The first hard frost is the real end, and that could be weeks.

But all the flowering plants prepare their final bursts.
Many are done already, a few will hang on until their petals freeze.

The chimley rose saved the best for last.

2014-09-28_17-04-42_879

Since staked up, a mowing near fatality.

2014-09-28_17-07-26_959

No more blooms to come, but we’re going out grand.

2014-09-28_17-08-04_506

Will even a frost take down the lemony mint from its summer-long peak?

2014-09-28_17-10-07_578

But the gatekeeper of the herb garden does not care about seasons.
A hunk of cloudy quartz shares some faces with other entities
but marks the gatepost without concern for any of us.

2014-09-28_17-09-34_151

Nor rain nor sleet nor hail — never mind, it’s quite all right.

I’ll just stand here and watch y’all wilt and wither one more time.