The late August flowers growing around The Urban Porch ™ are a haphazard medley of tangerine, apricot and marmalade shades, interspersed with fuchsia, magenta and bubblegum pinks – all of it entangled in a mass of weeds gone rampant.

Amidst the weeds, the Obedient Plant (also known as False Dragonhead) has been far from compliant. Part of the mint family, it spreads throughout and has taken over everything in its path. While I enjoy the spikey flowers, the rest of the plant is kind of an unattractive mess.

I have been laid low and flat on my back during the last few days, following an afternoon of very aggressive yard work, taken on as a means of burning off some anxiety and frustration about all the money I just had to put on my credit card (see previous post “In Five Days” 8/22/23 for those ridiculous details). This mostly consisted of yanking out an onslaught of Jerusalem Artichokes that began as two and turned into a forest, and some other stubbornly rooted unidentifiables that could barely be moved. While all that tugging resulted in very little visual difference, it succeeded in ripping up my shoulder and upper back pretty badly, culminating in an emergency orthopedic visit – just one more charge to add to the red-hot credit card. Everywhere I look there is overgrowth – it is difficult to ignore the urge to bend down and pluck out a weed here and there – but there seems to be no choice now but to finally let it go for the season. The Universe intervenes.

Clusters of phlox have popped up here and there, just about finished. I still nibble a few petals every once in a while. They add some nice color to a salad (see Eating Phlox 7/26/11).

A surprise wall of Pepto Bismol pink morning glories appear to be holding the back fence hostage. Many years ago I had planted a deep purple variety by the back stairs, unaware their psychedelic looking blossoms were actually more like a bindweed, an open invitation to a coup. Now they are showing up everywhere. I’m guessing the shift in color must have something to do with the pH of the soil. These are quite invasive; making a kazillion seeds, they send their tendrils out to wrap around and strangle anything in their path. I think they are called Ipomoea purpurea. As you are pulling them out, their tiny seeds rain down everywhere, insuring another season of survival.

Speaking of taking over, the trumpet vine is totally out of control and has also been very difficult to eliminate. I can’t believe I’ve created this situation. At least last year it was filled with interesting blooms that resembled red-orange goldfish. This year it only made one flower, but has branched out everywhere at a rapid rate, sending out a mass of roots which anchor themselves firmly into the earth, entrapping the wheelbarrow leaning against the fence in what seems like a matter of days. I imagine if someone stood still long enough, they could become imprisoned in its leafy clutches.

The spring before last, the wonderful hero neighbors that removed the bat from my bedroom (see Things That Land In Your Hair, 7/30/22) had sent all their friends “Happy Spring” cards containing a seed packet of mixed flowers, which I had forgotten about until this year. Not sure if anything would still come of it, I tossed the seeds into the median where the corn had grown last summer. A lovely combination of Cosmos, Zinnias and Calendula has made a cheery showing (popping up amidst more weeds).

The deep pink Rose of Sharon that has sheltered the porch is just about finished, but the white ones are suddenly bursting with flowers and bees.

The Blue-winged Wasps have returned, bouncing around the hostas, although their numbers are much less this year – they seem to prefer the high grasses of the yard next door. Crickets have emerged and can be seen scurrying through the lawn. There must be a yellow jacket nest somewhere nearby – they have chased me off the porch a few times and one aggressively followed us part way down the street while walking the dog. The farmer’s market is suddenly filled with them too – nasty little things, hanging out and harassing you by the baked goods.

Little Sun Gold tomatoes growing on the porch in pots continue to produce. Their sweetness is probably the closest thing to sugar that a tomato could possibly be.

Any day now the green tufts of sedum will begin to blush, lending their hues to the early autumn palette.

The woods continue to provide a display of colorful and interesting fungi. The glow of little orange cinnibar mushrooms reminds me of red efts.

In case anyone doesn’t know what a red eft is, here you go. I happen to be extremely fond of red efts. Seeing one always feels like a tiny bit of magic. Same beautiful orange as the cinnibars! So lovely!

Here is a cool-looking young Amanita – just to admire and leave alone. I think it might be a Yellow Patches or Yellow Wart Amanita (Amanita flavoconia). So striking to come upon!

Inside the house, beauty is to be found in a bowl of donut peaches. Donut peaches are a favorite that is anticipated every year.

But mostly this has been my view during the last few days leading into the last week of August…..the back of Rudi’s fluffy head and his sweet little ears, as he lies across my lap in bed. We have both been laid low, and oddly enough, we were both prescribed the exact same (somewhat useless) medication. You know how they say dogs become like their owners and owners become like their dogs? Some truth in that…

~*~