Another Harsh Winter Ahead??

My mother had 1001 ways of predicting the weather...and, more times than not, she was correct. (In fact, she was right more often than any weatherman I have ever listened to.)

I have forgotten more than many of those ways, but one I will never forget because it comes in handy as an excuse to not worry about your diet and/or weight:

"If you eat more than usual or necessary, a harsh, hard, winter is on the way."  (Apparently our bodies need the extra "sustenance"...i.e., layers of fat.)

While it's a bit early by my mother's prognostications, I've been eating like a newborn piglet...so I am fearing another (the last 2 have been especially brutal) wicked winter. 

(Isn't she adorable??? My great niece I mean....)

So, today I thought was a good day to take a few photos of this year's "pretties" to look back on during the long winter ahead.

Compared to most years, I have very little to commemorate....I seriously cut down compared to prior years given that I knew I would not be able to keep up with plantings both here and at the lake...

Besides, it was an "odd" year (to say the least) to shop for much of anything here....including plants.

But here are a few photos I took today:

(Lantana and petunias, with volunteer petunias below) 

 (Coneflowers seem happy this year)

(Hydrangeas)

(Bee Balm)

(More coneflowers and smoke bush)

(Volunteer petunias and baby's breath poolside)

(Angolina and impatiens) 

(Looks to be a good year for Bittersweet)

(The first of the Hibiscus opened today)

And for a loyal reader/commenter who probably cares not one whit about cute piglets or flowers, here's a quick pic of my boring, slow, pathetic, progress on The Wretched White Whale.  

I am hoping you are all well and safe and finding ways to tolerate the extreme heat, humidity and lack of rain so many of you are experiencing.  

(PS...I truly appreciate all of you who take the time to read and comment.  I know I am a bit "all over the board" content-wise and THAT will never change, but every now and again I run into people who read my blog (really!) and say "I wish you would do a post about....{whatever}!"  I don't know if those few are representative of more of you but, if so and if there is anything you would like to suggest as a topic or about which you are curious, let me know.  As those of you who know me know, I might not "stick to it," but I certainly will give it a whirl.)