Sadly, many of the flowers in the garden are on the wane. They've been outstanding performers all summer long. But as they begin to fade and present a wan bit of imagery, there are always other elements of a garden to pick up the slack. We can no longer depend on the fall-flowering Japanese anemones; alas, after so many years, they've finally given up the ghost. But an equally old Ligularia plant that usually bloom in early fall, has been faithful to its task, finally putting out the first of its nondescript flowers. It's the foliage that is most attractive, somewhat how we feel about hostas.

And now that shorter daylight hours and cooler temperatures are prevailing the old Veronica patch in the back garden is beginning to flower. And don't bees love it. It hosts multiple bell-like pink flowers on long spikes and bees are busy entering every one of the flowers. It's just begun to bloom this fall, so they'll have ample pollen and nectar available for a while yet. It's good to see old friends.

And we're appreciative of the seldom-fail efforts of begonias which just seem to bloom and go on forever. Potted, and placed here and there in the garden they can always be relied upon to blaze with rich colour, attract with showy layers of petals, and be fairly tolerant of a forgetful few days of no-watering. The colours are vibrant, the architecture of each flower a lesson in nature's divine powers to beautify the world around us.

This was a shopping morning. We thought it wouldn't be amiss setting out a bit later than usual, even though this was a holiday weekend and we knew that people who weren't able to shop on the days supermarkets were closed for Labour Day, would be out in force on Tuesday, making up for Monday. So it was far busier than usual, and many people seem now to be comfortable unmasked; mothers with children, the elderly and the unattached. People do with what makes them comfortable.

When we finished off our shopping drawing on the fresher, wider choices for fruits and vegetables at Farm Boy, I realized we were selecting more fresh items from that source now than from the supermarket. Somehow, we both feel like children in a candy shop when we wander the aisles there and make our choices.

It was a cool day, heavily overcast, though the temperature managed to nudge up to 21C by the time we headed out to the ravine with Jackie and Jillie. Couldn't have been more perfect for a September, early fall day. Oddly mosquitoes appear to have returned where they've been absent most of the hot summer days. The air was brisk and so was our walk, except for Jackie and Jillie meandering here and there off the beaten path drawn by curiosity over smells they detect and we cannnot.

When we returned home I remained outside, planning to plant three potted chrysanthemums we'd bought to fill some gaps in the garden at the very front. Where over time a few annuals gave up the ghost and those spaces needed plugging for optimum colour, texture and sheer presence. And chrysanthemums love fall and cooler weather. 

And while I was out there I thought it was the perfect time to do some other garden chores, tidying up, cleaning up, dead-heading and other trivial things the gardener's eye lights upon and lectures her mind to have a go at.