Last of OUR Midwest Gardening 2025

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On Wednesday this week, I rescued all our houseplants and our 4 blooming Mandila from outside and brought them in. Our home is a bit of a mix-up with a visiting Dog and a Cockatiel in a LARGE cage. So now, I have plants everywhere, and nowhere to put them. 

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My Ivy Tree loved it outside this year with so much rain, sunshine and heat...I think it is thicker than ever. Eventually it will land in the bedroom. I used a organic bug spray on all my plants and tied them up inside plastic bags for a half-day before bringing them in...hopefully I brought in just plants and no bugs.

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Our crazy weather year, so many plants were late...the too hot June and July was great for growth, but no flowering.  Too much rain kept vegetable blossoms from being pollinated. My Impatiens look the best right now...and the Mandilla only began blooming in September...yep, a crazy year. 

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I don't know the name of this plant but it tripled in size. It's from my Dad from 2012 and has just been existing and now it's super big. I have a little Halloween here and there.

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I did an OctoberFest Fall with Fall colors, tankards and steins, my beer truck carving, earthy pottery pieces mixed with some blue and white. I love the Sunflower stitchery from my good friend, Dot. It's a favorite and moves around the house quite a bit. The sunflower bowl I bought at a thrift store to make a garden stake...well, next year.

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I didn't do many garden posts because the garden was such a disappointment. Despite generous rain, the heat actually shut many plants down.

I still have green tomatoes now, because we had none in July. We did have quite a bit of squash, and some pumpkins and smaller squash. I have a basket on the table filled with garden produce. I had a huge Zucchini, which must have pollinated with a pumpkin...and now it's orange? I'll show it when I open it to find out if it's a Zucchini or a Pumpkin???? Love surprises!

The neighbors' Chestnut tree had mature leaves this year, and they are just gorgeous copper and rust. I brought a few in to dry and use in decorating

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I'm not sure what I will do with them yet, I'll tuck a few in the basket. I spent a hour in the garden picking the last of the produce. The two sunflower heads were on stalks 12 feet tall....and the stalks were too big for my clipper.

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They are still quite moist. I want to harvest some seeds, and the birds/squirrels and raccoons have already had their way with them. Another blossom was ripped to shreds and dragged to the ground. These two (10-11" across) were looped over a beam across the garden. When I unhooked them they crashed down across the 10 foot high miniature corn...LOL.

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This is our miniature corn, 6-8" cobs of multicolored corn. We had excellent pollination and the ears are full except for a couple of the tips. There are still more on the stalks, (some stalks had 2-3 cobs), for later but they are still very green. Goodness it's the 3rd week of October. 

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I cut my basil and dumped it in a jar of water, and a bowl of tomatoes to ripen,

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Also a half a colander of small ripe peppers, seeds from flowers that are drying. I have more Zinnias blooming now than in August??? I have huge green Balsam plants that haven't bloomed yet? 

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Thats a 10" pie plate so those are small tomatoes, and the long squash is the last one and they are delish...I believe some sort of Delicata...I got the seeds from my friend.

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A few green beans for a treat for the dog, some cherry tomatoes, and a few mini broccoli...honestly a bunch of mini vegetables, Barbie scale, lol.

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Another garden pumpkin...and some Avocado seeds trying to start. My Begonia is coming back after being drowned and boiled in July, it was down to one leaf, but is finally coming back in the house.

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A bit of Fall, and some mini plants I'm babysitting for my friend.

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It's really Fall, finally. We expect a frost on Saturday. Hopefully we can get most things taken in or mulched. My Dahlias are monster green things and really blooming now...and they will all be wiped out. 

The Dahlia bulbs should be huge when I dig them all up.

Other Fall jobs, clean the garden, empty all the pots, greenhouse, take in the hoses and all the leaves which haven't turned or dropped yet...maybe when it snows, LOL.

Just 2025....A WEIRD YEAR!!!

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

FarmhouseFriday

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks ALWAYS for visiting!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. Please don't use my photos without my permission.

 Sandi Magle

OldNewGreenRedo

Look who just FLEW in on her BROOM: The Witch on my Buffet

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The Witch on my Buffet!

Hi! This year has been disruptive, hectic, and intense. I've been unable to do much gardening, we are surrounded with totes and bins that still need to be dealt with, the house is a fright (having nothing to do with Halloween) and that may be for another two months.

Yesterday a package arrived of a 'great buy'; a doll I didn't even know was being made. One of my favorite actresses, Helena Bonham Carter, arrived a Mattel doll made for the Harry Potter series. Her character is Bellatrix LeStrange...the  insane and dangerous witch vilan-ess.

Apparently she was at her best in the HPotter film, dark, daring, crazy, the perfect part for her. (I confess I fell asleep in the first movie, and haven't seen any of the others) But, the dolls from this series are so interesting. All are fully articulated and actually look like the actors themselves. I love the white bits in her fluffy signature ringlet hair.

Mattel outdid themselves, she is gorgeous. I adjusted her skirt, sheathed her wand, and let her visually cast magic on my buffet which is the only spot really decorated for Fall in our disaster home. 

I just had to share, that I'm decorating a bit, but not really, except for the lovely Witch on my Buffet.

 I may have to see that second HP movie!

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

 

Midwest Gardening November 2018

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I enjoy seeing the changes of our yard as well as the rest of our area throughout the seasons.



Yesterday we had some brilliant sunshine, so I grabbed the camera and took photos of the yard just as it is. With Fall being so delayed, we had to scramble the last two weeks, not everything was accomplished, but maybe we will have another nice day.

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I've been in a bit of a mood, so my Fall decorating was confused, lol, and less than usual. Nothing I did this year was NEW, everything was a REDO or used.

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Since flowers were frosted in late October...I just shoved a few faux bushes here and there, for some color. Blowing leaves has been twice daily event.

 

It was noon, but the shadows were so long---and the sun is already low! That yellow pot had some flowers that just gave up. Have to put it in the shed! The urn will stay and hopefully I can do some Holiday decorating in it, if the dirt isn't frozen.

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Part of our Fall gardening---is chopping up all the leaves and dumping them into the flower beds. This is a GREEN thing to do. We do not burn leaves, they are composted or blown into the flower beds making great fertilizer and insulation for perennials. 

Yesterday Hubby blew the last of the leaves into the flower beds. Mostly from our Maple trees, they are colorful and dry already. They will provide a nice blanket for the plants.

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Very low key decorating here---we had flowers until the end of October and holiday greens will go out in a week or two, after Thanksgiving.

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I swear blow up decorations were designed by seniors---it took me 10 minutes to set 'TOM' up and put a spotlight on him. Even Chicagoland wind hasn't upset him. Look at the difference in the trees from a week ago...!

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I did arrange some leaf garland in the wreath. Echoing the Maple trees we have in the yard. An ancient plaid bow is a REDO...still a nice subdued touch.

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I put up our bird feeder flag and our lone scarecrow squats in a pot with a pumpkin over a battery light, a GREEN thing to do. It glows a bit at night.

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Our mailbox planter is finally dead totally. I will pull everything out next week, when I add faux greens for the Holidays. (GREEN REDO--Christmas trees'-branches from Garage sales or thrift stores are great for exterior decorating)

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Our bird feeders are empty. They have so much to eat on the ground from the plants around our house, we will start to fill the feeders with the first snow.

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Behind the garage is the pond---frozen with leaves imbedded in it. See the bits of white, that is snow from 10 days ago...we only got a half inch, but it stuck in shady areas. I didn't get the pond drained this year, and the turtle needs to go into the shed. We had such cold and wind here, we are lucky what we got stuff done!

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On the east side----near the concrete of our foundation is this Giant Sedum...frozen, but holding its blossoms and waxy now transparent leaves. Normally, I use these for Thanksgiving arrangements, not this year as they will thaw and crumble.

They are the last bit of color---

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We cleared the side patio and blew the leaves into the beds. 

My Dragonflies are the only color and the old OLD chair.

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We didn't get the garden tilled, but we did dump dirt from some of the pots---in places that need amended soil. Thirty-three years of amending soil...since it is crappy clay! Maybe by the time we are here 50 years...it will be good.

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Impromptu photo of leaves imbedded in the iced tarp over the sandbox. 

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I managed to drain and flip the pond. Hanging on is the marjoram, the front right. I picked so much and cut back so much and it is still growing.

So many branches down from our wind! The fire pit is full of them, this one landed in a fenced area.

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We have a low roof on this ranch house---it's noon and look how long the shadows are.

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I did get all the pots sorted and emptied and stored for another year...! They didn't get washed and bleached---it was just too, cold!

HOW HAS YOUR GARDENING...? There is always NEXT year!

Update: Today Noon

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This is snow starting which we weren't supposed to get.

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No sunshine, no long shadows.

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I hadn't notice we actually had berries on our Barberry bushes....the Pond frozen in cold stillness.

I think this little guy has the right idea...a good book and a cup of coffee. Only one more post for Midwest Gardening, in December. Happy Thanksgiving

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks ALWAYS for visiting!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

Thank you for your cooperation,

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

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 Sandi Magle

Fifty Thanksgivings!

Hubby and I celebrated our 50th Anniversary this summer. Well, it was a very low-key celebration. 

But, I can't help but think this will be our 50th Thanksgiving...and how blessed we have been to 

enjoy another Fall, our favorite season together.

Every season brings joy, trials, tribulations...and the season's move on.

There is calm and...

laughter,

with the bonds of old friends, family, 

and the beauty of nature flourishing in your backyard.

We enjoy the preservation and joys of simple things.

Sun filled Fall days and family gatherings to give Thanks.

Sunshine on the porch, a fuzzy throw to cuddle in the evening. 

Plants and flowers trying to survive the crazy temperatures. 

Inside, I bring out the rusts and golds in our blue and white kitchen.

Kitchen scents fill the air as the cinnamon and pumpkin meld in sweet perfection. Vegetables are harvested from the garden.

Heirloom family recipes are baked and the results savored and saved for holidays.

Soups fill crockpots and warm our inners on chilly nights.

Simple biscuits are perfection when rolled and baked with homemade pumpkin butter.

Who can resist apple pumpkin muffins?

Favorite platters are washed in anticipation of company coming.

Silver...shall I polish or not?

Heirlooms, loved by you or someone else take their places.

Dusk comes and lamps are lit earlier and earlier.

Throws and cushions fill our couches, and are welcomed on chilly nights.

Teapots hold warmth and welcoming to guests.

Favorite cups brimful with steaming hot tea.

Last blooms grace the tea table.

Precious linens are brought from storage for use.

Quilts are washed and aired for cold weather cuddling.

Dried gourds and Hydrangeas grace our tables.

Family heirlooms find their way to the buffet.

Christmas pig is busy fattening up for the holidays.

Giving thanks for the Earth's bounty and beauty.

Simple bowls filled with Fall.

Woods are oiled and polished.

Nuts gathered by the Grand find their way here and there.

I put together florals with dried and faux. I love all of Fall's colors, muted or bright.

A gorgeous real pumpkin graced the buffet.

Maybe I will polish our heirloom brass this year and use on the table.

Thanksgiving is the End of Fall in our home, and....

Christmas comes soon enough, and needs not to be rushed.

 ...the dead of Winter is just around the corner.

Snow and the Holidays will be here soon enough, don't you think?

Thanks for visiting!

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

Thank you for your cooperation,

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them. 

Fridays Favorite Things
Home Matters
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Over the Moon Party

 Sandi Magle