Greetings Again from Susie’s Gardens. Had a little run in with Ernesto, on Friday September 8, although “he” had been downsized to a tropical depression. Never the less, it was a bit stronger than was first predicted. The Northern Neck took a pretty good hit with 60 mph winds and much flooding. We were expecting 20-25 mph winds but I dare say some gusts were in the 35-45 mph range. Some trees down all around the area. We just had branches and leaves blown down and the arch on the south side was blown over again. Its heavy with the little fall hydrangea vine which has grown all the way up into the cedar. Some in Richmond had flooding and large trees down. We did okay, but lost power from about 1:15 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Luckily I have all kinds of flashlights and battery powered Coleman lanterns. Not like the old days when we had one beat up old metal flashlight and an oil lamp! The next day we lost power again, from about 10:00 a.m. until about 4:00 p.m. Kinda screwed up the holiday weekend. 

      During the storm, the garbage cans got blown around and when I went to straighten them out I saw a little toad at an outdoor chest where we put cushions and extra charcoal. Also, despite the wind and rain, the little hummingbirds fed and flew all day seemingly unaffected by the weather. We’ve had the Cooper’s hawk make two passes through the yard during recent evenings. It was an adult with blue-gray back and showing the fluffy white, under tail coverts—a good field mark (It’s kinda like its underwear is showing!). I’ve watched the hummingbirds work their way up and down the old clematis and morning glory vines; picking off tiny insects I suspect because there were no flowers. They also come to the flowering coleus that Susie has in the window planter and on the Florida Room steps. 

      The sedums and the obedient plants are now flowering and soon it will be all the fall asters. As I mentioned, the rain would cause the tomatoes to split, and they did; even the grape and little cherry tomatoes. I blanched, skinned, bagged and froze up about three dozen this afternoon. I had planted some romaine lettuce in a large black pot full of top soil, potting soil, and compost. It is doing fantastic and we can start using it anytime now in salads. I’m still thinking of tilling up one row and planting some fall stuff—broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cabbage. 

       I still have some old trimmings to clean up. The birds plant a lot of unwanted trees and shrubs in the hedgerows, and it’s a job to keep them trimmed and cut down. Mimosa, white mulberry, elm (from the neighbor), and Rose of Sharon volunteers are the worst. Then there is occasional greenbrier, and lots of Virginia creeper. We have some healthy poison ivy still growing under the big cedar. I have had a lot of potato vine and a weed I haven’t identified as yet. Along with them are the usual lamb’s quarter, three-seeded mercury, morning glory, and foxtail. I think the birds may have planted the new stuff, but it could have come in with the straw mulch too. The potato vines multiply via runners and will be a problem. The dogwood berries are turning red and the cardinals are in the trees feeding on them as well as the oakleaf hydrangea seeds and crab apples. 

     Well I’m gonna go outside and sit in the cool wet air and make believe I’m duck hunting! Temps have been in the 60s and 70s. I like it! Hope all is well with you. Take Care, Be Safe, Hang Tuff, and God Bless. 

© 2006 Spike Knuth All Rights Reserved.

Editor's Note: If you would like to write about your back yard, please feel free to do so. And include photos. JAF