Might As Well Hail

To get to September without a meadow crushing thunderstorm is not a given. All the random, rumbling, intense, isolated downpours this past week made me marvel at the fact that the Tall Flower Meadow was still standing in its natural growth form. That always includes floppage no matter what happens.

I did a little mowing to give the new weed whacker a test run then went for a walk before the storm I knew was bound to come could arrive.

When the thunder got real loud, too close and half the sky turned wicked black it was time to head inside. No need to tempt fate.

The fruit of the Carrion Flower has turned a blackened blue.

Year number two for the native Elephant's Foot, Elephantopus tomentosus, has been very promising

I never expected it to get this big or this tall and offer effective competition with the much taller neighbors. I did of course edit in some elbow room for it. I have been rewarded. It has settled in and grown remarkably well.

At the end of summer the Tall Flower Meadow is just reaching peak height and bloom.

While Aralia racemosa is doing berries for the fall.

This picture was taken shortly before it hailed and a wall of water came crashing down. Briefly, praise be. There will be more floppage. That is a given. It has to dry before the level of perky can be determined. This time, it wasn't completely knocked down.