Do you have kids?  I am just curious who does and who doesn’t….I have this idea that if I didn’t have kids my life would be so much more peaceful (less full and vibrant, but day to day more peaceful)….I am sure I am wrong in presuming that others might have something better — the grass actually isn’t greener on the other side of the fence….it’s an optical illusion…. but…if things don’t just slow down a bit I might have to hop the fence and run off to crazy-land.

The latest in my insane October…(just since my last whiny post last week) …Lice infestations (can you good-bye to two days; given over to manic combing, cleaning, laundry and general disorderliness?),  and Cat surgery — the vet said an ‘incision’ on his back….she neglected to mention it would be 12 full  inches long…. my stomach turns to look at it…the poor thing only weighs eight pounds — this kind of cut would put down and NFL superstar, a mighty soldier, even a bigger than life super hero….needless to say my kitty needs some serious nursing. Oh — and did anyone else notice that it is Halloween…the mother of all creative fun holidays?  We have created an Avatar, Hermione Granger, a Gypsy and some sort of Lenny Kravitz look alike disco guy….if you are interested, I can share pictures…

The weather has been mild and fall planting is still possible — bringing  clients that I just can’t handle right now.   I haven’t done it, but I am considering cutting off planting for my own sanity…I simply need the respite of a new season and the mild weather and lack of an early snow/frost isn’t giving it me.  I used to work for a corporate planting outfit that did just that — they cut off outdoor stuff in mid october to make way for holiday work… I think I need to adopt the same policy.  I just want this month to end. Do ever feel that way?

This garden, however, is feeding my creative juices and my desire to spend some time this winter planning my own garden’s next phases.   I find this landscape (created by the fabulously talented Acres wild) particularly inspiring as it has a lot of similarities to my own (lots of hillside and steps, and lots of full sun or full shade areas without too much in the middle)

Boardwalks and decking are appealing to me, as I have taken to building so many of my own garden features (in my own garden, that is – not others — I put my clients in the more trusty hands of professional contractors).  I am finding decking to be less hard physical labor than masonry.

How are you this last weekday of October….are you ready for Halloween?  Are you ready to move into fall more officially?

Take a look through the gallery of this wonderful project and see if anything inspires you.