Fall blusters into town
Gulf muhly
The last few nights have been cool enough to leave the windows open. But early this morning, a blue-norther rainstorm gusted in, clashing the window blinds, dampening the curtains, and dropping temperatures by the double digits. That’s how fall usually arrives here in Austin—hot one day, wet and chill the next.
Ghostly white mistflower is beginning to open.
When the rain stopped late this morning, 1 1/2 inches sat in the rain gauge—welcome rain. We got nothing like the early snow seen in Bev’s and Lost Roses’ Colorado gardens, but that cold air mass has lowered the temperature this noon to 57 degrees. Quite a change from yesterday’s high of 89 degrees.
Chile pequin peppers are now ripe for picking. I’ve never made salsa from them, but I’ve heard you can do it, and you can even eat them if you’d like your mouth set on fire. Birds love them and are unbothered by the spicy heat.
Cheerful mums brighten the stoop on a drear but blissfully cool day.
Than you for visiting my blog Pam. I love the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. I wish I could work there, I’ve been thinking of volunteering. I read your post when you visited and it was nice seeing all the things that I saw! Nice to read a blog of someone who lives nearby. Today it’s cold here too of course. I’ve had a friend that wanted chile peguins in her yard so she could eat. Nice mums!
Hi, Priscilla. It was particularly nice to come across your blog because I didn’t know of any San Antonio garden bloggers. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the cool weather. —Pam
I think it was warmer here today than in your garden. We were in the 60’s most of the day, and we’ve been getting rain this afternoon/this evening. It’s wonderful, as wonderful as those pretty white mistflowers!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Good news on the rain, Carol. I hope your garden gets a nice soaking. That should make it easier to dig out your new bed. —Pam
Pam: I like your tribute to the season although he/she needs to eat a bit more! That’s another great shot of that beautiful grass!
Skinny though he is, the cold doesn’t seem to bother that skeleton. 😉 —Pam
We made some pepper jelly out of pequin peppers one year and it was delicious. The mist flower looks quite interesting because you get two different looks out of one flower but boy is it a late bloomer.
I heard the peppers are hotter than more commonly available peppers. What did you think? And yes, that white mistflower is certainly a late bloomer, although we typically don’t get our first freeze until late November. —Pam
One and one half inches? We had less than 4/10 – enough for lawns, I guess.
Your decorations look festive, Pam – I like those red daisy flowered chrysanthemums!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I love coming here–the palette of plants is so different from ours! Love that Halloween shot, too! Fun! ~A 🙂
Yes, the palette is pretty different here—except for the ubiquitous mums, right? Thanks for visiting, Angela. —Pam
I absolutely have to get some Muhly!
It’s my favorite fall grass, Kathleen. —Pam
I had so much catching up to do here (and enjoyed every bit of it)! Not finding much time for visiting blogs lately.
Your Chicago pics are wonderful…so much beauty to see! Thanks for sharing all those gorgeous gardens.
I love to see what’s in your garden and read about your weather. Our ‘extended summer’ has been fabulous but looks like it’s about to end this weekend, with a frost predicted.
I can see why you love the Muhly. I like the late-blooming mistflower too, and the chrysanthemums are gorgeous! Amazing how the hot chile peppers don’t bother the birds.
I’m glad you got some welcome rain. We’ve had some too, and cooler temps.
I’m glad you came by to catch up, Kerri. We’ve finally gotten cooler fall weather, and it’s been just lovely. But isn’t October lovely no matter where you call home? —Pam
So much for our Colorado snow—we’re back in the 70’s this week! Pam, the garden tours from Chicago were a real treat, thank you! Perhaps your mist flower should be called ghost flower if it blooms on Halloween?
We’re having the same weather then, Jocelyn. I’m glad you liked my Chicago garden posts. And ghost flower would be a great name for the white mistflower. It’s also called shrubby white boneset, however, and that sounds a little Halloween-ish too. —Pam
That muhly is perfect for Halloween.
I suppose if it were really perfect it would be orange, not pink, but ain’t it grand? —Pam