Westminster Abbey in Autumn

     Autumn is one of my favourite seasons, especially when the sun is shining and the leaves are showing off their fall colours. My husband and I visited Westminster Abbey in Mission back in October, and I took some photos to share with you. This fall has also been a difficult time for my family, since my precious dad became ill back in early October.  Sadly he passed away after six long weeks of fighting in the hospital. It has been and still is especially hard on my mom, who had shared 57 happy years of her life with him. We believe that we will be with him one day again in heaven, but until then he will be greatly missed.

Westminster Abbey in Mission, BC

Beautiful Fall Colours

A Closer Look

Wooded Trail

Yellow-leaved  Maple

Path to the View Point

The misty view of the Fraser River below

The path back to the Abbey

The Pond

Another View of the Abbey

September Blooms

Autumn is nearly here though it still feels like summer. We could actually use a good rain, but I know that will come soon enough. I've been remiss in watering, but some of my flowers are still happily blooming.  My morning glories have always bloomed late in the season, and are still in their prime.  I was delighted to see some new shades this year from my saved seeds. After months of waiting I am happy to report my tomatoes finally ready!   Also, we had a brand new bird visit our patio, the Eurasian Collared Dove. They are new to my neighbourhood, and have been busy spreading across North America. I'm joining up with Glenda at Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday/Flaunt Your Flowers this week. What is blooming in September in your neck of the woods?

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Cosmos

Petunia

Brachycome

Rose Bud on my Hansa

Sunflower from Black Oil Seed

Rudbeckia 

Dove

Steller's Jay and Squirrel busy collecting hazelnuts in my backyard

Herbs & Veggies

We had our usual August heat wave, and while my tomato plants and morning glory loved the hot weather, I am rather glad we are back to warm and sunny.  My cucumbers are finally starting to produce, but I am still awaiting the first ripe tomato. Here are a few photos from my small herb and vegetable garden. I am also sharing a photo of the Steller's Jay that I have named Mr. Braveheart. He or she, is the first bird I have ever been able to train to take food from my hand :)

Garlic Chive Flowers

Tiny Dill Flowers

The Oregano is popular with bees

Swiss Chard that I primarily grew for the colour

Pretty Pink Swiss Chard

Zucchini Flowers

Mr. Braveheart and his peanuts

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Summer Birds and Blooms

Blooms from my summer garden and a few of my favourite visitors

Cosmos and Yarrow

Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus 'Fugi Blue')

Bud of the Balloon Flower along with some Alyssum

Daylily bloom, the last of the season. In spite of struggling with gall midge, this daylily still manages to wow me every year

Daylily 'Strawberry Candy'

Shirley Poppy

Sweet Peas with a lovely fragrance

Everlasting Sweet peas. I was a little disappointed to discover these didn't have any fragrance but they are pretty nonetheless.

Oriental Lily 'Acapulco'  The fragrance of this lily is amazingly potent

Cerinthe Purple Bells for the hummingbirds

Hydrangea macrophylla Nikko Blue This shrub is in the bed that will have to be dug up this fall to replace the rotten wood ties that collapsed recently.

My gardening buddy enjoying the morning sunshine

Steller's Jay enjoying the sun after too much rain, sitting on my patio fence

la la la la la

Chickadee busy with second batch of wee ones.

This Downy woodpecker became a regular this summer, and even brought his or her young. In fact this may be the young, I can't tell.

Summer At Last!

After weeks of rain and the coolest June in thirty-one years, it looks like summer has finally arrived in Southwest BC, much to everyone's relief. While my peas and lettuce were enjoying the cool weather, my cucumbers were at a virtual standstill, and my zucchini and sunflowers were struggling to sprout.  Our old retaining wall along our driveway gave out during one of our rainy nights, and now looks ugly as you can well imagine. I'm hoping we will have the funds to rebuild it in the fall.  Here are some flowers that have been blooming in spite of all the rain.

Cosmos

Feverfew

Dianthus plumaris

Hydrangea Buds

Poppy

Poppy

Virginia Stocks

Lily

Unknown blue flowers with ivy and columbine foliage

Elderberry and birdbath