Fall Color

Texas isn't known for its autumn foliage. You never hear of anyone taking off to view the trees in New Braunfels. It's true that some years we have a few red and gold leaves here and there, but when the best color is in the red-tipped photinias, you know you've been left out, fall-wise.

So I decided to find what color there was.

In our front yard is the Tree of Many Seasons. On the southwest is fall, while summer reigns on the northeast. You can walk around the tree and squint, and enjoy any season you wish.

The knockout roses are still going strong. Because of them, I have to work any other flower around a hot pink palette, but they're so loyal it feels petty to complain. They don't smell good, they're not full and pretty individually, but they bloom and grow. It's enough.




The volunteer zinnias in the back garden are even more enthusiastic this year. The butterflies and bees love them and the lavender, so without trying, I have a butterfly garden. I tried reseeding some of them on the west side of the garden for next year; we'll see how it goes.



Yes, those are tomatoes in a crape myrtle; why do you ask?

The volunteer tomatoes in the vegetable garden went nuts, and some of them used the crape myrtle as a trellis. It's hilarious to be reaching up in a tree to pick tomatoes, but there they are. After a spell of dormancy, they came back strong and are producing more than ever. In November! On the right are about six sweet potato vines. I kid you not! I didn't cut them back just to see how much they would cover. They did their job; haven't had to pull any nut grass this year. Oh, and Abby and Lucy say hi!

More than anything, I love the weather we're having right now. Mornings are 60 degrees, afternoons in the upper 70s. November is the new October.