Perennial Funeral
The growing season has included a give and take with the local seed bank. I picked up sulphur orange cosmos seeds from them and donated the rest of a pack of black beauty zucchini seeds to them after keeping and planting five. I also donated the rest of a pack of mammoth sunflower seeds after keeping ten.
The orange cosmos performed so much more beautifully than expected. The ten sunflower seeds did sprout and begin their ascent, but deer nibbled every one off. The zucchini plants produced dozens of fruit; so many, some went to the compost pile. Those that didn’t contributed to pints of tomato, pepper, and zucchini salsa, more than one stir-fry, at least a few loaves of zucchini bread, and several were donated to family and friends.
First frost came on October 26. Walking around the yard, I saw that the tomato plants were left alone. Not so fortunate were the zucchini.
Tireless givers end
abruptly on nature’s whim
green returns to dirt
kigo words: first frost, dying leaves (not sure if 2nd one qualifies as it is implied?)
haibun form
Colleen Chesebro is the host of Tanka Tuesday. Colleen says:
Your syllabic poetry writing invitation is to choose a kigo word or phrase from the seasonal kigo list on the post, or you can choose from the autumn category (world kigo database) on the kigo word list links above.
Tao Talk 
wow, you got that many zookini’s? Cool!
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Yes! And from just 5 plants. Black beauty is a wonderful variety.
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I love the way you keep us posted on your garden. A good way to mark the seasons. (K)
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Kerfe I’m glad you like the updates. It is.
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I like it too, Lisa! And I’m jealous of you! It sounds like such a rewarding project! <3
~David
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David, epitomy of labor of love. It also reminds me of my grandma and my mom.
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that’s so sweet <3
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<3
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I never heard of a seed bank. How does that work?
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Remember those old Dewey Decimal cards in those wooden cabinets at the library? They have switched this over to small packets of seeds and are divided into 3 sections: flowers, fruits & vegetables, and herbs. The library gets donations from seed companies of organic and heirloom seeds and puts 5-10 seeds in each packet. You can take as many as you want at no charge but they keep track of who took what just for database. The hope is that you will plant them and save some seeds from the plants that did well and donate them back to the library for others to take. They also take any donations from patrons as long as you identify what the seeds are.
I have a whole bunch of those sulphur orange cosmos seeds to give them as well as a bunch of arnica seeds.
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Ok…sorry to ask but that is pretty awesome! A seed library! Everybody wins in that! Thanks Lisa!
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My pleasure and it was my cousin who got it started at her library :)
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That is really cool!
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That nature’s cycle. Beautiful Haibun
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Sadje, thank you so much.
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You’re most welcome
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Very nicely done. I got a whole 3 zucchini in all. Not great.
Darn deer for nibbling your sunflowers!
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Thanks, Dale. I don’t know if you remember the sunflowers from 2 years ago, but they were magnificent. Deer never touched them. Why now, you bambi bimbos???
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So not fair. Bambi bimbos be beligerant beasties!
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O :(
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Wow! Lovely update of your garden, Li. :)
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Kitty, thank you :)
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Lisa, your haibun is spot on! Here’s my test for kigo words: if you say “dying leaves” do you think of autumn, which is the implied season? If you can use the phrase for another season, it’s best to add the seasonal word.
With that being said, in your haibun, autumn is implied. So, I think “dying leaves” works.
I love that you saved the seeds from your plants. I’m going to experiment with some veggies next summer in pots on our deck. I’ll have all winter to contemplate and formulate a plan. LOL!
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Colleen, I appreciate the feedback; good tip. About the planting, I’ve concluded that the food is better grown in containers and the flowers in the ground, but will continue to do both. Next year fencing in the sunflowers as I missed them a lot this year.
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