Thursday, September 25, 2008

Swamp Sunflower: NOW It's Fall


Okay, now it really must be fall.
My little Weatherbug icon on the 'puter is showing 58 delicious degrees and yesterday the Swamp Sunflowers in the front yard burst forth with their first open blossoms. All summer long they slowly inch upward, then, at the end of the summer they do a growth spurt and suddenly they are overhead and dangling beautiful yellow blooms.
(That was a long sentence ... you can rest here if you need to do so)
Yesterday after work, the air was so delicious that I raced through the prep and initial cooking of some kind of beef stroganoff thing, accompanied by stir fried turnip greens, and pasta. "The others" were not home yet anyway, so as soon as it was done enough, I turned everything off and went outside to roam in the cool (not cold,Gloria) breeze.
In another sign of Fall, tonight is our football game at the Florida School For the Deaf and Blind ... one of Florida's gems. We will be there of course to cheer Junior and his team on as they compete against a very good team. The weather should be exquisite football weather, cool, breezy, and clear.
In other news ... I did NOT win the lottery last night and will actually have to go to work today. Apparently I mismanaged that one dollar lotto ticket investment, but I have high hopes the government will bail me out.
It seems to be a trend.

20 comments:

Sandcastle Momma said...

Isn't this weather perfect? Warm and sunny during the day with just a little chill at night. I love it and after such a busy hurricane season I'm ready for fall!

CrackerNation said...

My best friend growing up had a cousin living with him who was a graduate of the School for the Deaf and Blind. He was the strongest person I knew. If he was typical, they should have a good football team. It should be a good game.

roger said...

i hear that bear's stern got a bailout. maybe your stern isn't in hot enough water. yet.

robin andrea said...

Swamp sunflowers, now that's a new one for me. Love those fall blooms. Seven hundred billion lottery tickets, and they we all losers. Dang.

Anonymous said...

You have an excellent blog! I just discovered it ... and I too am a Florida blogger. I've added your blog as a link on mine.

I'd love to talk if you have a chance.

Take Care,
Bob Sobczak, 239-340-0200
The South Florida Watershed Journal
http://sfwj.blogspot.com

VitaminSea said...

&#$#@#T!!!!
therein ends my rant on the bailout. ugh.

And I am loving this weather!

Unknown said...

Labor Day is the end of summer up north, but its our "Florida Groundhog Day": its arrival means 6-8 more weeks of summer. By that standard we still have 2-3 weeks to go, but that depends on "where" you live in Florida ...

Anonymous said...

First Fall zephyrs were here yesterday morning. I asked a co-worker, "Can you feel it?" and she said, "Yep."

By afternoon it was hot, but yardwork after work-work yesterday was far from miserable - which is more than I can say for the last two months.

I love the end of Summer almost as much as Fall.

Sayre said...

It does seem an early start to fall - I wonder if the storm off the coast of NC is part of the reason. Whatever it is, I will take it! It is a marvelous 73 today in Tallahassee with a light breeze and sunshine. Absolutely perfect!

And the dogs love it too!

threecollie said...

Finest time of the year up here...until the rains start.
That is a beautiful flower photo.

h said...

Grrrherhahahahahaa on the bailout. I posted a Black-Eyed Susan today. Weird koinkydink.

Dani said...

I love that picture, such a pretty flower. Good luck at the game tonight.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know you were a billionaire banker (isn't that the qualification for not welfare, not a bailout, but rather doing our part to save the economy?

I'd much rather think about sunflowers, especially this new-to-me variety.

Emily said...

I have often seen the football team at the School for the Deaf and Blind practicing. It should be a tough (and fun) game for them.

R.Powers said...

SCMomma,
It is sweeeeeeeet!

Cracker,
They usually have an excellent team and we are a small squad so the bar is high for our guys tonight.

roger,
my stern stays in hot water.

Robin,
And they are 8 or 9 feet tall in some cases.

Bob,
Welcome!
I Rangered in Big Cy long ago. I'll shoot ya an email.
I've added your excellent blog to my links also!

Laura,
It's the kind of weather that makes all things seem possible.

Thingfish,
It's a wildflower extravaganza this time of year up here. The late summer / early fall flush begins.

Sayre,
According to the weather channel that storm was pulling cooler dry air our way. Pretty sweeeet!

3C,
I was really enjoying your fall NY pics this morning.

Troll,
I saw that flower earlier and the coinkiness of it struck me.

Dani,
Thanks. This is an easy one to transplant if you spot some in a ditch.

Wren,
Well, I try to keep that whole billionaire banker thing under the table ... it detracts from my image as a struggling public servant.

Emily,
It will be! They know it though, they have great respect for the D&B's athletes.

Deb said...

They are willing to toss out 700 bil, and I don't even get my stimulus check due to some stupid tax thing I didn't even know about...grrr...

Supposed to be unseasonally high temps here in MNArctica tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

And the goldenrod and bluestems are up! Hooray for Fall! It was gorgeous down here today.

SophieMae said...

Ain't autumn awesome?! I'm excited to see the goldenrod and crotalaria blooming. And to open the windows! Hope the weekend stays delicious for you.

Sharon said...

Delicious is the word!! It was heavenly. I went to Fernandina and Ft Clinch with a fried, we also took a little walk on the Egan's creek greenway. PERFECT WEATHER!!! Hope Jr did ok. I love to watch FSDB's cheerleaders :)

R.Powers said...

Deb,
I believe my stimulus check stimulated the local mechanic shop more than me.

Misti,
Yes, hooray, for fall!

Sophie,
Open windows ...yes! I much prefer fresh to AC.

Sharon,
Fort Clinch is beautiful under fall's blue skies.
The FSDB cheerleaders put lumps in all our throats.