Not Unlucky - Skywatch Friday

A Friday the 13th (last Friday, to be exact) sunrise as seen from NY17 near Binghamton, New York. 

I was a passenger so I was able to enjoy it at my leasure.

And this is what was waiting for me when I got to Binghamton, taken from a second story. 

Friday the 13th was far from unlucky as far as the sunrise.

Do you watch the sky? Join Yogi and other bloggers at #SkywatchFriday

Day 20 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Throwback Thursday - The First Ice and the Last Flowers

I hope the blog post title didn't scare you.

No, I'm not trying to take a breather from the Ultimate Blog Challenge, although I had to drop out of another October challenge I was participating in, because "life happened".

Sadly, "life happened" to way too many people, including the daughter of someone I work with. The daughter lives in Santa Rosa.  Her house was spared but conditions are so terrible it is almost unbelievable.

There are millions of other people who could say the same thing.

I try to keep my blog an oasis to refresh oneself in.

But I decided to republish part of a blog post of October 12, 2012 today because that winter - which turned out to be quite harsh - is so unlike this fall, with its plethora of temperatures in the 60's and 70's.  Although much of this area had its first frost on Monday, our house escaped, as did where I work in downtown Binghamton, New York.

So, first, some pictures of the last couple of days.  And then, let's go back to October 12, 2012.

Is the weather telling us we will have a mild winter? Or are we in for something terrible?

Beautiful but, hey, this was taken on October 17.  Not that I'm complaining.  The tree to the left is a magnolia hardy in this area.  Hardly a sign of turning.

Not much fall here in downtown Binghamton, New York.  Trees are losing leaves without much color. Here, again on October 17, a tree is half bare and half "meh".

And the roses bloom on.

How about five years ago October 12?

The First Ice and the Last Flowers

In 1492, Columbus may have sailed the ocean blue.  But in 2012, on what used to be Columbus Day, we started our day in Binghamton, NY with ice pellets and ended up with a mad dash to get plants under cover for a predicted hard freeze.

A hard freeze - we haven't even had a frost yet!

Ice pellets?

Early spring, early fall.  And there is an old folk belief that the earlier the first hard freeze, the harsher the winter.

(Civil War monument, Courthouse Lawn, Binghamton, NY 10-12-12, photo courtesy of AM)

And a scene near where I took the pictures on October 17, 2017.

Now what?  It's scary, because the weather is out of control, and no one knows what will come next.

Day 19 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Fall Fancies - Underperforming

Pictures taken the past week where I live in upstate New York.

We escaped a frost yesterday.  Now our mild fall is trying to make a comeback, but at the expense of fall beauty.  The trees are under-performing.  This picture was taken yesterday in downtown Binghamton, New York.

Taken Saturday in Maine, this area is a frost pocket.

Pumpkins a'plenty.

More winter squash, and ornamental corn.

Day 18 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Sweet Painted Ladies

As I blog this, we are likely to have our first frost. The temperature is hovering around 35, but may drop lower.

As I rode home last night, I mentally said goodnight to the flowers that may be history by the time you read this.

So many flowers, so little time to say goodbye.

Last month, my "guest photographer" took pictures of painted lady butterflies on zinnias.  Let us say goodbye to the red zinnias.

The pink zinnias.

The yellow zinnias.

Switching to some of my pictures - dahlias.

And it isn't just flowers.  Check out this coleus.

Goodnight garden.

Goodnight June.

Goodnight warm nights watching the moon

Time for the frost

Time for the pumpkins

Time to get out the winter coats and shovels.

Day 17 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Music Moves Me - Cars and Trucks

Today, on Monday Moves me, songs about cars and trucks.  Or so I thought.  I apparently picked up next week's theme, but that is the kind of week it has been for me.

First, how about the theme song of a classic 60's TV show - Car 54 where are you?  OK, it wasn't about the car, but it's the first thing that popped into my head.

Drive (the Cars).

Hot Rod Lincoln - first released in 1955, this version is the cover by Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen.

I am keeping this short and sweet today.  My back is still bothering me but I am pulling double duty - my husband fell Saturday, broke his nose, and strained his neck.  Thank heavens; it could have been so much worse.  So you all be careful out there!!

Guess, since I am out of sync, I will blog about whatever music I want to next week!

Join this #MusicMovesMe blog hop every Monday - here are the people responsible for it:
X mas Dolly is the Conductor of this trip, and the other Conductors are her fellow bloggers Callie of JAmerican Spice, ♥Stacy of Stacy Uncorked♥  and Cathy from Curious as a Cathy.

Day 16 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost 

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day October 2017

In my zone 5b upstate New York garden, it is summer today, with a high near 80 degrees F expected.

By Tuesday, however, we should have our first frost.  Some areas have already had frost already.  But for now, we still have most of our flowers.

I put together this collage for your enjoyment.

We had a bumper year for pineapple sage, a plant that is not hardy here, alas. It will die with the frost.

I would never put up a photo of a dying daylily flower, but this one is special, because it bloomed yesterday.  This daylily has never rebloomed.

This was not technically a GBBD picture (it was from Tuesday) but these are our zinnias, in our community garden plot.

Inside our house, both our Thanksgiving cactuses are blooming.

And finally, just to show that even in failure there is beauty, this was a failed project to grow trailing nasturtiums in a hanging basket.  I got one plant out of it and it was never happy. But it is blooming today.

I will leave you with this farewell photo - heuchera and Persian Shield.

Now that you've seen my flowers, why don't you visit Carol at May Dream Gardens in Indiana, who features this once a month meme on her website, and see what is blooming all over the world?

Day 15 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Local Saturday - A Community Coming Together

In the United States, our thoughts are with the people of the area around Santa Rosa, California, where wildfires are burning city and countryside enough.  As it happens, the daughter of one of my co workers lives in Santa Rosa, and her family is facing an uncertain future right now.

Meanwhile, more locally: 

Dairy Cow from Engelbert Farms, Another Local Operation

Earlier this week, a local small farm called Dutch Hill Creamery lost their barn in a fire.  Fortunately, the family (and the cows) were able to escape.  But, at this time, the future of Dutch Hill is in some doubt.  Their farm is a total loss.

I am an occasional customer of Dutch Hill.  They make wonderful cheese curds, and the best orange yogurt, made from pure ingredients.  Many in our community love their chocolate milk.  I don't buy from them all the time, but I have met some of their family during open houses they have from time to time.   I understand that the Aukema family has always been at the head of the line when it has come to helping their neighbors.  So what did the community do in return for the Aukemas?


Embrace Country Life, a website dedicated to supporting local food producers, posted this on Facebook (and I am taking the liberty of posting some of it):

"[Farmers] are generous and caring people who will do anything to help a neighbor. 70 cows were displaced ...when the Aukema's barn burned down. Within a couple of hours all the cows were transported to another 4-H family's barn. The text I received from our 4-H leader who took the cows in last night said "The Aukema family was shaken but grateful for all the support. The cows were settling down, had been milked, fed, and doing pretty good with only minor scrapes. ... Cliff started www.EmbraceCountryLife.com to promote local farms, like the Aukemas and all the farmers who work tirelessly every day to feed our families. They are wonderful people who deserve our support! Please continue to pray for the Aukemas (especially their children who witnessed this horrific fire) as they go through this traumatic time."

The local farming community is now coming together to help clear debris, and give other help to the Aukemas.  And, now, they have to decide how to go forward with their lives. 

Just like the thousands and thousands in Puerto Rico, Texas, California, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other places near and far.

Remember, always, your local food producer.  Sometimes, we don't miss them until they are endangered.

Day 14 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge