September Green!

Finally ... after begging the heavens all summer to release a little more rain, we have recently enjoyed an abundance of showers here in West Michigan--and even some nitrogen-releasing lightning/thunder storms. While leaves are starting to drop, my front lawn is returning to its preferred color. The side yard is actually so lush that I have asked the husband to mow it with the more powerful riding mower, which just came home from the rental on Saturday--our little green machine (John Deere lawn tractor).

So ... Labor Day passed quietly without beach, barbecue or beer. I went with J. to see "The Death of a Nation" in the evening and there was a golf tournament on to entertain the husband.

After a busy weekend with family at the destination wedding, I didn't really need more activity. Time is flying by and many jobs await before I can put away my tools and stay inside (except for the Florida trips) for the winter. I cleared the car a little for its second trip to "the shop"--this time for a new alternator. I was without a car for 4 days, although it took less than 24 hours to repair at a small local garage. The day it came home, I took a load to the yard waste facility, washed and waxed it at the car wash and (finally) vacuumed up all the milorganite fertilizer and sprayed down the liner, before loading it lightly with supplies. Just a few more months now...

However ... I have been freed of watering duties for over a week! Not checking the weather report, I watered some pots in the dark after coming home from Tennessee last week Sunday, only to experience a violent rain soon after. And rain almost every day since!

Consequently ... the Grand River is again flush with water, saving a jumping woman's life, according to the local news today. Flooding is happening in some places, but my only complaint here is the continuing high humidity and temps in the 80's. As I finish this post it is 87 degrees according to the radio, 89 degrees according to my phone.

And ... our AC is struggling to keep up. We have ordered a new unit to be installed before fall--a bigger one that will hopefully not leak fluid from year to year and be ready for a potential April heat wave.

But ... I love the green. The "green, green grass of home."

In the photo below, the invasive variegated porcelain berry vine is covering the rosa glauca and mixing it up with the finally-blooming white mandevilla vine which I overwintered and is now covering the trellis on the deck.

Found this pretty bottle of German bier on opening day at the new Bridge Street Market--a low-alcohol grapefruit drink--not really even a beer (or bier).