Still Blooming

53°f/11.7°C, mix of sun and clouds all day. High around 70.

The weather has stayed temperate enough, and with enough rain, to keep most flowers blooming, even this late in the season.

Here, you can barely see the bloom at the top of a very tall canna. That thing is well over 6 feet tall.

One snapdragon plant hangs on.

A lone pink rose blossom on a plant that is often eaten back by deer. 

I have tried several times to over-winter geraniums. Have you done this with success? I really like the color of this one, and would love to keep it alive, if possible.

My miniature red rose, a hardy little thing. It has had at least one bloom on it all summer long.

This mum makes me smile. It was a tiny thing I stuck in this shallow planted 3 years ago. Somehow it survives winter and keeps getting bigger. I think I will move it to the garden soon though, as it is just too big for its current home.

The blue lace hydrangea has more blooms on it than it has had in its ten-year existence.

I will probably bring this begonia inside for the winter. They are really messy, but they bloom all winter. If I don't kill them. I am pretty good at that with house plants!

Might bring this one in too.

I cut this white phlox back a few weeks ago, and now it's back in bloom!

Some of the roses are blooming.

The next two are miniature roses I planted this year.

This is a new vintage color this year, and I like it very much. I hope I can find these again next year.

One of the mums i planted the other day, wearing its hair net. It's hardly visible, but it sure keeps the deer away. The white mum above also has a hair net on.

The lantana is really showing off now. I must remember to plant more of it!

I cut back the Shasta daisies too, and they have also started blooming again.

One libe coneflower bloom; the rest have given up for the year. The sedum is having its best year ever. Usually the deer eat it before it can bloom.

I like this color combination.

Can you see where I stopped weeding? Must get back to it tomorrow.

Mr. Scarecrow is giving due warning!

Our only pumpkins this year. Oh well.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Pioneer Days, Wirt County

54°f/12.2°C, mostly clear. A gorgeous day after rain yesterday and overnight.

Wirt county is the smallest county in West Virginia,  and one of the least populated, with less than 5,000 residents (down 6% since 2020). It is also beautiful, with large farms, the lovely Little Kanawha River, and a charming county seat named Elizabeth. This weekend was the annual Pioneer Days celebration, and we drove up to see what was offered.

The whole event was centered around the stately courthouse, which houses what we were told is the only elevator in the county.  There was live music, activities for children, a horsedrawn wagon ride, Civil War re-enactors (who shot off a canon), crafts vendors, a car show and a parade (which we missed).

A free afternoon tea was offered inside this tent. 

The tea included a choice of beverages, dainty sandwiches and sweets.

The museum was open and was filled with items donated from the community, all carefully labeled and cataloged.

These was even this nice oak phone booth from the courthouse,

complete with phone.

The Little Kanawha Hotel, parts of which were built in1800, stands next door to the nuseum, and both are on the banks of the river. It is being lovingly restored and perhaps one day will once again be open to overnight guests, but for now it is a private residence. Tours were offered for the festival, and offered a fascinating history of the hotel, presented by the current owner.

On the hotel porch

A bowl of antique cut nails salvaged during restoration.

A quilt show was held inside the courthouse 

The top quilt won first place. No wonder!

Blast from the past 

Painted Lady butterfly on a butterfly bush bloom

A cute windshield made with old silverplate, hangs on the hotel porch.

Inside the original part of the hotel, with our tour leader. There were many ghost stories shared about the hotel.

The old well outside the hotel.

A lady told us that this milestone covers the old town well.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.