A Case of Mistaken Identity

We watched 'The Unknown" last weekend so I have stolen identities on the brain.

Fortunately, this tree's identity wasn't stolen, just mistaken. When we bought it somehow we thought it was an 'Autumn Blaze' maple, but as autumn came along and there was no blaze, we checked the tags we saved to find it is actually an 'Emerald Queen'.

Mike was disappointed, but really I love the paper gold fluttering to the ground.

Fall Flowers

Once in awhile I get to do something flowery. I'm not very good at it anymore, but it's fun to arrange little beauties.

These are the flowers I used at an open house we hosted for Mike's mom. I got the mixed bouquet at Costco, which is always good bang for your buck. I loved the sunflowers, but I took out the carnations (not a fan) and added a small bunch of peach roses. The real cattails were a cool linear touch, and the eucalyptus berries made for a beautiful cascading feel on the bottom. The rest of the fall decor was dominantly orange and the bouquet felt lacking in that hue, so I grabbed some carrots from the garden and put them in the vase!

I love fall pumpkins and gourds. I added some clementines, leaves and seeds, and sprigs of eucalyptus and thought the the bowls turned out sweet and simple.

Fall Garden Checklist

Today is a beautiful sunny fall day, but the cool edge in the air reminds me that I have some outdoor projects to finish before cold weather sets in. The weekend forecast looks good for some last minute garden work!

Here's my list:
- Fertilize the grass (yes, it's really growing folks!)

- Round up/hoe weeds in flower beds
- Plant bulbs and pansies
- Move strawberries from garden to bed under fruit trees

- Harvest carrots and beets
- Return and replace tree that died
- Stain deck


I got this checklist in my email from Better Homes and Gardens. I like that it has 3 stages: early, mid-, and late autumn tasks. It's easy to lose steam in the fall, but if you just keep going strong and do those late season tasks, you'll be all the more ready for a great growing season next year.

Late Tomatoes

Is anyone else having a late harvest of tomatoes? I still have a bunch of green ones on the vine! I have heard that cutting back on water tells the plant to stop growing vines and start ripening the fruit, so I did that over the weekend and got this bunch! Unfortunately now it's pouring rain, so I can't control it for now.

A neighbor of mine grows amazing tomatoes and suggests 'Celebrity' as a great producer. I was happy to hear it because 4 of my 6 are 'Celebrity'! I love that they get pretty big and have a lot of meat inside. I second her recommendation!