Feeling Sluggish in the Garden
The sighting of this critter -- at least two inches long and stretched to full capacity -- incited a "whoa!" moment in the yard, followed by relief that I hadn't planted my foot slightly further forward with the result of a quite unpleasant "squish."
So we both survived to exhibit our sluggish ways in the garden for the day.
This is a tricky time for gardening and gardeners, I'm discovering. There are still a few flowers blooming, but the falling leaves and brown grass diminish the overall impact of their vibrant beauty. Plants are withering and yellowed foliage needs to be cut back. The accumulation of fallen leaves has gone well beyond the single-clump pick-ups I had been doing, and I won't rake until the leaves are done dropping, so the yard has lost its neat summer look.
My main project on the outdoor to-do list is gathering and spraying the container plants and bringing them inside for the winter.
Fall has always been a season that I love, but there's a distinctly wistful quality to it this year because gardening season is coming to an end. I'll transition into a different seasonal focus soon, but it's too early to go into winter hermit mode and curl up under a warm throw to do my garden reading and planning for next spring. For now, I'm in feeling "in-between." And a little bit sluggish, I must admit.
Things are slowing down. I am a bit sluggish myself. My plans are to redo the raised beds. I just waiting for all the grass and tender vegetation to get bitten back first.
No leaves turning here. I have a feeling that they will just drop
Posted by: Curtis | October 12, 2007 at 10:10 AM
Eek! Gotta love mother nature :)
Posted by: Felicia | October 16, 2007 at 09:41 AM
I have to admit, I am enjoying the break from the garden...what with the hot summer we had and the endless watering. No frost for us yet, so enjoying the late blooming flowers. I will be catching up on some scrap-booking for the next few months, then come January it will be time for reading garden books & catalogs and winter sowing....and the cycle begins again. Happy Autumn to you, Beth!
Posted by: Connie | October 16, 2007 at 03:10 PM
I'm feeling quite in-between took a holiday from work and I'm watching it rain day 3 I was planning on doing Fall clean-up maybe tomorrow I'll be wearing rain gear to clean out ponds & fountains guess it could be worse in could be a snowstorm
Posted by: Karen(okra) | October 16, 2007 at 11:26 PM
What lovely markings on this slug. I wonder whether it has a special name?!
Sara from farmingfriends
Posted by: farmingfriends | October 18, 2007 at 08:31 AM
That is one big slug ... I'm glad that you didn't step and then skid across the garden on it!
Posted by: kate | October 22, 2007 at 12:27 AM
I'm sharing your feelings -- I'm a bit ambivalent about gardening today. We went from 90 last week to low 50s here in Austin Texas and the plants are getting tired of a double summer. So when today's norther blew in with almost an inch of rain, I was relieved to be inside and free of garden obligations...at least for the day! Mid 70s again tomorrow...
Posted by: Diana Kirby | October 22, 2007 at 10:02 PM
Looks like a smaller version of the banana slugs we used to see in Seattle only they were about 7-8" long! Yuck.
Posted by: Ki | October 23, 2007 at 08:25 AM
Hi Everyone -- Thanks for stopping by! It's good to know I'm not the only one feeling a bit sluggish in the garden.
Posted by: Beth | October 27, 2007 at 06:20 PM
It's sure is a beautiful slug, but how he feels, nobody knows ! But i understand your feelings... :D
Posted by: Ramirezi | March 26, 2008 at 08:19 AM