Roses Again, More Trees, and a Birthday Boy

The days shorten with the sun setting sooner each day. We turned our clocks back this morning. I always forget to reset them the night before. The weather here remains mild, cooler, but lots of sun. Jack Frost has been slinking around in the early wee hours of morning, leaving his tell-tale icy blanket covering the lawn and garden. So far he hasn't done much damage. The roses are the always the last to go, so last week when the weather predictors cautioned that the temperatures would sink below freezing, I went out just before bed to snip off the last of the roses.

Veteran's Pride. What a grand rose. Using my iPhone, I photographed her outside placing her on the thin ice that covered the bird bath. That's how cold it got that night. I had the roses in the house a couple of days before I took this photo, hoping that they would open up more.

I was quite surprised this time with the color of the red. Out front where she lives, I am never able to get the red the right tone in the photo.

Isn't she just grand?

Inside  I caught First Prize basking in the late afternoon sun as it filtered through the kitchen window.

Again using my iPhone, I took macros of this delicate pink rose. There were just two blooms left to pick.

I am still impressed with that little camera on the iPhone and it is an older phone, too.

The roses outside aren't done yet. They show new growth with new buds forming. I doubt they will be able to bloom again. I'll let you know. It is hard to tell them good-bye for the winter, isn't it?

With our mild weather, the fall colors continue to astound us. This week's mosaic shows the beautiful Autumn Blaze Maples trees at the university. The first photo I shared with you a couple of weeks ago in the parking lot across the street from my university office. Now in the trees are in their full color glory. Once again, using my phone, I was able to capture them.

Finally The Very Bad Dog celebrated his birthday yesterday. No, I didn't bake him a cake as his daddy tried to get me to do. Instead, I took his photo for Facebook and the blog.

See how nicely he stays while I take his photo. I followed him as he went about his morning. He is a busy boy. He runs like the wind, looks for mice in very odd places--here a pipe in the wall in the barn--, he helps feed the hens, and does his share of work when it's time to feed the horses. When he is not trying to dig Mo the cat out from under the bed, tearing up the bedding and other destructive little antics (like chewing up socks), he keeps us entertained. 

Surrendered by his breeder at 4 months along with 4 other siblings to a small vet clinic in Grant, Nebraska (a teeny prairie town), he got lucky when the Head Gardener picked him from a photo on the clinic's web site. Handful that he is, he is a sweet, happy boy that keeps us company.

So that's the way it is here at the Garden Spot. this week. I'll be linking with Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday tomorrow. Thanks, Judith, for hosting.

Thanks to you for visiting.