The Bloom is off the Summer

It is certainly a refreshing change to see the seasons changing.  The shoulder seasons are my favorites.  They could last for five months each, to suit my taste, leaving just enough winter and summer between to prevent anyone from going into shock by the sudden changes in weather.  The milder weather, softer sunlight, and silky-soft breezes have me desperate for some paddling and camping.

James came and picked up his dory a couple days ago.  With that diversion done, I'm back on my hands and knees in the flower beds, but should be able to get a respite from that shortly.  Before leaving summer too far in our wake, it's worth a moment to celebrate the blossoms that have thanked us for our efforts.

I'm certainly no gardening expert, not even a dauber, but to me there is no flower that puts as much effort into its blossoms as the daylily, nor another flower with as much color and variety.

This colorful beauty is another daylily that Michele, Jean's friend, gave to her for Jean's birthday.  Besides the wonderful blossoms in the foreground, you can see another half-dozen buds in the background awaiting their turn.

This is a red honeysuckle that has covered a section of fence we provided for it to climb on.  This has tripled the number of hummingbirds we have had this year.

Yellow daylilies, yellow cannas, and purple Russian sage.