Hosta 'Island Breeze' 18 September 2023

The changing of the seasons to this widower is a sad affair. I cannot share with Rosemary our plans for the next or make a list of garden activities that have to be done in the next few days.

My roses are waning but a few still open to my short delight. Years ago hostas were supposed to bloom in June but one, Hosta ‘Tardiflora’ did so in September. In today’s blog (back a few days but showing a scan done 18 September 2023) I show Hosta ‘Island Breeze’ in bloom but with fall leaves. Is it confused? Or are more hostas being hybridized to bring colour later in the season?

I would have discussed this fact with Rosemary and she would have been interested.

With the increasing change of temperature I find myself wearing flannel shirts over my Ts. It was last year that I found out that when Julio Cortázar’s protagonist in his novel Rayuela (Hopscotch) feels cold in a coming Paris winter, he buys a canadiense (in Spanish we never capitalize a country’s name when used as an adjective. Soy un argentino). Cortázar’s canadiense is our lumberjack shirt.

As it begins to darken earlier I find myself getting into bed (on the bed with clothes) with Niño and Niña and I am hit by that empty side of my bed and the absent presence of Rosemary that is there.

It will not go away.