Finally, the Rain!

I promised not to whine about the rain until day 8. It is now day 3, and I am still happy to see it. We've gotten about 4 inches, but we're still down another 8 on the year. Of course, if we keep up this pace until we catch up, things could get ugly! So far, no water in my basement from the back yard (thanks to the drainage work I had done just before the drought set in) and the sump pump is doing its thing for the side yard.

The heat seems to have broken finally, too. I would like to try out the new fire pit this weekend, so I'm okay with that, too. And I got to wear my Halloween turtleneck for the first time this October today.

I toured the neighborhood for Halloween yard decorations tonight. A few really cool displays (some even eclipsing mine), but not as many yards decorated this year as last it seems. Perhaps a contest is needed... I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.

Fall Resurgence

These golden barberries were looking near death just a couple weeks ago. I thought they were done for, but lately they've been coming back with fresh, bright leaves.

These cosmos are looking healthier--bushier and greener--than they've looked all summer. The shorter days seem to be agreeing with them. We've had so few cloudy, let alone rainy, days this summer that many of my plants have been very stressed.