29 November, Journal

Quiet early mornings, sunrise a subdued ochre stain along the south-eastern horizon. 

An hour later, a dappled sky turning pewter grey, drizzles of rain prompting me to 

build up the wood fire.

When I removed the amaryllis from its package [purchased 16 November] I found the poor thing had tried to grow. The bent stem and emerging bud were a waxy yellow green.

Positioned in the sunroom window, south-facing, the stem began to straighten and the flower petals to take on color.

Looking almost normal, though the petals are still not as deeply colored as the label indicated.

The first purchased amaryllis has been living on a table alongside the window of the downstairs 

living-room.

I considered grow lights over a shelf in the [still] unsorted middle room downstairs.

Such an arrangement would mean enlisting help from Jim who has many other things to do.

He brought up this folding table and installed it in the sunroom where it is now crowded with rosemary plants brought in from the east porch, as well as the amaryllis, repotted begonias, and several African violets which have languished on a kitchen counter.

Not ideal, but I think it will work.  The Norfolk Island Pine visible in the right corner is 10 years old.

Shelby-the-Kitten has been interested in flinging earth out of that huge pot--which I have barricaded with strips of cardboard, rock chunks and several stakes.

The two largest rosemary plants are parked in front of the downstairs window. 

Mornings have been slow, temps in the high 40's -low 50's F.

The meadow grass which held a deep green color during our long mellow autumn is slowly fading, taking on a dull green-gold hue.

If the sun pops through by noon and there is no wind, it is still pleasant to work outside.

On Friday I pruned the line of red Double Knock-Out roses for the last time this season.

There were new leaf tips emerging which I ruthlessly cut back--yet again finding some of the tiny green caterpillars which have been so destructive.

At least I now know them by name!

Survivor violas spilling from a pot at the edge of the front door raised bed.

I'm considering leaving them out over the winter.

An offspring of the violas, a bit tattered, from a seed dropped below the plant pot.

A crumpled nasturtium bloom amid fresh leaves.

I brought this pot into the sunroom, knowing that it won't flourish there, but not wanting to leave it out to be frosted.

The other big pots of nasturtiums have been lugged to the greenhouse. Although the leaves will be taken with the frost, I think enough seeds have dropped to create fresh plants in the spring.

Its experimental.

I wondered why these are called Blackberry Lilies.  I raised nine plants from seed in the greenhouse, transplanted them to the new west garden where most of them bloomed. The ripening pod of seeds does resemble a huge blackberry.

Since taking the photo the seeds have all turned a shiny black and the entire pod is tucked safely into a labeled container--hopefully more lilies next season.

One last chilly coneflower. Coneflowers self-sow vigorously giving new plants to move wherever a spot of sturdy color is needed. 

There was a scrim of frost on the ground this morning and the sun never broke through the clouds.

50 F now at 9:45 P.M. and a light rain began at dark.

We are bracing for a predicted freeze with rain and sleety snow to start December.

It seems unlikely that the full moon will be visible.