Chocolate mint makes great tea, my favorite with just a bit of added honey.

really.... i chewed a leaf one day... made me feel weird....

Chewing a leaf is strong...will definitely clear your sinuses

I was just out back... snapped a photo of it, gotta be about 6" tall. I'll edit and post when i get a min.

here is the 'wide view' of my 'back 40'
all nice and cleaned up...


here is part of the area, taken in August --
with the 4-6' weeds... anything that didnt have plants/flowers, looked like this.

More leaves came down off the tulip tree. Most of the other trees have finished shedding except for the beech. I have a cold so hate trying to work outside in this weather.

What a job'''''

They finally lifted the burn ban here over the weekend ...so I took my revenge on the nasty weeds

great!

Looks like progress.

Boy -- I wish I could burn where I live. that would be very helpful with clean up.

me too.

After the past few nights of dipping into the 20;s... my cottage gardens are pretty much toast.
The milkweeds are all wilted, will pull them today. The salvias are finally crispy... will pull the remaining ones today too. I have one NE Aster that is hanging on, but that is pretty much it, aside from a few rose buds that may actually open -- but they are more protected on the south side of the house.

I even think all my seeds are harvested, except I have 1 Brazilian Bachelor button to grab spent heads from... then i'm done. Oh Ugggg, forgot about the Zinnias.

gonna have a few days of 60's i think ... will get the last of the yard clean up done. then start planning for next year.

gemini_sage said:Terese, I LOVE that Mesa Purple Salvia! I've never seen that one before. Is it winter hardy?

I was going to post an image of my favorite "garden shot" of the year... and i found i already did.

Neal -- I like this plant so much, i actually dug it up and it's in my living room right now. I was chatting what Danita, and since it wont set seeds for me this year.. this is the only way to "save" it.

Just the prettiest thing i've even seen!! The purple is just so purple.

I wish i was successful at cuttings... they always die on me.

I can't imagine 60s in the chicago area in Nov. First week was often our first snow around Milwaukee in the 1950s (my hometown).

I talked to a friend of mine a few days ago... he said they got their first flurries ... but no snow yet.
we haven't had any yet... just some COLD and WIND.

Too near the ocean for frost as yet, NE of Boston.

We had a white dusting of snow covering the ground a few mornings ago when I got up- quite the surprise! Back up in the upper 60's today, I didn't get any work done outside but did at least take the dog out to walk around the yard and field and enjoyed the sunshine. I took her out twice and both times she got a vole!

Go dog!
Temps wont be getting above 50's here. I have cut dead plants and raked leaves.
I want a few days off. Compost spreading will begin Thursday.

Smart dog. Hubby still raking leaves/