Beguiling Begonias

                     I'm not much of a tidy gardener. I like the mud. I like the dirt. I like the bugs. But at the end of the season it's time to pick up the broom and sweep.  This year I also decided I would try my hand at saving the Begonias.  I tried. quite a few years ago, but  the result was not the decided outcome. Bugs and rot and mildew. Hence no begonias were saved.

                      Then another year I tried once more. This time I stuffed them into pots of dirt for the winter. Thought I was pretty clever.   Until they all turned up musty.

                                       So with the last days of the porch, comes one more trial. I've read up on it. Decided my course of action.  We will see if I am successful this year.

                             If not, I will have some yummy things to add to the compost.

                                   So, I started taking the begonias out of the big pots.
                                                Stripping them down to their tubers.

                                      They might need some pj's to make it through till next spring.

            Little by little I tossed everything else, yanking out the begonias,
                                   dusting as much dirt as possible off their little  tuber feet.

                                          Meanwhile, the Star Trek gnomes kept watch.

                                          While I cut and pruned and ruthlessly pulled apart begonias.

                           Smokey  kept drinking out of the birdbath all afternoon. Lap. Lap. Lap.

                                            While the tubers piled up and the porch was laid bare.
                                                        Poor gnomes. They're all alone  now.

                              One of the last things actually blooming in the garden is the Anenome

                                               while I laid waste to the porch.

                                               And the spider spun its web.

                                 Spencer sat near his yellow cup, and the compost bags filled up.

                                           Nothing left. Just the memory of begonias.

                                            And the scent of fall reaching out from all corners.

                                          Left with my tray of tubers. They look quite sad. And forlorn. Ready to keep in the dark garage. Ready to sleep. I really hope they don't rot.To dry out some more. Not in a really cold place or a too warm place. I will most likely move this tray inside ,eventually, to the workshop down below. See if they will survive the winter. See if, when spring comes, I can get them to grow once again.  Only one last golden bloom in the garden, keeping watch over the ones that are dying away. Spencer. And his cup.