It's raining figs!

They're sweet, tasty, healthy, and there are pounds and pounds of them 

ripening on the huge Celeste fig tree in our front garden!

Yesterday afternoon we had some heavy rain which lasted long enough

to give the parched garden a good soaking.  Longed for rain always

looks and sounds wonderful and it caused the temperature to drop

 by 20 degrees which was awesome! There was thunder and lightning

 but we were thankful the predicted strong damaging winds didn't 

accompany the rain.

Here's the tree in the rain - I noted many birds leaving the feeders 

and sheltering in the branches when the rain was heaviest.

People stop in their tracks when they realize this is a fig tree - it certainly

has become a talking point around the neighborhood.

Fig and Finch

I will definitely be pruning again in late winter when the branches are bare

and I can see where to remove old wood.  The tree is impeding parking

and walking up the driveway now!

This morning, the tree in the sunshine - and the grass looks greener since the rain.

Many figs end up such as this one - a meal for a bird!

Birds enjoying dining in the tree include many cardinals, finches,

robins, catbirds, and blue jays.

On the ground, enjoying fallen fruit, are mourning doves, brown thrashers, 

towhees, and of course the never ending visiting squirrels!

Glorious figs - summertime sweetness!

Brilliant blues of June. . . . . . . . .

Yesterday I worked out here. This morning, up early, I poured my coffee,

 sat on the front porch and just enjoyed the view.

Then of course I grabbed a camera and took some photos as the 

sun peeked through the humid morning air.

Mother Nature certainly worked hard whilst we were gone for

three weeks. Apparently there was lots of rain, then hot temperatures, 

meaning nonstop growing and blooming. As I write this, mid-afternoon,  

the temp. is 90F but feeling like 99F with the humidity, it's scorching out there.

Thunderstorms later according to those who supposedly know about weather. 

Kind neighbors mowed the grass while we were gallivanting

around Ireland. Bob mowed yesterday while I did a lot of clean up, pruning,

 watering etc. Now I need to shop for some Summer annuals for pots. 

I was not really expecting the hydrangeas to get this huge as in early

Spring they looked somewhat thin and sad. You can imagine my 

delight to come home to this magnificent show of blue among all the

 brilliant greens.

 

We already spy many, many figs. . . . . guess I'll be making jam again come late Summer!

View this morning from my wicker chair on the porch.

I have lots more to share with you from Ireland.

Life is busy right now as we get ourselves organized and settled

 into some semblance of normal routine. 

Thanks for all your kind comments on my recent Ireland posts - I'll catch up

 with you soon.

Fragrance from the ever changing garden . . . . . . . . . .

AFTER AUTUMN RAIN THERE IS A FRESH, SHARP,

RICH AND EARTHY AROMA IN THE GARDEN AND 

WOODLAND.

WALKING THROUGH THE WOODLANDS YOU CAN CATCH

 FLASHES OF BERRIES . . . . . . BRIGHT ORANGE, RED,

DEEP PURPLE. 

The colors of the leaves are breathtaking.

 Soft moss, ivy and ferns have their own distinctive aromas.

I've noticed when trying new perfumes, woodland ingredients

seem to be prevalent now, more so than sweet fruity florals.

The warmth of woody notes, traditionally used in men's fragrances

- which personally I have always had an affinity for -

are now being used in women's perfumes which I think

is wonderful.

Here in my garden, the fig tree is now dropping the first of its yellowing leaves - the

 still plentiful green ones have yet to change color and drop to the damp earth.

The most surprising thing in the garden this week is the sudden appearance
 of the Angel Trumpets (brugmansia). 
Some years they bloom as early as September, other years, and this is such
 a one, the plants tease us and don't show blooms until November.
 As we have a warm spell coming end of week, I think we'll have quite
 a show prior to the chilly temperatures sure to follow soon.
Then I'll cut the branches down almost to the ground, covering them
 with mulch and leaves, hoping next Spring they'll shoot up again as they have
 for many years.

Monday's constant heavy rain brought a large oak tree limb down on
 our back deck. Thankfully the umbrella broke its fall and it didn't
 cause damage. We now are concerned about our aging trees. Many 
have been removed over the years but it appears there are more needing 
to come down for safety's sake. That limb could have gone through the
roof or caused us severe injury if we'd been outside.

Goodbye garden. . . . . . . .

As much fun as it is to travel to far away places, leaving home has it downside.

For me waving goodbye to the garden is always hard. Having to say au revoir, 

when it's just starting to thrive in the warm springtime sunshine, brings a catch 
to my throat and even a tear to my eye as the car backs down the driveway.

Last weekend I picked parsley and scattered annual seeds. There will be no 

languishing at the garden centers this Spring, sighing over all those gorgeous 

pots of perennials just waiting for a garden spot. 

So right now the garden IS lovely, things are growing rapidly with April showers 

and warm sunshine. Although the azaleas are late this year they have bloomed and 

I've enjoyed them this past week before leaving. Above you can see the first fig

leaves appearing - by the time I return perhaps there will be tiny fruits.

The grass was mowed - hopefully it grows slowly. The neighbors will watch the 

cottage and hopefully the weather will be gentle whilst we're away, with just quiet 

breezes to blow the last of the pollen off the roof. 

I know it will look like a jungle when we return mid-May!

What do you miss most when leaving home for an extended trip?

There is a season, a time for everything. . . . . .

Awaking to this scene beyond the front porch yesterday morning 

was quite a surprise. The first night with temperatures dropping below

freezing caused all the fig leaves to fall at once, carpeting the ground

in soft and muted greens, golds, even figgy purples.

I thought it all quite a magical sight.

This really was the color - Carolina Blue - of the sky yesterday while we were 

working in the garden.

We raked up all those leaves.

Two or three green figs are left hanging on - a winter feast for 

a lucky squirrel or hungry little bird.

So it's farewell to our lovely, leafy fig trees - we have two - for this year.

This one, the Celeste, was definitely prolific this past season. . . . . . 

I'm still handing out pots of Fig & Lemon and Fig & Ginger jam. 

The Green Darner . . .

Was he after the last of the figs? Or maybe just resting 

on his way south. Well known for its great migration 
distance, it flies from the northern United States south 
into Texas and even Mexico.

The Common Green Darner stopped by my fig tree on Friday. 
He stayed long enough for me to run into the cottage and 
grab my Olympus and set it on 'Birds' in hopes of getting 
a good shot of those dashing colors and quivering gossamer 
wings. Common and abundant, it is one of the largest 
dragonflies, males grow to 3" in length with a wingspan 
of up to 3-1/2". 
Adult darners catch insects on the wing, including moths, 
flies and mosquitoes. Lovely dragonflies please, please 
return to the garden next Summer - I'll have plenty of 
mosquitoes for you to dine on, I promise.

Farewell to figs………………

Over the weekend the figs seemed to vanish into thin air. The plump ones left on the 

trees Saturday - because I just couldn't handle any more in my kitchen - were devoured 

by birds, especially robins, and the occasional squirrel. Fruits pecked open and 

savored allowed the bees to buzz in. . . . so I stayed away.

It has been a great crop this year and I have made good use of the figs. . . . . come 

on over if you want a jar of yummy jam, I have plenty, fig and lemon, fig and ginger.

Need to do some gentle pruning soon as both trees are so big now. . . . . have some 

friends who would like a fig tree of their own so I may try propagating a few to share.

Good morning sunshine…

While picking up the newspaper at 7:30 am today, I took these pics. 

The sun is shining again at last, the grass is so green for August after 

several days with some really heavy rain. 

If you were close by I'd be showering you with fresh picked 

figs today. 

They're plump and juicy and the birds are feasting. 

I have so many now and I'm 'fig jammed out'!

Hey, if you ARE nearby and you want to help yourself, please 

call me or come on over, you're welcome to pick all you want.

Also greeting me this morning, a couple of beautiful sunflowers at long last. 

Their faces have been searching for the sun for over a week. 

Now they have unwrapped their golden petals and are shining brightly on this early August day.

Figs............for two!

My two fig trees, which are actually still bushes at this point in time, are growing well.  Last year one appeared to be on its last legs, I thought for sure was not going to over-Winter.  It survived, and is now several feet tall with some very tiny figs popping out.  The other larger bush was where I picked just one or two ripe figs last year, before birds/squirrels grabbed the rest....................but look what I picked yesterday, a handful of pretty fresh, ripe figs.  Just enough to bake in the oven with butter and broken walnuts, then top with acacia honey and a dollop of mascarpone, for two special tiny desserts.

Next year, enough for figgy jam perhaps!