Confused

Most of the leaves have fallen and we've already had our first snow.

The Christmas trees have arrived at the local garden center.

And my Zephyrine Drouhin rose is blooming?

The nasturtium is putting on a show right near the bittersweet?

One the next street over...

a cherry tree is coming into bloom?

...right next-door to a rose?

And my perennial geranium have started to bloom?

Despite the confusion, I pulled my frostbitten Dahlias to put them away for the winter.

Lavender, which can be a little intolerant to our severe winters...

...gets packed tightly with leaves for insulation.  

It's worked for three years so I don't mess with success.

Amaryllis "Lima"                                         Amaryliis "La Paz"

For the inside, I bought a few different Amaryllis bulbs

that I'll start every few weeks so I can pretend it's spring all winter long.

If Mother Nature can be confused, a few bulbs should work for me.

Autumn in the City

My street, October 26

First I want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments about my house.  I've put a lot of effort into transforming my little urban cottage and I'm thrilled that others can appreciate it too.  I've been so rapt up in the project, I feel like I lost an entire summer but it was hard to miss the autumn color this morning.  We had some rain last night which always intensifies the color and morning sun made them almost florescent. 

The color peaks in late September, early October in the northernmost parts of New England and moves south toward Boston.  In another week or two, all of the leaves will be gone.  I think we're at peak right now in the city but I don't recall seeing color this bright in a long time.

I love spring and summer and I always lament the onset of autumn but with color like this, how can you not enjoy it?

I think autumn is starting to grow on me.

Even in the middle of downtown Boston, there's fall color to enjoy.  This park just one block from my office used to be a hideous two- or three-story cement parking garage.  The owners demolished the garage, rebuilt it underground and added this beautiful park.

This is a entrance to the parking garage.

During summer months, the park is literally packed with people enjoying their lunch hours sitting on the grass.  (The park hands out mats to sit on.)  I enjoy it most in the morning when people are scurrying to work, too busy to enjoy a few moments outside.

The park has a full-time staff of people constantly sweeping, washing, watering, trimming, planting and trimming to keep the park pristine.

Even when you live and work in the city, there are plenty of places to enjoy the amazing colors of autumn.