Open the Curtains

Open the curtains,
Breathe a big breath,
Look closely at the wonder,
("Do not be afraid." Jesus).

Open the curtains,
Push lies to the side,
Gaze at the vast horizon,
("The truth will set you free." Jesus)

Japanese Anemone

 Looking a lot like summer but  today is simply an unusual warm sunny day in the midst of the regular cool fall weather.

 I finally have a good spot for the white Japanese anemone (Honorine Jobert). The soil is quite loamy, the situation pretty sunny and the roots are shaded by some nearby pulmonaria. It has lots of flowers for one plant and  fresh blooms this late in the season are always special.

 I wondered about buying this green echinacea (Green Jewel).  Why would I want a green flower? But I am finding I quite like it. The plant is sturdy and the flowers last a very long time. I'll see how it comes through the winter.

 The last few annuals. Nasturtiums are really vibrant in the fall although they bloom less with the cool weather.

 The very last sweet peas.  This year I saved seed pods so I'll see how they germinate next spring.

 Suprisingly this impatiens hasn't been nipped yet by our patchy frosts.

The rudbeckia are such stalwart flowers. Just behind them is a wood aster and to the side is a variegated phlox.

This coral bells gets interesting markings in the cool weather but in the summer it is a pretty boring green.  The flowers are sort of beige so not exciting on that front either. However, it is acting as a ground cover and it is tough so I'll keep it.

 Lamium adds brightness to the mostly brown leaves .

And spring is on its way...

Light Grey Squirrel

We have the usual black and red squirrels but this one is a lovely soft grey colour. He (she) is eating a bitternut hickory nut from one of the trees on our property. My tree book says that squirrels and chipmunks find the nuts bitter and don't regularly eat them but our little creatures seem to enjoy them. Perhaps they are an acquired taste.

Thanksgiving bouquet

 We received this most unusual lovely bouquet from our son and daughter-in-law for Thanksgiving.
All the plants were grown at Dahlia May Flower Farm near Trenton, ON and the arrangement was designed by the owner of the farm.

Every side is different and interesting.

Happy Thankgiving everybody!

Cecropia cocoon

Silly me - the cecropia caterpillar wasn't in a spider web.  It was beginning to weave its cocoon. This morning the cocoon looks pretty much done. Quick work. The rose bush branch it is on would be in a vulnerable position this winter as it could get hit with snow from the roof and also be subjected to the full blast of winter winds. I'll cut the branch and put it in a more sheltered position and hopefully be able to see the moth emerge next spring..
I found an excellent video on Youtube about the full life cycle of the moth. Check it out at "Complete Metamorphosis: A Cecropia Moth Life Cycle" by David Britton. Truly amazing to see a little beige egg end up as a gorgeous Cecropia moth.

Cecropia caterpillar

My husband noticed this cecropia caterpillar on the rugosa rose this morning. It's a bit tangled up in a cobweb but it is so big - about 4" long - that I doubt the web will be of any concern. We see one of these caterpillars or the adult moth only about once every 10 years so it is always special treat to see one. I just love the different coloured spots. The caterpillar makes me think of something a child would create out of playdough or perhaps a colourful baby toy.
It will hibernate in a brown cocoon over the winter and hopefully hatch out next spring as a beautiful big brown moth with striking eye-spots on its wings. It will only live about two weeks.

Belles of the Ball

Wide-eyed with anticipation

 Poised and posed

A word of gossip

 The mothers' curls

Big crinoline skirts

Arabesque

A room full of beauties