Let's have a look around the garden, shall we? [gardening]

My head is currently abuzz with both the upcoming semester and looming regatta. Today's the day we should find out whether or not we're even allowed to have the regatta. In some ways if we can't that will bring a lot of relief.

In any case, how about a distraction instead? Let's take a look at the garden for a minute.

First up, raspberries. The raspberry bush is going wild!

That's it, in the back on the right-hand side. On the left in front is our mostly beat-up kale, looking all scraggly. Lots of scraggly tomato plants in there, too.



Festooned with berries! I have really enjoyed watching tons of bumble bees go to town on the flowers.



We are eating up the daily haul in no time flat.



The only thing is that these berries aren't nearly as delicious as the ones from my parents' raspberry bushes in Seattle. Can't have everything, I guess. These are at least something.

And at least the Goth aspects of the garden are doing well. I did cheat and just run out and buy another one of these black pepper plants because I enjoy them so much:



The black petunias from last year, though, are scraggly but hanging in there. You can see a small number of flowers in the photo below. If we keep them alive again this winter I'll have to think about some sort of repotting for next year.



But the real joy in the garden right now is the Dark Dahlia, which is just beginning to flower:




(the little pink dahlia behind it has gotten chewed to pieces but is hanging in there, which is good enough for me. Slugs, I think.)



The flowers seem smaller this year, but I'll take it. This plant makes me so happy every day when I come home and see it.