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Red Twig in the snow

First real snowfall of the season in the village. Just in from the first of many pre-emptive shovelings.

Moon Flower Bud

Chard

dill

borage

mystery vine - can you help identify this?

in the tidal marsh along the trail, approaching the deck

a chicken, a cat and a . . .zebra?

faux brick

squash blossom

Scotty

lattice pie

pink shoes

yellow amanita

Indian pipes

dried grasses

Thalictrum flowers

'Lavender Towers'

Veronicastrum in a hillside garden.

cross-section

Amish Paste

This heritage variety, one of six in my garden, is loaded with these beautifully shaped tomatoes. The plant stands 7' tall!
An abundance of plum tomatoes can be easily frozen in zip lock bags for use later on. To use them just run water over the frozen fruit and they will slip right out of their skins... ready for sauce making.

Patient Mantis

Waiting motionless for prey with its large spiky forelegs folded like hands in prayer.
I was lucky enough to have a hatching of these predators in my yard this season. I've watched them go from 1/2" in length to full size.

Pandora Sphinx

This beauty can have up to a 4" wingspan!
Found at forest edges, river margins and vineyards. In the caterpillar stage it feeds on Virginia Creeper and wild and cultivated grape vines. You can see it in flight from June through August in the Northern reaches of its domain. It is strongly attracted to artificial lights, like most sphinx moths.

Tall Meadow Rue

Canada Lily - "Exploitably Vulnerable" in NY

I haven't seen one of these beauties in a very long time... maybe 25 years! They used to grow along the side of the road on Route 28A below the dike of the upper basin of the Ashokan Reservoir. Then the population of deer exploded and they were gone for good. What a great surprise to see this growing along the Lighthouse trail this evening.

garden mint

California poppy

Throughout the season I sprinkle seeds for these annual poppies throughout my garden, among my veggies, in my containers... ensuring a constant supply.

the promise of an abundance of tomatoes

market fare

Garlic scape chaos

Shad berries

I had my first taste of shad berries (Amelanchier). They taste a bit like a wild blueberry.

opening day at the Market

local luminaries... Jay Ungar and Molly Mason get the season started

sedge

Ninebark flowering on Lighthouse dock

some gaul

Iris psudacorus

shadow

window views

truck

blue sky

from the compost pile

Along the trail

Putto peeking thru the sedum

Winged seed

Rhubarb flower bud

two-by-two

Honeysuckle buds

UNmown grass

Grass keeps growing in its purpose to flower and produce seed. Survival of the species.

It is such a poor choice to plant grass as a ground cover. Especially in those places that no ever walks on...like most lawns...like highway meridians...where the only person ever on that grass is the person on the mower.

Many viable alternatives are available.

All that man power and engine power.

So unnecessary.

When grasses are left un-mown. . . allowed to flower. . . the results, upon close inspection, are often stunning.

My goal is to have all grass gone from my yard by the end of this growing season. . .with the exception of a few clumps here and there... that I will allow to flower.

Anyone want to buy a used lawn mower?