

The window of opportunity for garden work is quickly closing.  Today's tasks were pleasurable.  I planted 38 Ice Follie Daffodil bulbs and 12 very sweet Barrett Browning Daffodils.  Then I continued the task of cutting back perennials to basal growth and cleaning up the gardens.  The compost almost audibly thanked me for the delicious dinner of hosta leaves and stems.

And finally, I did a walk-about, snipping one of every variety that is singing its last song.