We are. Not to worry....it will melt quickly. S'pose to get warmer sometime in the next few days? It is early though for this cold flash and white stuff.
Jan

It was just last night that it got cold enough to "melt" the outside growth of the tomatoes, coleus and amaranth and magically pop open a bunch of seed heads out in the open areas of the yard last night- I had better get busy gathering and drying....
No snow yet here in the city- but plenty of rain!
Julie

No snow yet here either, thankfully! Of course..... I might have just missed it, having spent the past week in sunny Arizona! We did get a couple of good frosts though, while I was gone, and I (like Julie) am busily gathering, drying, and sorting. Not to mention cleaning up those frozen plants that won't serve any good purpose (food or shelter for birds, or attractive winter interest). I also played in the compost pile today, what fun! It's both a stinky smelly slimy mess... and some of the best stuff I have in my yard :-)

Joyce

No hard frost here yet. I have some late mums (burnt copper and a cheap store mum I bought at aldi around easter time) that I might just get to see bloom if this weather holds up for another week or so.

Supposedly (according to a tv weatherman)-the first hard frost date in the twin cities is around October 1st or 2nd-so these stupid mums better bloom considering they're getting a 2 or 3 extra week grace period.

We got home from our zone 3 cabin yesterday afternoon and none of my plants are limp and squishy here in South Mpls. Julie I checked those varigated morning glories and no ripe seed pods yet. I need to get out today to check other plants. We had been gone for 5 days so I am sure there are more seeds to gather. I am getting into this seed stuff, now to figure out just where to keep them. My house if full.

House is full? Maybe that's how they came up with those Buckwheat pillows back in the 80's- some desperate seed collector....

Hey Zen- just put the drying stalks in vases and call them autumn arrangements full of promise- make art outta 'em!
Make "swags" for your pictures on the wall- and garlands for your mantle and doors- and if that isn't enough- hang em from the curtain rods and ceiling fans!

Julie, that leaves me with lot's of possibliities. My sculptures could hold bouquets, the clay shells I make could sit in a bed of them. I wonder if I could weave them into curtains?