AFTER Labor Day

Spartacus dahlia

Where has the summer gone?  How can it possibly be after Labor Day..  all of my grandchilden are in school.  even the baby of the whole family.  He started preschool today.  And my first grandbaby turned 12 this weekend...  time is indeed fleeting..

But..I have flowers in my garden.  mainly dahlias this time of year and a decent crop of figs and okra.
I am still waiting on the Red Roselle Hibiscus to bloom after planting the seeds way back at the end of February..patience is a virtue, right?

morning glory

sweet autumn clematis

okra blossom

dahlias

cafe au lait dahlia

dahlias

 These beautiful flowers are so romantic to me.  They always make me want to capture their elegance with my camera.  I take hundreds of pictures of them in the fall. bringing the artist in me out to play..

variegated liriope

true native wildflower rudbekia

globe amaranth

my dear picking the okra, we actually take turns

aloha rose from husband's Granny

figs and I cannot find the variety name

tuberose and zinnias

artistic beauty

I have so many pictures to share and so little time to compile a blog post.  I hope y'all enjoy these.
If you have ever thought about growing dahlias, DO IT!  They are all the rage now but I started experimenting with them before this wave of popularity started and I love them...so dependable and long lasting.  I pick them all the time so our house has arrangements all around until frost in November.  I can remember the dahlias my Grandmother grew and it seems like if I close my eyes, I am standing right by her side in the path that surrounded her bed of dahlias .  That memory is what nudged me to buy my first 2 dahlia tubers about 10 years ago at Jesse Israel and sons garden center at the  Asheville farmer's market.  I had no idea about them but I quickly learned.  Those 2 tubers are still producing flowers.  probably more than a hundred by now.. One of them I love, one I don't.  then I bought a cafe au lait tuber..my oh my..... If I was just starting out I would be a flower farmer for sure. I love seeing the young women and men grow all of these flowers and make a living doing it..  Yay for the flower farmer movement...

Come join me on Instagram where I post every day. there is a link in my sidebar.

Thanks for being faithful readers...

Happy fall y'all..

Love, Mona

Blue Ridge Parkway

We took a trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway a few weeks ago...As you can see, the scenery is spectacular.  there were not many leaves on the trees so we could see for many, many miles...and the sky was crystal clear...a wonderful drive between Asheville, NC and Waynesville, NC...this part also includes the highest peak of the parkway...if you have never been, it is so worth the trip...We went in early April so there was not much blooming...just us, the mountains, and the road...a great big beautiful wonderful park........

For some reason, as soon as we reached this highest elevation point and took our pictures, I didn't take any more pictures....LOL

I hope you have enjoyed this ride in the mountains....so beautiful and peaceful... it was the perfect ending to my birthday trip...

I am sharing my trip with   Oh, the Places I've Been        come and visit.....

Asheville

this was the view from our hotel room window ....wow

We just got back from a wonderful few days in beautiful Asheville, NC.  It is definitely one of my favorite towns.  surrounded by mountains and never any lack of people watching...a welcome place for anyone who is a free spirit..It is where I chose to celebrate my BIG birthday......

we stayed on Tunnel Road....

 our view as we drove into town...

and there she is......Asheville....come on and let's visit the streets....

I took so many pictures because everywhere I looked, there was beauty.  I hope you can get the feel of the town through them ..I will only comment on a few...it is truly a magical place to visit...

our friend John Cleaveland has several paintings at Blue Spiral and it was exciting to get to see them here..

 there are street musicians everywhere....and they are good....

 this building was fabulous..a couple stopped to talk while I was taking pictures because they wanted to know what we were looking at..LOL   Bryan talked, I photographed.....

Asheville...ahhhhh...you are special to me....
I hope you enjoyed the tour....

I have more pictures to share of the Botanical Gardens and the Blue Ridge Parkway..but that will be in a few days..

I am sharing today at Inspire Me Tuesday   because Asheville is certainly a place of inspiration...and creativity....
so come over and visit....

I am also sharing at the PREMIER party..and who doesn't love a premier???  OH the places I've Been!