Rumor Has It...

"Well we're not ones to go 'round spreading rumors, why really we're just not the gossipy kind. No you'll never hear one of us repeating gossip, so you'd better be sure and listen close the first time."

Anyone else remember Hee Haw?

Anybody? Well, I know you're out there. And I know you recognize those catchy lyrics.

This jingle was one of my favorites from the show, and it comes to mind this morning because of a rumor I've been hearing recently. A rumor that I'm about to repeat, so listen closely:

THE FIRST FALL FROST IS COMING!!

That's right. Some say it's coming this week, some say it'll be here before month's end, and some say it'll never happen at all.

Oh wait--that last someone was just me. I like to be deliberately in denial on occasion...it helps me stay sane.

Or at least I like to think it does. If anybody has proof otherwise, just kindly keep your mouth shut. I'd rather not have my delusion ruined.

I'd also rather not have my garden ruined, but alas, all good things must come to an end.

So. Instead of sitting here crying over something I have no control over (which I'm much too mature to ever do, of course), I've decided to celebrate the end of my garden by capturing it in it's final days of glory...

And speaking of glory, the glorious flowers are still blooming...this lavender and zinnia combo spent the day soaking up the bright fall sunlight almost as if they knew their days would soon come to an end.

​

The knockout roses are still knocking it out of the park...

​

And the zinnias seem to be reaching farther and farther up as the sun gets lower and lower in the sky.

​

The cherry tomato plants are acting like they don't have a care in the world except to keep producing these sweet, juicy nuggets of flavor...

​

While the White Queens are desperately trying to produce future heirs so they can secure their hold on the throne...apparently turning yellow helps with that. All that royal protocol is a bit mysterious to me, but I do find it fascinating.

​

And I find the Cherokee Purples fascinating too...right now they're slowly transitioning from green to bronze as if they have all the time in the world to do so.

Which they don't, but all my efforts to warn them have failed, probably since I don't speak their language.

​

But the neighboring basil plants have gotten the hint and have shot toward the sky while blooming profusely in a final attempt to reseed themselves for next year.

The smell is phenomenal, by the way. And very invigorating.

​

Which brings us to the peppers, which seem to be invigorated too. These heat-loving beauties have taken the weather change in stride, mainly because they absolutely love all these cool nights we've been having.

I have to agree with them. Warm days followed by cool nights are my favorite weather pattern too.

​

I think the okra plants are like-minded also, since they've suddenly come alive after spending the summer pretending to be dormant. Now it's like watching a VHS tape stuck on fast-forward--the stalks have kicked into high gear and grown taller than me as the flowers simultaneously burst into glorious bloom only to transform into pointy okra pods almost before my very eyes!

Whew! Okra really is a remarkable plant. And tasty, too.

​

And speaking of remarkable and tasty, check out these ebony-hued eggplants dangling tantalizingly on their stems!

They're almost too stunning to pick, but I'm gonna pick 'em anyway. Just like I picked the last of the red cabbage, the Brussels sprouts, and the few remaining cantaloupe. After all, isn't that why I have a garden?

I love admiring the beauty of it all, but tasting the beauty is even better! I've tasted everything pictured in this post--even the flowers! And just so you know, it all tastes as pretty as it looks.

After this frost hits, though, those flowers--and most everything else--will be gone. Another growing season will have gone down in the books, and cold weather will be well on its way.

I realize it's all part of the circle of life, and no matter how sad it is, I'll accept that like the grown-up that I am.

So if you need me over the winter, I'll be sitting in front of the TV, watching Hee Haw reruns and singing along with the "Gloom, despair, and agony on me..." gang. Moans and groans and all.

​Because even though I'm an adult, every now and then I like to pout about things I have no control over.

Don't worry about me, though. I'll be ok as soon as the ground thaws out!