I actually changed something else besides using banana skins, JJ. I had been using general purpose fertilizer, either fish emulsion or bloom food.  I switched to some rhodie fertilizer.  They were out of rose food, but I remembered the rhodie food was similar.  Both have extra iron, if I remember right.

And I boosted the epsom salts again.  They like magnesium.  You can sprinkle around the roses or mix it into water.  I think that makes the stems stronger. 

I don't worry about them too much, either.  One bush had a bad year, but is looking a little better now.

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Catbird, those beetles sound nasty!

Here's more about the Japanese beetle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_beetle

They are actually quite attractive-looking bugs, very shiny and copper-colored with lovely green trim.  But they are spreading throughout the country, and really do a lot of damage.  The wet summers we have had the past two years have apparently favored them.  Besides roses and mountain ash, they eat plum and cherry trees, grapevines, and linden trees, among others.  Many linden trees along our streets are half-defoliated, too.  The beetles like the sun, so they start from the top down.  If you see a tree with yellowing at the top and outsides of the branches, it's likely Japanese beetles have been at work.

I can just see that little tree frog with his little sticky toes on the glass, catwoods!

The weather here has been unseasonably cool for several days, too.  I am enjoying not being hot, but it has put me in mind of fall (already!)  The days are shortening rapidly; it's dark noticeably earlier each night.  All the berries on the mountain ash tree have turned bright orange.  More of my yard is in shade each day, too, as the sun gets lower. 

The sandhill cranes have moved out of the marshy areas where they nest and can be seen feeding in fields in the early mornings.  Behind the row of arbor vitae, my lot borders an athletic field.  The cranes are there at dawn each day, trumpeting!  With the windows open, we certainly don't need an alarm clock, because they must be some of the loudest birds on the planet.  They are getting restless; I think they can feel it too, although they are usually here until mid-October.

Not a single redwing blackbird or grackle has been at my feeder in at least two days.  These birds do this every year--suddenly vanish around the beginning of August.  I'm not sure if they begin their migration, or just hang out somewhere else.  Maybe they eat something different at this time.

I really enjoyed your description of the first hints of season change, too, Catbird.    The shadows get longer really rapidly here, too.  The moon is below the treeline now for me.  Looks like a bright light shining from inside the forest when it's full.

But the blackberries are just getting to be ripe at the state park and we got some yesterday.  I can't begin to describe how tasty a warm berry is when you pick it off the vine!  Better than blackberry pie!

My Iceburg rose bush managed another bloom.  The fragrance from these is incredible, so I put up with them being fussy.

Those are beautiful roses!

Klondike, those roses are just gorgeous and nice shot of them, too.  Our little pink miniatures didn't like the heat or something.  Sad summer for them this last month or so.  We were in triple digits here for three days running.  Once I got brave enough to look at our thermometer in the shade.  It was 110.  Honestly, when I put my hand to windows I felt as if I could cook eggs on the glass.  Now we're due thunderstorms and almost fall like air, going to be in 70's next three days or so.  We need rain so badly, and I think we just may get enough to help the brown grass, wilted trees.

I have a number of wildlife sighting to report:

First, a wild wabbit, another grayish brownish bunny working that nibbling little mouth on the greenery along the road -at some distance - very cute.

Several weeks ago, when it hadn't even rained, another tree frog visited the glassfront door. Definitely a different species from the Gray Treefrogs, as he had no orange on his undersides, just neutral grays and whites. I went outside, being careful not to disturb him, to see that his top was a yellow-green, with a very smooth, almost matte-finish looking surface. He looked like a little painted porcelain figurine. When I got close he saw me and pulled his legs in closer to his body and hunkered down, but didn't jump. So I had a good chance to look at him when I went back inside. Since Catbird had mentioned the "sticky little toepads" upthread, I paid particular attention to them. Delicate and exquisite little feet, he had!

Recently I had a two butterfly day. One was a small one, mostly orange, with black edging and oval shaped markings on top and underside of the wings. I'd never seen that one before. The other one I had seen often, mostly black but shading off into blue on the lower wing.

And today, for the first time in forever, a raccoon came walking  through the woods and up to the house in the daytime. It had rained for about 24 hours and had just stopped. He walked on past the house and went on his way.

 

This morning on the way to work I was treated to an incredible sight.  It had rained overnight, and there was mist in the air.  In an open stretch of parkland were two sandhill cranes.  The view of these huge birds, which are paradoxically awkward and graceful at the same time, swirled with mist, was like a Japanese watercolor!

I think I'll start carrying my camera in my car to work.  You just never know.