Today was mowing day for E; I already did my little part.  It continues in the mid-70s, sunny and breezy.  More of same or even warmer is in the forecast.  If it weren’t for all the vivid fall colors and chilly nights, it could be early summer.    Here are some scenes.

It was another perfect fall day for working outside.  I got some more trees in the “prairie” cleared, then continued repotting plants, this time all the tropicals and succulents.  Soon they will make their annual migration to the warmer climate indoors.  But for now it’s in the 70s and even 80º for this coming week (in mid-October!), so much more work is in my forecast.

Dr. Meauci  [mee-ouch-ee] is my new nickname for Misu, who provides us with free but effective counseling and therapy during the pandemic  She is a Science Cat.  She says Don’t Panic and pet a cat or dog (or tree) for mental health today.  (My bro gave me the idea.)

I potted and repotted representatives of all my herbs in preparation for bringing them in for the winter.  Next up: repotting all my tropicals and succulents for same.  Then it’s back to doing trees.

Here are some seasonal scenes on this beautiful fall day, including Dr. Meauci overseeing the crisis.  She declined to be interviewed for this post.

Well, we did it!  We joined the ranks of brave souls reuniting in person, masked and socially distanced.  My son has returned from St. L. for a few weeks to catch up on house business and voting.  I didn’t know if I’d ever see him in person again in my lifetime, so hanging out with beers on the porch and touring the garden was a welcome relief.  We had a wonderful visit and beautiful day.  Here are some gardeny scenes.

After still more rain, here are some more changing scenes, including the “prairie” WIP, some very determined bees, and an agitated squirrel screeching on the back porch.

While the psycho world of trump continues to lurch wildly out of control, hopefully circling the drain, inches of rain have liberated swirls of turning leaves onto the earth.  Flowers persist in presenting bursts of color against the dark, wet sky.  Bees are drowsily winding down their efforts extracting every last drop of nectar.  Trees are happily sucking in all the rain.  You can feel the metaphorical changes in the air.  Here are some transitional scenes.

All these buckets of water pouring down today made me think of bucket lists, and how the pandemic has changed that concept for many of us.

In our case, we didn’t have much of a bucket list to begin with, being on a low fixed income.  It consisted of maybe visiting E’s “homeland” once a year, and possibly later on, taking a cross-country road trip to many of the places E has never seen, which is most of the country.  Obviously all that is on indefinite hold.

Whereas I know others’ bucket lists feature all kinds of exotic world destinations and experiences that we can only imagine vicariously via media.  I’m guessing many of those plans are now on hold as well.  I also suspect those are some of the same people who are taking risks seeking more local nonessential venues to fill that empty place during the pandemic.

I guess I was fortunate (or privileged) to have experienced many places and opportunities during my younger years,  never guessing the strange twists life would take.  I made some poor choices, but at least I had my chance to make them.  Some people never even have those options.  Now later in life, I’m starting to experience what limited options looks like.  Options are a privilege and even luxury to much of the world.

But I’m mostly fine with it.  This quarantine has totally readjusted and lowered expectations.  I’m sad that I have no way of knowing when I’ll next see my son and family, if ever.  We worked so long and hard to get here to be near them, only to have life happen.  So it goes.  On the other hand, I’m learning to be content with very simple things, such as that most basic of needs, not being dead yet!  It’s not a far-fetched possibility, especially these days.

That’s why my posts are mostly boring, tedious accounts of gardening and other homely pursuits.  I’m being realistic.  I had my chance to change the world, and didn’t.  So I’m doing the only thing I know to do right now: 1.) keep going, and 2.) try to improve our infinitesimal fraction of the environment while I’m here.  Buckets of rain water the garden, which helps keep me and other critters alive and functional.  That’s more than millions of us in the ‘rona world can say.

Here is a wonderful homegrown sourdough dutch oven bread by E, and a little wren sheltering on the back porch in the rain.

Rain at last–albeit probably due to advance effects of Hurricane Delta, which is slamming the Gulf Coast on top of all the existing damage sustained during the last recent disaster.  I can’t imagine what that’s like during the pandemic, no thanks to our negligent loser-in-chief.  It’s just one more insult added to injuries and hardships too numerous to fathom or condone.  May his teetering Jenga pile of crimes and fails come crashing down on him soon.

Closer to home, it’s [erev-all-those-other-holidays] at the tail end of the Sukkot festival season.  With nature’s help I’m trying to keep it appropriately festive.  It’s gratifying to discover lots of volunteer native seedlings coming up all over the perennial beds, especially passionflower and columbines, not to mention herb seeds that germinated on their own.  California poppies have finally taken over the rock garden.  I think next spring and summer are going to be an explosion of welcome flowering plants.  It’s something to look forward to.

I’m not sure which is more dangerous—a sick toddler who is deranged, incompetent, egotistical, and demented, or a bloodsucker who is calculating, devious, evasive, and unscrupulous.  Both are living in some twisted, distorted alternate reality where science facts are a conspiracy and nobody matters but themselves staying in power.  They make Biden/Harris look like a skilled hostage rescue team.  We’re all being held hostage by these unhinged terrorists in the WH.  The pandemic is like their bio-weapon of mass destruction.  How is it they continue to get away with this?  If there was ever a time to exercise your right to vote, this is it.  Shut them down.

In saner news, here are more brilliant colors and critters of the season.

I’m rectifying my inexcusable deficit of festive harvesty décor with these fine and worthwhile offerings from the garden (and store).  Yes, we braved Kroger once again, and found almost everyone was wearing a mask and distancing.  If only our braindead Pres. and Count Pencula could function even that much.

I’m also including some colorful seasonal scenes around the garden on this almost 80º day in October.