Mountaintop Meadow

The wild cultivated gardens are dominated by flowering forbs which says meadow to me. We could use some more lilies. I keep intending to add the native Turk's Cap Lily, Lilium superbum. It's on the list. These will do in the meantime.

The liatris is having a good bloom year. I have come to believe it is not a reliable annual bloomer. It's moody and fails to preform some years.

High on the low spot of a North Carolina mountaintop a wild flower meadow was looking most colorful for Sister #1's visit.

I think there will still be plenty of colorful action when Sister #2 visits in another week.

The daylilies will be past peak, but there should be some left.

The last rhododendron to bloom is showing, Rhododendron maximum.

We have Fly Poison, Amianthium muscaetoxicum.

A good show is of course, "well that depends". Last night there was a wicked storm and the power was out from 8pm until around 11 this morning. I left before it came back on. There was typical storm squashing of the Tall Flower Meadow and plenty branches to pick up. There is a fallen tree next door that needs to be cleaned up.

We are under a severe thunderstorm watch again tonight. Oh goody.

The roadside vegetable garden is in full power growth mode now that the heat has arrived. It survived the onslaught fine. The tall Ironweed in the garden got bent and twisted. It got a major haircut.

Everything is looking good except for a row of peppers which has early blight. If it ever stops raining, I'll hit them and the tomatoes with a fungicide. Late, early, I will not be having blight.

I sometimes get truck damage to go along with storm damage when the power goes out. The utility company trucks seem to have a hard time confining themselves to the gravel portion of the driveway. This time they even stomped through the vegetable garden.

Granted it was moonless dark in the middle of the night and they were trying to turn my power back on. I would hope they have super strong flash lights though. One would think they could have found the paths.

The next storm approaches. I need to get this posted and take a shower before the power goes out again. But, just please don't. They need to get on clearing this utility easement soon. Losing power is getting all too common when the wind starts to blow.