Late summer garden

Yesterday I was thinking it had been awhile since I'd taken some garden pictures. The mornings have been amaZingly cool, flirting with the early fallish feel. Hands down Fall is my favorite season (trailed thisclose by spring). 

There is something to the change of season, the unpredictable temps, the foliage turning green again, and the layering of clothes that makes me crave the cool crisp air and a hot mug of tea or coffee. 

So I left the house for a few seconds, with Ara enjoying her lentils for breakfast and Owen playing the kindle for quiet time. (He has a yucky cold which he shared with sis and we are a weary bunch around here...)

Lo and behold an unwelcomed critter!!! A baby deer munching on my tomatoes, marigolds, strawberries, and nectarine tree! Darn it! 

Mama watching (encouraging? Proud?) I had noticed the back gate was open a few inches a few days ago and I made plans many times to close it... And, rare occurance, you'd never believe it, but I got distracted. I know. Never happens. 

Getting a little too big for those spots. I scared it out, shut the gate, checked on sis, and assessed the damage, then enjoyed a few more moments in the garden solo. 

I love the hairy lil stem of the sunny flower, so happy!

My crazy awesome jack and the beanstalk worthy pole beans with very tall climbers and very little output.

Reaching for more support.

Collections of marigolds and sunflower seeds, projects done minutes/moments at a time.

Withered artichoke, bloomed and dried. 

Yellow squash with about 5 on it

Crisp cucumbers have made many a marinated salad. 

Good luck this year with my heirlooms, getting 2 almost apple sized ones daily. The other night I made a cauliflower crust tomato basil pizza... So tasty!

Zinnias are just so happy. I love ones like this where the petals are opening up, so fresh the petals, unfurling new beauty! Wish I felt this way in the morning. Ha! 

Today has been filled with a lot of Kleenex, fluids, hugs, and attempted rest. Sis's energy is pretty decent even with a fever over 100. But she is crashed on me right now, poor babe. Last night was exceptionally rough, Ara wouldn't fall asleep in her crib so she was in bed with us, figuring out what a sore throat/ post nasal drip felt like. O was in our room thurs/fri nights up coughing, needing help with boogs. She (oh the irony!!) slept great those nights, only up one time one night and 2 times the other. She's finally getting a break from teething/ or was resting up/fighting the bug already. Last night was one for the books, sadly. Chris got me a fitbit flex for my birthday, it has been really fun to track my exercise. You can also track your sleeping/ restlessness. A normal night the last week (keep in mind this logs waking up out of bed at least 3 times) averages about 15 times awake/restless. It tracks this based off of movements. Last night was 30 times restless/awake. I think I'm not going to log that for awhile. Makes me feel a little crazier!!

 At least we got snuggles in, it was sweet to snuggle in between the coughs and sneezes. We are never in a shortage of those. 

Prayers all get better. I'm the last one to get hit, or avoid it. O also has a cardiology appt this week then starts preschool next week, ah!!!!