. . . and so now we've got to say goodbye TO the summer . . .

The title ". . .  and so we've got to say goodbye TO the summer", for today's blog post, is not a misprint, for I am well aware of the Brian Hyland lyrics, to the "Bobby Vinton classic", Sealed With A Kiss, are, " . . . and so we've got to say goodbye FOR the summer"; however, since today is the second day of autumn and the last Saturday of September, it seems appropriate to put a spin on the lyrics.


Perhaps, my tendency to put a spin on lyrics comes from my departed father who often did this with a number of songs as discussed in a previous post which you may refer to by clicking here. His "spin" on Hyland's song was, ". . . and so we've got to say goodbye to the plumber."
In any event, we are at that time of year when summer has "officially" passed and autumn reigns. During the early days of autumn, summer attempts to still rule, at least in my urban terrace garden, as well as for other creatures such as those that "star" in Mutts. As many of my readers know I am a Mutts (the name of the comic strips included in today's blog entry) fan. This can be seen in previous posts by clicking here as well as here; and so, for me, it is only natural to include them, as I express a few thoughts on the transition from summer to fall on this second day of 2011's autumn. I see a relationship between the comic strip character posted directly above (the one wearing the inner tube) expressing that he feels "ridiculous" and the things' (which I grow in my terrace garden) attitude towards the seasonal transition. They seem — for the most part — to take life as it comes and are uninhibited by any "rules" of  the passing seasons. I don't think that they'd feel badly if they got caught wearing an inner tube after the autumn equinox , which occurred yesterday a little after five o'clock in the morning.

For example, my White Swan Echinacea, like CoCo Chanel, is not one to be dictated by the longstanding fashion rule of not wearing white after labor day (as mentioned in a previous post which you may refer to by clicking here). Even now, though summer is "officially over", my White Swan Echinacea still continues to thrive in its container, enjoying life, wearing white as it pleases. This can be seen in the photograph posted below:

However, as you can see, dear reader, one of the members of the White Swan Echinacea family members has succumbed to the pressures of fall and has turned an amber and brown color as seen in the image posted above and below. I hope it did not feel "ridiculous" as my "friend" in the Mutts comic strip did when caught with a beach ball after autumn began!

The pressure to give up the inner-tube-phenomenon is not only with my White Swan Echinacea, but it is happening with some of the other things which I grow in my terrace garden. My Salvia offcinalis (Tri-Colour Sage), and Cardinal Climber pictured respectively below are slowly beginning to change their summer colors for autumn hues,and my mentioning the latter reminds me that I should harvest it soon, since its culinary use is prime at this moment.

The leaves of my Continus Coggygria (Smokey Bush), pictured below

are changing from pale pink tips to golden. It is fascinating to behold, the Continus Coggygria (Smokey Bush)'s response to the seasons. You may recall, dear reader, that this magnificent shrub is the subject for one of my unique single-sided petite greeting cards titled Grace (Smoke Bush) which is included in the store-front of my web-site, Patricia Youngquist Photo Art.


You may also recall that I am currently offering complimentary boxed sets of my greeting cards for any referral that brings me a booking of virtual stories or visual presentations, a new service offered by yours truly which you may refer to in my on-line brochure. The aforementioned complimentary offer was mentioned in previous posts which you may refer to by clicking here and here.


In the meantime, please keep in mind, that today's blog title stating, " . . . and so we've got to say goodbye TO the  summer" is by no means intended as a rule; but rather a "resolution" which happens at the changing of seasons whether you are an herb, flower, plant, vine, shrub, tree, a human being, or a cartoon character. Then again, not everyone, especially yours truly can accept the inevitable; even Mutts finds it difficult to do as seen in the comic strip posted below.

That's it for now, but, as always, dear reader, I appreciate it when you weigh in with your comments, thoughts, ideas and reactions. If you are new to posting this type of thing, you may click here for directions.

Happy June!

Well, dear reader, according to the comic strip Mutts, created by Patrick McDonnell, which is an animation that I adore (and one that I have sighted in a previous post that can be found by clicking here), we are in "half time", and, while I appreciate this animation (and often the sentiment that goes with it); I do not think "half-time" officially begins until the end of June, as that is the time the calendar year is half over, or perhaps, and maybe even more important, is the time of the onset of the remaining part of the year, and a chance to begin again.
I have had soirées in the past to celebrate the half-year mark (as evidenced in a previous post honoring last year's half-year mark, which you can refer to by clicking here), and many of my clients have found the line of invitations that I create (and that preserve a moment in time) quite suitable and elegant for such an occasion. Many selections are included in my on-line brochure, downloadable brochure, as well as the store-front pages of my web-site where purchase information is also available. 


Whether today, the first day of June, or the end of the month signify "half-time", the month of June and all the wonderful celebrations (and reasons to send cards —which can also be found within the aforementioned links — to those near and not so dear to you) are on the way. This year they include ones associated with religious observations such as the Jewish celebration of Shavout and the Christian celebration of Pentecost, as well as many confirmation celebrations. Some other festivities in June that are enhanced by sending cards and invitations include graduations, Father's Day, and the Summer Solstice, so I encourage you to "get out and reach out" with my unique snail-mail forms of communication, and roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!

Singing in the Rain: The Flowers are Singing Praises for April's Showers (ahem, April's Downpours)

Tomorrow marks the end of the thirty days of this "so-called" cruelest month of April (alluded to in a previous post that can be seen by going here), and, it has been a cold and rainy one in New York City, where I live and have an urban garden on my terrace. Thankfully, with the help of April's rain, my flowers are singing; a sentiment appreciated and expressed by Mutts (in the comic strip posted above this blog entry). If you listen closely, the songs of the flowers might even be heard by you, dear reader, as you view my garden photos below:

As you can see, my white tulip (that I discussed in a blog entry this past Tuesday), has been joined by a friend, clothed in purple. I did not guess the color properly from looking at their tips (as you my recall from that post which you may click here to read if you'd like to refresh your memory or just to take a second look at the tulip's tips before they opened), but I am overjoyed by its magnificent presence.
To its immediate right are the burgundy leaves of my Avellana corylus (Contorted Hazel Nut), a plant I have written about in the past which you can reread by clicking here as well here. The twisting and turning of its branches are fun to look at during the winter months when they are bare, but the lovely textured burgundy leaves are always a miracle to behold as spring commences, and a smidgen of this can be seen in the photograph posted below:

Funny how folks shed their layers of clothes in the spring and summer months — the exact time that my plants, herbs, trees, and shrubs get dressed. In any event, The Avellana corylus will be featured in my soon to be released You Tube movie that I mentioned in yesterday's blog entry. My crew and I have had some technical difficulties, so the release has been delayed, however, we won't have nearly the delays of Broadway's, Spider Man Turn off the Dark. Please stay tuned for release of my movie, or leave me a comment with your contact information and I will contact you with the details on when and where to view it.



Meanwhile, there seems to be no delays with my plants and shrubs celebrating spring. Even the Continus Coggygria (Smokey Bush), also known as Grace, is bursting with buds (as indicated in the photograph posted below), 

and it appears that it will flower this year, which will truly be a treat, as Grace has not produced any flowers in previous years, but this has been all right with me because Grace's branches and foliage stand on their own— and have added beauty to my garden in all seasons (as indicated in previous posts which you can access by clicking here as well as here and here). Grace has been the inspiration for  the collection of single-sided greeting cards that I produced, which are great to send if you want to send a greeting that goes beyond communication. Please feel free to view it via the store-front of my web-site where purchase information is available.

Also there is a new voice that joined the chorus of my flowers, and that is the presence of these little white flowers (seen in the picture below) on my hakonechola macra 'All Gold' (Japanese Grass) whose foliage provided the inspiration for my 2010 Christmas card, as you may recall from a prior post.

Not to be out had, my Phlox subulata has come out of its winter hibernation to grace my garden with its presence as seen below:

Finally, in terms of today's post (but not my garden where there is much more growth than this blog entry can hold), my H.F. Young Clematis, is once again bursting with buds as you can see in a photograph posted below.

These precious buds never fail to provide inspiration and even hope, something I discussed last season when remarking on the on going gift of the H.F. Young Clematis.

Most of the images from this season's garden growth will be rendered into my collection of invitations that preserve a moment in time, event program covers that enhance any occasion, and greeting cards that are about more than communication, so please continue to check my web-site and on-line brochure for details and feel free to download my paper brochure.

BTW, if you have an immediate need and want to use a certain image for your communication needs, arrangements can be made for exclusive, custom made orders.

Happy end of April, dear reader, with a suggestion to my gardener comrades — go out into your garden and join your buds and flowers in their song of praise.