Amaryllis time!

This week I managed to make time to re-pot my collection of amaryllis

 bulbs. . . . . after popping a couple of xtra strength Tylenol for pain relief!

I knew bending over a huge bag of fresh potting soil, and washing out the

 old pots, would be hard with my ongoing back issue. 

I like to give these now old bulbs a clean start annually. Next spring

 they will be returned to the garden where they often re-bloom and look

 gorgeous outside by the front steps.

They have just spent two months in a box in the potting shed, garden

 soil brushed off, longer roots clipped a wee bit, and should now be ready

 to come back to life in the house.

I planted five large single bulbs in individual pots, and three new

 baby bulblets in a pot together.  When I dug up the large bulbs in

 September where they'd spent the hot summer months, these little

 bulblets clinging to their 'mamas' were a nice surprise. 

All the bulbs have a touch of green peeking out so hoping they will 

send up those tall stems, lovely leaves, chunky buds. . . . and

bloom eventually!

I'm short of sunny places to place bulbs, or plants - and no wide

 window sills to balance them on to catch autumn/winter rays.

So they move around the south facing dining room - taking turns 

in sunlit corners, on the floor, and on the dining table!

I have my doubts these will bloom in time for Christmas but perhaps 

in January their beautiful flowers will open again such as in this photo

 below from a previous year. 

Amaryllis blooms are stunning and so worth waiting for!

Are you growing any indoor bulbs for winter this year?

Gardening in the autumn months -

We started this garden almost 25 years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Fran. It looked like a war zone then! With $2.4 billion in damage and 13 deaths, North Carolina was hit hard, not just the coastal region but inland also. Our damage was substantial during that horrible, frightening night. My car was crushed by an oak falling on it in the driveway, and many large oak trees fell around the house necessitating a new roof, but thankfully we were not injured. What was formerly just a natural heavily treed area in back became a new project. After assistance with clearing and preparing the lot, Bob and I have done much of the work ourselves over the years. It's amazing how quickly trees, shrubs, and plants grow, even with limited sunlight. We still have a thick overhead canopy of trees despite the ones that fell and the removal later of several tall but dangerous pines on our property. Surrounding us are many trees in neighbors' yards impacting our space. This year we removed a few more large trees to get more sunshine into the back garden to help the small grassy area. Now, slightly overgrown, the privets are more the size of small trees than shrubs and are blending into the azaleas. Heavy pruning is on that lengthy garden 'to do' list come the correct time to go at the shrubs with tools and vigor!  

It's harder now and that so true quotation comes to mind  

often . . . . . "a garden is a thing of beauty and a job forever."

Changes through these long months of 2021 . . . . . . . 

~ Early morning autumn light ~

Preparing soon for the cold days ahead. Last year's wood pile is depleted,

more to be delivered soon.

The trees have yet to change color, the leaves yet to fall on the autumn 

breezes. The season of rust, red and gold comes later here because

 the temperatures remain high into October.

Patience.  A quick meditation break with deep breathing seems to work

in mid-afternoon. Clear the mind. Reboot and refresh. Sharpen and

refocus thoughts. Make plans. Keep forging ahead.

Enjoy your Sunday.

~ Hugs ~