~
Our drought dissolved in inches of cool, wonderful rain last weekend. We had a break from the heat, too, with some wonderfully cool nights and mornings.
We’ve left doors and windows open to air out the house and gotten outdoors a bit more. Mornings, especially, have been wonderful for puttering and watering without getting roasted when one steps out of the shade.
~
Our newest crape myrtle, with blooms this year, after a visit from the doe and her fawns. I’m relieved to see lots of new growth, which is especially pretty on this cultivar.
~
Yesterday evening, we ventured into the front yard on the way to collect the mail, and were amazed by a cloud of graceful dragonflies. Neither of us could remember seeing so many dragonflies flying about the garden all at one time. We stood in awe, admiring them.
All sorts of creatures begin to show themselves when the rain returns and temperatures dip. Not only dragonflies, but butterflies show up, too.
~
~
And I’ve had a tiny hummingbird gathering courage this week, flying ever closer to the fine spray from the hose as I water. It zips up close in the blink of an eye, and hovers, jumping forward a few inches at a time to the edge of the cool mist of water.
~
The magic of cropping allows us to enjoy the crape myrtle’s flower without seeing where the tree was nibbled….
~
We have a family of small rabbits sharing the garden this summer, too. They watch us from the shadows, hopping off briskly only if we get too close for their comfort. Small lizards rustle among the pots on the front patio, sunning themselves along the windowsills and on the porch. A tiny one, less than 2″ long skittered through the slider as I let the cat out Wednesday morning. I shudder to think where it may be hiding, and choose to believe it found its way back outside unseen.
~
~
Our garden’s soundtrack begins before dawn as birds call to one another, and lingers late into the evening with frog song and chirping cicadas. Birds nesting in the yard follow us around, calling to us from nearby trees as we work.
These are reasons we love living in our forest. You must know, though, that its not all peaches and cream, at any time of year. We’ve put out deer repellents three times in the last week. It remains all too common to look out of our front windows to see a certain doe and her two fawns munching the Hydrangeas on our front lawn.
~
Back out into the sun, a favorite pot of Caladiums also hosts a Crinum lily preparing to bloom. This is one of the few lily blossoms deer won’t eat, and these tough perennials get better each year.
~
Yesterday afternoon, it was a black snake that surprised my partner in the shrubs beside our front porch. It was the first we’ve seen near the house this year, and we hope the last! Now I’ll be extra careful working near the shrubs, and keep an eye out for it. (A former gardener’s wife refused to venture into the yard at all, for fear of snakes. She admired it all from the windows of our home.)
Yes, change is in the air as we settle in to August. The garden has visibly revived and begun to grow again since our rain. We watch the forecast daily, greedily waiting for the next shower and cool day. I’ve a ‘to do’ list which begins with pruning the roses before moving on to some serious weeding; just waiting for a cool, damp morning to inspire me.
~
I noticed the interesting texture eaten into these leaves above our deck yesterday evening.
~
Hibiscus fill our garden this time of year. All of our Crape Myrtle trees have begun to bloom, and the golden Rudbeckia are coming into their prime. There is plenty of nectar for every pollinator in our corner of the county. Butterflies hover around the Lantana, and every sort of fabulous wasp buzzes around the pot of mountain mint growing on our deck.
~
Hardy Hibiscus coccineus began to bloom in the front border this week.
~
August reminds us to take some pleasure and rest while we can. It is a month of kicking back and savoring the sweetness of life. It is a month for catching the first whiff of change in the cool morning breezes.
~
Basil loves this hot, sunny weather!
~
I hope you are preparing for a weekend getaway this Fabulous Friday. Maybe you are already there, settling in for a little holiday time.
I began the day catching up with a good friend over coffee, and am looking forward to a few hours in the garden this evening. I’ll plan to get away later in October, once the butterflies fly south again and the hummingbirds stop dancing around me as I water.
August is too full of sweetness to leave the garden now.
~
~
Fabulous Friday: Happiness is contagious, so let’s infect one another!
*
Woodland Gnome 2017
Forest Garden 
Great post!
Thank you 😊