Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Hello September

Hello September! School is back in session, the light appears later in the morning and fades earlier in the evening, while an earthy aroma whispers change. I welcome autumn harvests, red apples, blooming chrysanthemums, orange pumpkins, whimsical gourds, and corn shocks all shining under a harvest moon.

The bounty of the garden spills into my kitchen with delectable results...

Summer squash au gratin


Canned whole ‘Roma’ tomatoes 
Fresh salsa

Stuffed peppers

Tomato Bingo Anyone?

The glory days of sunflowers towering over the garden are passing as bulbous heads bowed low salute nature’s change of seasons. The final sunflower has opened her face to the sun and I stand beneath heaving an audible sigh of appreciation.


I am not the only creature that benefitted from all that sunflowers offer; bees, covered in yellow pollen, danced around the spheres sipping and collecting. Butterflies lit on this year’s favorite flower and a goldfinch hung precariously, nearly upside, snatching a not-ready-for-prime-eating seed or two.

I think I will miss the sunflowers most of all. As Vincent Van Gogh remarked, “The sunflower is mine, in a way.” Well it’s mine in a way, too and I have taken over a hundred photos hoping that just one will capture the essence of a sunflower.
Cutting a sunflower head in its crowning golden glory of petals was one of the hardest things I did in my garden this year. I treasured each one and while I love cut flowers, scanning often requires removal of stems. So I float the head in water enjoying it for as long as possible knowing that long after the stems have been cut down I’ll have colored memories.


Come in September.  I'm so glad you're here!

12 comments:

  1. Dear Teresa, Yes, I so agree, welcome to September. This is a favourite month of mine and has, in my view, just the right mixture of sunny days, schoolchildren removed from the streets, a nip in the air at the start and end of the day and a generally calm feeling of well being as the year winds down for winter. Perfect!!

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  2. Tomato bingo, what a treat!
    I do love Autumn, but it is bittersweet to say goodbye to the lushness of summer.. I will miss her. We grew Sunflowers for the first time this year and they were oh, so glorious! But not in my pictures. How do you take such wonderful photos, mine NEVER look that good!

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  3. Hello Edith...you're so right, September is a month with just enough summer and children back in school is especially pleasant for me. I have a large block of time to myself once again.

    Greetings Jeri...I found the Bingo paper at a craft shop and had no idea what I'd do with it, but just couldn't resist. As for my photography...I take hundreds of photos hoping to find a few that I deem ok. I apply the simple principles of design and that usually helps me focus on what I'm trying to get my camera to say.

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  4. Tomato Bingo!! Finally, a game I could sink my teeth into! Adore this time of year. REALLY!
    Great photos and thanks for getting me in the mood!
    You scored a checkmate today!

    xox
    Constance

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  5. Hello Constance...thanks for stopping by and I'm so glad I got you in the mood for September and the changing seasons. Ha! Rules for tomatoe bingo...Cover bingo sheet with tomatoes. Eat each tomato covering a called number. ACK!

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  6. We just noticed today that the evenings are 'drawing in' Oh how we long for the cooling that September may bring or will it be October. Loved seeing more of your exceptional scans. you really have a talent.

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  7. Hi Rockrose! It's cooler this morning here and it doesn't sound like it will get much warmer today. Now to get rid of the humidity. I'm so glad you enjoy viewing my scans. I really like doing it, except for the fact that I have to cut the stems so short that they often must float in a bowl rather than stand in a vase. Have you tried it yet?

    Have a wonderful day!

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  8. I love, love, love sunflowers and cannot wait to plant them again next year.

    Canning is also a recent hobby of mine. I can't wait to learn how to can more :-)

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  9. I'm new here and now following your blog! Beautiful Tomatoes and garden! I love your Sunflowers. Have a wonderful weekend! :)

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  10. Your photos of the Sunflowers truly capture their sunshine - your love for them shows! A wonderful post, just the thing for this time of year- tomatoes and sunflowers at the close of the summer season.

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  11. The bee in the sunflower was SO stunning!
    Your second to last shot reminded me of Dutch still lives.
    I wish I still had a garden.
    I'm going to add you to my sidebar if that's OK?

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  12. Teresa, Your pictures and prose appealed to all my senses. Yes, I could even smell those tomatoes. Lovely post. Well done. Pam x

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