Just when you think you have seen it all, Mother Nature throws us a couple of curve balls. The falcon and the selfie of the skunk are first timers.

Both inside and out, one minute it was late summer and then FALL FELL on us with colder temperatures alongside that glorious pre-winter sunshine. Joshua and Juan tackled pruning of the ash tree while a new spider woman moved in and the anemone virginianas appeared in all their glory.

How is it that it seems that overnight and just as the autumn equinox comes to us gently and softly, all the green and furry folks change in alignment? Just harmonious magic as I see it.

While the critter-sightings seem delayed from last year, we now have spied another raccoon mama and her kidlets, and a smattering of skunks but no wee ones.

Just last week we were lamenting that we had not seen one raccoon or skunk baby and then here comes the little family.

In typical August fashion we are popping with busy-ness inside and out. Let’s start with a stroll through the gardens.

We have been experiencing a persistent absence of clarity in the lower pond in spite of our best treatment efforts.

Every year it seems all the fleur-ed folks agree on a timeframe when everyone will pop into bloom at once. This year apparently the end of May and the beginning of June is the consensus.

We are all atwitter with the critter and fleur happenings of late. We actually saw SEVEN raccoons together at our feeder as well as the long-awaited return of our grey fox – yippy skippy!

Considering all the critter action in the gardens recently, guess who is putting their resplendent feet forward?