Wow! Summer 2012 ' almost gone!

August 'Ending Blooms' Already!

Dark Clouds in the Sky
Cooling Winds Whipping by
Forcing my gardens beauty to
     Bend and Cry
Leaves swirling, branches baring their
        Soul
Moaning sounds of summer's end
The dawning of fall's entrance to
        behold

My spirit crys out, No, No....
    I haven't finished
Time, I need time, to build
Create, savour the joys of blooms,
Stems, brilliant colour's that I, with
Tenderness, my garden radiates

No matter how I brace
Against the season's end
Signs of closing nature al'round
   Time it is time
For rest, inside my gardens gate
           (c) Barb Gulka
                 2007

My poem says it as it is......August is the month to sigh deeply  and acknowledge 'I've done all I can this season'

Labour Day weekend is upon the gardener's, farmer's, and all those that turn their thoughts to preparing for the 'dreaded' winter.

But then there are people like myself.  Once I have accepted the season is about to have the final curtain drawn, I prepare and almost look forward to days of less hectic 'labor'.

It is the season of harvest. High bush Cranberries are picked, washed, and in the freezer waiting for the journey to becoming jelly. Apples have been harvested.  A few plums wait to be devoured,
and those veggie gardeners labouring long hours bringing the produce to markets or their tables.

Yes, August is a fun month, ending month, preparing month and our thoughts turn to what worked, what grew, what challenges we faced and most of all what will next season bring.

I had expected my new venue would be completed in full....not so...still have a few things to take care of.  Certain projects didn't get completed, so they will have to be next years 'projects'
It is OK.  It is all about the journey....right....

2012 Season was a sparse fruit producing year on Raspberry Hill Gardens.  The apples (only a few) Saskatoon's (rust & blite) Raspberries (sparse and hail) pin cherries (non-existent) chokecherries (abundance) gooseberries (non-existent) red currants ( the shrubs were cut back last year ) strawberries (critter dessert) grapes (froze back last winter)  Everything suffered through two hail storms, high winds, heavy rains and intense heat periods.

Because of this season's aggressive weather changes my potted annual flowers took a beating and the sturdy blue sea holly suffered from too much rain.  My roses were attacked by mildew/hail/black spot.

So for this gardener.....I enjoyed the many challenges of the summer and surely looking towards next season..

Until....September colour arrives......