One More Detour on the Writing Road

...I am almost certain that my last post here was later than February. But this year has whipped by so fast that I can't swear to it.

It's Autumn already. The foliage was stunning, but now we're at the mow-mulching stage. The tree folks did a boatload of trimming and tree removal a couple of weeks ago, which saved me some work but not a lot.

We've had some unseasonable chill here in NE Illinois, which I am not ready for. I need to have a new back door installed next month, which should be interesting. During the summer, I need to worry about an influx of flies and wasps getting in through the opening; in colder weather, I need to worry about mice. Do not like mice.

The birds, meanwhile, are pecking through the suet cakes and seeds at a record rate. Some of the smaller squirrels managed to weave through the squirrel-resistant--stop laughing they pretty much do work--suet cages to get at the cakes, so now I have to coat the things with cayenne powder and then make sure to wash my hands thoroughly and NOT TOUCH MY EYES EVEN AFTER I DO SO. Not for a while, anyway.

Soon I'll be bringing in the container plants for the winter. The gerbera daisies. Probably the mini-roses. Sometimes the warmth tricks them out of dormancy and they continue to bloom. Bright spots of color amid the brown and white.

...I now have 15 tomato seedlings at various stages of growth. The tallest are 3 and a half inches tall; others are 2-3 inches, or a little shorter. I am thinking of turning the southeast corner of the backyard into a tomato garden--yes, I know it's a little late to be tilling soil and getting it into shape--just to see what happens. Otherwise, 11 of those seedlings will go to waste, and I don't have the heart to trash them.

Herbwise, I now have a rosemary topiary to go with what I think are thyme and oregano, the two survivors of what had been a 5-herb container garden. I keep trying to find images of the leaves online, but there are so many varieties of each herb that I can't tell them apart. Scent doesn't always work either because all I have to compare with is the dried stuff, and the dried stuff doesn't always smell the same as the fresh. Maybe I'll post pictures in the next day or two, and someone can tell me exactly what I have.

Anyway, used the fresh rosemary in Sunday's lamb. It was very good. It will need its own pot, since it's about a foot high now and could reach a height of 2-6 feet, according to the info card. I really don't think I need a six foot rosemary bush, so I am hoping it remains on the shorter side.

Is it ok to transplant a bonsai tree to a bigger pot? I've had this tree for 4 1/2 years. All the leaves fell off recently, which may have been a response to the A/C. I thought it was a goner, but I put it outside on the off chance that heat and sun would help, and it seems to be coming around. Leaves are sprouting. But the trunk has grown and it just looks cramped. Can I transplant it?

I also bought a lavender plant today. I want to keep that inside. Maybe cut some sprigs and dry them.