It's Bloomin' Tuesday!

Welcome to another Bloomin' Tuesday in Western New York! Our weather has been up and down, today was in the 80's! A few days ago we had all the windows shut. I still have a few plants blooming and I have purchased some mums. I don't usually plant them because they never seem to return. The couple I do have planted haven't bloomed yet.Autumn Joy Sedum certainly has the perfect name! I add loads of color where ever it's planted.

I had to show you how huge this Anemone in the shade garden got. Payton is holding the bloom for me and she's 2 1/2 if that gives you an idea of size. I've never had any so large. The Dragon Plant is full of tiny white flowers and it's leaves are beginning to show their fall color.
There are even a couple day lilies still blooming and the prim rose leaves are coming back. I may even get some fall blooms. The blue Cranesbill Geranium has been blooming all summer and it still hasn't stopped. All the Cranesbills are a super addition to any garden.I'll leave you with this shot of a square mushroom Payton found in the front yard. I've never seen anything like it, have you? Add your name and permalink to Mr Linky to join this weeks tour. Don't forget to add a link to this post on your blog. Thanks for participating!

Local News!

The story begins last weekend when I was scared awake by the sound of something on my second story deck. I got up and turned the light on to see 2 raccoons had knocked the grease catcher off the grill. They didn't want to leave but I shooed them away with a broom. I'd barely gotten back into bed when I heard something again. This time it was only one. I shoved him off the deck with the bloom. He was hanging on the edge by his 'hands' so I pushed his hands and down he went!

I set a trap but even tho we know they were back, I couldn't catch them. A couple mornings later I found this in the trap.A baby possum!

I gave him an all expense paid trip to a local 'wildlife resort', complete with a 'pool' and reset the trap.

The next morning (5am) as my son, after hearing noises all night, was checking his laptop before work at the kitchen table when a very angry raccoon tried to come in the kitchen window! Luckily, the window was closed! Raccoon #1 was in the trap and raccoon #2 was not happy!
He called me in the morning to tell me to be careful. Raccoon #2 was still on the deck and # 1 was making a horrible noise.

As you can see #2 was coming after me as I took pictures! He made a real mess, including knocking Payton's caterpillar off the table and killing it, tipping over the wastebasket and knocking everything over that was on the table he climbed on to try to get in the window. He finally left when the sun came out so I took coon #1 to the 'resort'.
A couple nights later I caught what I hope was raccoon #2, and sent him on vacation. I'm hoping this is the last of the deck critters! Now to start trapping the chipmunks that are getting too close to the house.

To see a related story click here.

Favorite Things Friday

It's Bloomin' Tuesday!

Welcome to Bloomin' Tuesday!

Today it's all about my all time favorite fall blooms, Anemone or windflowers! My first Anemone was a single bloom, the Japanese Anemone. I will admit these plants can take over but it's easy to give them away once gardeners see them. This double light pink is Queen Charlotte. It is fairly new to my shade garden. In my experience, Anemone will do well in any light from full shade to full sun.

I'm not sure of the name of these double pink.

The centers are all the same no matter which bloom. When the bloom is spent, there is just the center 'ball' left which eventually pops open to send off white fluffy seeds.

Another thing I love is the fact that they are a mounding plant. They look great even before they bloom because of this. The 'mound' is made up of several small plants so they are fairly easy to control.

I have a new double white but it hasn't bloomed yet.

The single pink, double pink and white in my middle garden. Can you see why I love these plants? They are so graceful when they sway in the wind.

If you are short on fall blooms, why don't you give Anemone a try. Remember there are also spring bloomers that are nothing like the autumn bloomers.

To join our garden party, just add your name and permalink to Mr Linky and add a link to this post on your blog.

Happy Bloomin' Tuesday!

1. Our Country Home 2. Corner Garden, NE 3. Darla, North Florida 4. daisy

5. Roan 6. Through My Garden Window 7. Beyond The Garden Gate 8. Lisa @ My Omaha Garden

9. garden coop 10. Linda's Lunacy 11. Kathy-Delightsome Life

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Favorite Things Friday

A couple years ago I bought a lightening rod at a flea market for my garden. This year something tipped it over and broke the glass ball. The balls are hard to find and quite expensive. Last weekend I went to a 'gigantic sale' and 'pickers paradise' that was not as great as I expected. I was pleasantly surprised to notice a lightening rod, with a couple extra rods and 2 glass balls. I made a low offer and got it all for half what I paid for the first one! I decided to put one on each end of my new front garden and vintage fence.
One has a clear purple ball and one a milk glass purple. I not only love them but love that I got such a good deal!

It's Bloomin' Tuesday

Welcome!
Signs of fall in Western New York.

To add your garden to the tour, add your name and permalink to

Mr Linky and a link to this post on your blog.

Sit back and enjoy!

1. Carol Samsel 2. Beyond The Garden Gate 3. Anne Fannie 4. Darla, North Florida

5. Linda's Lunacy 6. Racquel 7. daisy 8. Tracy - MA - Gardening Obsession

9. http://my-omaha-garden.blogspot.com/2011/09/garden-tuesday-tree-bark-woes.html 10. Rosemary 11. Through My Garden Window 12. Donna's Designs

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Favorite Things Friday

Butterfly Festival

Jerzie and I went to the local Audubon Butterfly Festival last weekend. The first thing we saw when we entered the butterfly room was flowers everywhere! Huge vases of all the blooms that monarchs feed on.
There were butterflies everywhere! Volunteers were catching them in nets to be tagged, tagging them, showing how to hold them or just walking around giving a closeup view to anyone who wanted to see. Jerzie loved watching everything going on but was not interested in holding one.

There are 2 tagged butterflies on this bouquet.

How many butterflies do you see in this picture?
There are 5 but one is really hidden below the cone flower on the right.

There were several crafts for the kids. After putting together a butterfly puzzle and a huge floor bug puzzle, Jerzie decided to make a caterpillar from a paper chain.

Of course, Jerzie had to put on a puppet show before we left, one of her favorite things to do there.

We had a great time and I hope to take both girls next year!