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October Delights and a Contest

87 Comments

The calendar has flipped to October, and the weather has reacted accordingly. Mornings are a little on the chilly side.

There have been frost warnings for our area, but our yard is so well protected by the woods that the tender perennials haven’t been struck yet. Despite the cool weather, the impatiens are still thriving. What a year it’s been for them!

But the rest of the plants are definitely past their best. Nevertheless, they have their own fall beauty.

The ferns, no longer green, are instead a crisp brown.

Sedums mix with the red leaves of evening primroses.

And the seed heads of the black-eyed Susans stand at attention.

But what I like best about October is its nutty smell as plants go to seed and leaves lose their green. Unfortunately, I can’t capture this delightful smell. Sure wish I could.

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And now for the contest!

To celebrate the publication of Of Time and Magic, I will be giving away a copy of the book. Also, I will be giving away three calendars featuring the nifty map Clif is putting together for Of Time and Magic. To enter, all you have to do is tell me in the comment section, and I’ll add your name to the list. I will mail the book and the calendars anywhere in the world, so readers outside the United States, please don’t hesitate to enter the contest.

The contest begins today—Monday, October 3—and will end Saturday, November 5.

Whether you live near or far, don’t be shy about entering this contest.

 

 

87 thoughts on “October Delights and a Contest”

  3. Laurie, you’ve captured some of Fall’s beauty here! My Sedum didn’t do as well as in previous years (who knows why?), and my Susans didn’t last near as long as they have in the past. Our mornings, too, are chilly, but Monkey loves that!

  4. Fall is certainly upon us, we’ve had temps as low as 37, so frost is getting closer. Your impatiens are so lush and floriferous! I like the sedum shot, too, very autumnal.
    Definitely sign me up! 🙂

  6. I often wish I could convey the scents and sounds of a place. Your garden really is looking attractive – beautiful colours too. It is generous to offer to mail to anywhere in the world, so I would like to sign up for a lucky dip please.

  7. It all looks lovely. Your inpatiens are still wonderful. It’s almost painful the way inpatiens end their season, sometimes overnight.

  10. We’re having similar weather. It was 38°F when I made coffee this morning. I am so happy that your book is finished and published. I can only imagine the immense pride and satisfaction that you feel. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

      1. Thank you Laurie. I am going to launch a search for my tablet so I can buy an electronic copy. I’ve already found a camera and a £10 note whilst searching, which is good.

  14. I was glad today when I checked that my herbs are still looking well despite the frosty temps! I harvested my rosemary today.
    Please add me to the contest list!

      1. You have tried before without success. I looked at my settings to see if I created a barrier and didn’t find anything. I may need to contact WordPress. Thanks for letting me know.

  19. I love fall most of all, but knowing what comes next is hard! Please enter me in the contest as I also love your Great Library series! I miss the Tales from the Other Green Door Podcast. I was enjoying that very much.

    1. Winter can be long and hard, but also very beautiful. You are entered in the contest. Thanks for the kind words about the podcast. Enjoyed the process, but it was rather a lot of work. 😉 But who knows, there might be another season sometime.

  21. It is definitely autumn (fall) here too; chilly nights so the winter duvet is on the bed now, apples and blackberries to preserve, cougettes in the garden turning into marrows 😦 leaves turning colour and the days getting shorter, more rain but still some sunny afternoons. Time to nest before winter comes. You do not mention how to enter the contest – is it just making a comment? I would love to win a book (but I did last time so that would be greedy!) or a calender.

    1. Autumn sounds lovely in your area, too. What a beautiful time of year. Entering the contest is simple this year. All you have to do is let me know in the comments, which you have done. Consider yourself entered!

  22. I was so interested in your description of your autumnal scent as ‘nutty.’ It’s true that the season has some distinctive, and wholly pleasant scents. The one I always associate with late fall is the smell of wet, fallen leaves.

  24. Laurie, this is my favorite time of year and I know many people who simply find it distressing. Wonderful photo of the ferns. Anyway, please enter me in the giveaway.

  25. I love contests! This is a lovely idea, Laurie. Please throw my name into the proverbial hat. Your temps drop faster than ours do. We’re in the mid-fifties most mornings, but still climbing up into the seventies and eighties. I love your change of seasons. Your impatiens have really put on a show. Will they reseed next year, or do you have to replant each season? Happy October. 🎃

  26. Oh, sign me up for sure! I need to know what Maya’s been up to. I leave my black eyed susans and coneflowers up too after they are brown. Birds love them.
    Your impatiens are just incredible. Gorgeous!

  27. Hi Laurie, I’m very happy to buy your book on Amazon and give it to my lovely granddaughter. I have a few books I want to order from Amazon, and I wouldn’t want you to have to pay the postage to Australia, when I can get yours amongst others.
    I’ll mention it to a librarian friend too.

    1. Oh, thanks so much! Just to let you know… the books in the series are not stand-alones, which means it’s important to start with Book One, Maya and the Book of Everything. So please don’t hesitate to sign up for the contest.

  28. Definitely my favourite time of year too, though as I look out of the window at the rain pouring down while I type this, maybe I’m not quite so sure 🙂. On the other hand, we were worrying about drought just a few weeks ago so I probably shouldn’t complain! Good luck with the competition.

  30. I love the turn that the flowers and plants take as the nights grow chillier. Beautiful photos, Laurie. And yes, please! Enter me in the contest. I’ve very much enjoyed your books.

  32. Gorgeous Autumn colours Laurie, this is such a lovely time of year in the woods 🍁 If the book is non-violent and has a happy ending, I’ll be happy to enter the contest 💜

  33. Yes please yes please include me in the contest!
    It’s wild that summer is well and truly over – I am still reeling from the passing of September (even with all the birthday shenanigans, it’s swooped past!) and can’t believe it will be Halloween soon.

    1. You are on the list! Glad the terrible heat is gone. In Maine, it’s been cool since mid-September. We have even had to use the heat some mornings and nights.

  36. Your garden still looks beautiful, Laurie. I love the crisp weather and I get the feeling you do too. You can sign me up, though I still have book 3 to read first! Best of luck with your contest. 🙂

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  38. Loved those pics. Friends laugh at me, but one of my favorite fall sites is the once green ferns when they are brownish-golden. Sign me up for the book contest, for sure!
    Cheers,
    Julie

  39. Love your fall pics! Some plants are just a mess as they die back, but others are absolutely stunning, like the ferns. I’ve been enjoying the yellowing of the tiger lily leaf stalks most recently. And the “bronzing” of the wild eastern beebalm leaves! Please throw my name in the hat 😉

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  42. Even though the temperature scale will go below zero tonight some roses are trying hard to smile. It feels sad to see quite a many buds go waste. Your garden still has some colours. Enjoy autumn.

  43. Please enter me, Laurie, if you will. The Busy Lizzies do look wonderful. I hadn’t realised evening primrose coloured in autumn.

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