Last Gasp Before Winter

This week I found a surprise awaiting me when I stepped outside. I planted two pots outside the door with a variety of flowering plants. This one has been making a slow, pitiful attempt to grow through the summer. It is long and spindly and doesn't have much to recommend it. I almost pulled it up to dispose of it numerous times when entering or leaving the house. But I left it on its own to struggle through just in case it would one day do better.

Now, in the middle of fall, with half of its leaves brown and shrivelled up, I see a blossom has sprung forth. Surprise, Surprise! Now it makes me smile when I walk by just to see this one last gasp of life from it before the winter hits. I'm really surprised it has made it this far to bloom so late in the season. With the long wet spring, lots of rain and cool weather through the summer, it's been a hard year for this plant.