It feels like only weeks ago that the first hummingbird sighting took my breath away and my heart leapt with joy.  For the past coupe of weeks we've only spotted one hummingbird and an occasional traveler fighting over the feeders.  Cliff's birthday was Friday and in previous years that is about the marker for hummingbird departures.  I'll change the feeders one last time for any travelers.  The last sighting was yesterday morning and the feeders have been quiet ever since.  The lower garden on the slope is still full of red salvia and other nectar producing flowers along with the large pineapple sage with its red trumpet blossoms at the front porch steps.  The only action has been multiple butterflies and a few of Bill and Lisa's honey bees.  From my sewing room window I get to watch a female red-breasted grosbeak sit in the feeder tray for 15-20 minutes at a time eating and looking around.  She stays through all the the titmice and chickadees seed grabbing.  Signs of fall on our mountain.

A portion of the garden is prepared for my garlic planting this week.  After the garlic are planted I'll mulch the whole area with four to five inches of dead leaves.  The rest is up to Mother Nature and me keeping a vigilant eye out for vole holes all winter.   Farmers Almanac predicts a cold wet winter for us mentioning snow often.  Hopefully, that may be only flurries, snow showers, or a few inches.

This morning was my second methotrexate injection about an inch from my navel "at 3 o'clock" and I'm still alive.  Now it'll be no problem for me to do weekly.