Swift winds moved in with buckets of cool autumn air.
I peek in the garden…
Trying to get myself to leave the pumpkins on the vine as long as possible.
That way they will last longer.
A trip to Sprout's Grocery Store had me gasping at the precious pumpkins.
So I crept out this morning, into my garden, and picked two large fairy-tales.
There are oodles more out there.
I was happy to bring in this big punkin' babe…
It's heavy, oh my!
And would you believe, some fresh ones are growing since the weather is still so nice?
I am quite enamoured with this guy.
Look at that stem?
It's like a creature with arms and a super long beak or something
I think I will plunge soon, and really set out to harvest.
Another year of garden goodness.
I don't know what I would do without my garden.
It fills my soul so.
And now that I am getting better, I can go out and tidy it up.
It's gone crazy weeds and such since I was away.
But I won't let anyone touch it – although I might change my rules 🙂
It would be AMAZING if dogs could help with yard work.
Imagine?
I can see it now.
Little rakes in hand.
Just the thought is too great to bear.
I wish!
Oh, I must mention…
I have been enjoying that floral spirit board postcard so much (wish you could see it in person), that I went ahead and turned it into a print.
It's in my shop now too.
I framed a copy for myself, but you can get your own here if you'd like.
Well, I am off to run some errands with ML.
Pumpkin Holiday TIMES!!
Love them so!
It's the weekend, any scrumptious plans???
🖤, V
ps: Not that you wanted to know this, but I heard mad squealing in the garden the other day, only to find a big snake (I don't see them often at all) squeezing my plump light brown rat garden friend to death.
It was soooo traumatizing, oh my!
He gobbled him right up.
And as the snake, with a full belly, was catching some sun on a wooden board, a big hawk swept down, and almost grabbed the snake.
I was like, I have to go inside, this is a bit too National Geographic for me today.
Nature and life, it's brutal sometimes, ain't it?
🖤
Oh Just LOVE those fairytale pumpkins! You’ve got such a gorgeous garden! I’ve fawned over it for years! Mine is tiny, but growing!
I’ve grown pumpkins for the last three years. The first year I was tremendously successful. The second year we had a terrible drought and they all died and this year the groundhog & rabbit families made off with every single pumpkin baby! *cries* Oh well, that is life with the wilds. 🙂
Your spirit board has a bit of a Polish look to it. It’s beautiful!
Niffy,
I have lost ever so many pumpkins to creatures over the years. I
found that, if I start really early in spring, like super early – then the vines
do better and survive the rodent wrath 😉 (but I have lost about a
dozen to plump happy rodents)
Vanessa!
I am a pumpkin maniac! My grocery has some lovely pumpkins this year, but yours are always, always, always, the best most magical pumpkins. I get so frustrated that the commercial pumpkins have stems that are cut too close to the pumpkin. I like long, gnarly stems with leaf bits still attached! I love your pumpkin stems almost as much as I love your pumpkins!
You know..I want to say “poor rat” but really, rats are icky. They are cute from afar, but they do so much damage AND carry disease. I tend to be on the side of the snake. And mostly, I am on the side of the hawk! Yes, nature can be brutal yet beautiful.
Your new print is gorgeous! I love the bright colors on the black. Spirit boards scare the guts out of me, though. I’m glad yours is a pretty spirit board and not all spooky and full of goblins and ghosts!
It’s warm here today, but all the windows are open and I haven’t had to turn on the a/c for days! YaY!
Love, Love, Love
Kim
Gerushia’s New World
Those pumpkins! Oh those pumpkins!! I so wish I had some of your magic in my garden. Well, not a garden now. It’s all been aerated and seeded with grass. 🙁
Hopefully wherever I move will have a little garden plot for flowers, even if I can’t grow pumpkins.
I’m so glad you are up to being out in the garden!
love & blessings
~*~
ps…hugs to Matty and Miles
Nathional Geographic special, without a doubt, yikers!
The Delicious help with their backyard kingdom… by making little deposits hither and yonder throughout :o)
This weekend is a 3-day weekend for which Queenie is doing a full-out Away the Mundane Office Chair Happy Dance… as we speak! Me thinks I will put up a few Halloween decorations.
Enjoy your weekend.
Always, Queenie
I guess large or small, creatures need nourishment too. Too bad they crave your wondrous pumpkins…
With some of the seeds I will try growing pumpkins too…that is if I don’t make my famous pumpkin seeds for snacking. I’ve started decorating for Halloween and love love the holiday so much.
Good to see you.
Aaah the circle of life…..do you know what kind of snake? A poisonous one would have to skedaddle! but Coachwhips and Garter snakes are most welcome…..In TX we had trouble with ground squirrels digging holes everywhere and getting into the garden until i Coachwhip moved in then poof! no more squirrels….
Love your print…did you paint those flowers? They’re lovely!
Hugs!deb
E-gads snake! Just not a fan….sorry but saw way toooooo many being from Texas and all. And it seems like all the snakes in Texas are meanies.
So so so glad you’re up and around…..now don’t over do it young lady. But isn’t the weather divine? Ya just have to roam – I know you do. So I won’t hover!
xoxoxo
T.
Oh Vanessa,
But doesn’t it feel good to know at least you’re helping to feed the local wildlife. 🙂 I know that, while I was sad to lose all the pumpkins, seeing the fat groundhog put a smile on my face. His name is Humphrey. 🙂 And the birds are just going nuts with all the sunflower seeds around here!
My growing season is much shorter than yours. I’m outside Montreal, Canada so planting mid-May is about as early as we can go without fear of frost. That said, I start everything indoors in March.
I think next year I’ll try a chicken wire fence around the pumpkin patch and see if that helps salvage at least a few pumpkins.
What a beautiful pumpkin garden! Our dog Kino is more the “supervise while lying on the porch,” type.
Sorry about your little friend-sounds like a gopher snake (and Red-tailed Hawk). On a desert hike years ago we accidentally startled a gopher snake in a woodpile, which had been wrapped around a rabbit. The rabbit’s eyes were dry and it looked lifeless, but we decided to pick it up since the snake didn’t seem to be coming back. After twenty yards Mrs S saw its eyes suddenly open wide and the next instant it leapt from of my arms to its 2nd chance at life. We were happy for the rabbit, but sad for the snake who had missed out on dinner.
I love to see your pumpkins every year! They are so delightful….as is your giddy, youthful excitement about them 🙂
I love this time of year… because of pumpkins! =D
I always look forward to your garden pics, but your pics of pumpkins are some of my favorites! =D
And I’ve got a picture in my head of Matty & Miles in sunhats with rakes… It’s quite fabulous. I think I’ll put my cats to work out on my porch while I’m at this… ^_~
XOXO
PS… my condolences on the untimely demise of your garden rat. And perhaps congratulations to your garden snake? o_O
What kind of snake was she? Just curious… I love snakes. ^-^
XOXO
Vanessa – that would have ruined my day!! Now you have me feeling sorry for a rat! I feel sorry for anything that has to die at the mouth of a snake, not that any death in nature is pretty. Unlike Annalee, I loathe snakes, even though they can’t help that they are what they are. Just recently a man was arrested for keeping 850 snakes in his garage (he’s planning to open an exotic pet store). I don’t understand why people want to own them and feed them living meals – ugh! What a National Geographic kind of day, indeed!
On a lighter note, what an absolutely gorgeous pumpkin, and how heartwarming to hear you’re out and about!
Annalee, mister says the snake was a bull snake. Knock on wood, I
only ever see those black non deadly snakes, that eat rodents – and now this
rattlesnake looking, but not rattle, bull snake (gopher snake). Yesterday
I went to the pet store and looked at all sorts of snakes and critters.
There was the sweetest kitty. I cooed at him, and he rolled onto his back
and looked at me upside down. Sigh…….
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 10/11/2013 10:07:06 P.M. US Mountain Standard Tim,
How daringish, delightful and brave you are (and so free) out in the wilds of the pumpkin jungle desert gardens, where
pumpkins are as big as fairy chariots and pixie mansions. All of those pumpkins you and madame nature have birthed together – giant and small, rare and common, climbing or stalking, all of them hidden, here and there, across vines and trees, laying on nets, giving off hues of autumn colors like orange and golden treasures.
The floral spirit board – MMWWWhhhahahahhaha – I must have one and frame it toooooo.
So glad u r better missy, been thinking of you across sunrise skies and sending oodles of lil messages across the swooping autumn winds.
Really, more pumpkin blossoms? Wow.
kitty love….
I am making haunted houses like a haunted mad woman and cutting out bats and moons to swoon over.
Yes, and lil’ trickster treaters who look like cupcakes with big eyes or candy corn with a few lollipops wrapped in a cats tail will do as well.
Even though the equinox has passed, I now crown you Glorious Autumn Goddess V. V. keeper of the desert garden patch who is natures Harvest Queen.
XXOO Pinsterita tata
A Bobcat, big rat, then a snake and a hawk? You’re the animal whisperer over there. Seriously, that’s National Geographic at its best…and worst…lol.
I’m about to begin getting ready for a Halloween party tonight. It’s so hot here and I’m not ready to adventure out into the brutal sunlight. Send me some of your cool weather, ok? ‘;)
Your spirit board is lovely and has your wonderful sweet vibe…gotta gotta have one!
Ouija boards scare the bejeebers out of me. My husband and I bought a Ouija board many, many moons ago. When we got it home we were feeling rather spooked about the whole thing, hahahaha. Sooooo, we peeled off the application, mangled the board and threw it in the trash…the end.
PS: Husband and I have shared residence with a 7ft Boa Constrictor for the past 13 years. Somebody has to love em…right ? I only gave birth to boys 🙂
Eeee, such gorgeous pumpkin babies!!! I love your little fur babies, too!
You should see if you could make that spirit board – for real! I’d buy one!
What gorgeous pumpkins. I’m so happy to read that you are on the mend. Brightest blessings to you!
Ok Miss, you do have Rapunzel hair please accept it, though I’m thinking a touch more Cinderella with your beautiful pumpkins!!
I love your pumpkins. I don’t grow much around here except grass and weeds. No time for a garden this year, but every time I pass the produce stands I just want to get out and whip out my camera.
Sorry to hear about the rat, but seriously…ewwww…I don’t like rodents.
Have a great week!
Heh, I was feeling the same about Nature the other day. Some big siders have taken up residence outside my window by my desk, so I end up watching them all day. I guess most people might knock down their webs but I actually have nothing against spiders and it’s been kind of fascinating/horrifying watching them carefully build their webs & then diligently harvest anything that flies into it. It all feels very “Trials Of Life”!
I would probably very upset about that rat though!
I’m loving that Spirit Board! Such a beautiful design!
Your pumpkin garden is so lovely. And, snakes are good luck even if they are a bit… hard to bare sometimes!
Smiles,
Mario
Love pumpkins, pumpkin vines and yes, pumpkin blossoms..I can just picture our dogs with little shovels and rakes..You have quite an imagination..but then, we knew that..Have a wonderful week…
Love seeing your pumpkins.
We just harvested about 4 or 5 pumpkins,
but have more growing and hoping for.
Oh dear, I would run inside with that
National Geographic incident happening.
Sad for the rat.