Rain-Filled

Our day is dark and rain-filled, the looming remnants of Hurricane Delta .

It's hard to imagine the destruction a fierce storm unleashes on the coastline, when inland, it's remains fall softly to the parched ground, a welcomed sign of relief.

The house-painters worked on the outside of our home yesterday, not the best timing with a hurricane looming in the Gulf, but we've been on the waiting list for quite some time now.

Beggars can't be choosers.

 

Ode To Autumn

 

There is a subtle change in the air.
Cool mist-filled mornings, and daytime temperatures are seasonably pleasant. 

Trees are slowly changing from greens to oranges and browns,  Autumn has unmistakably arrived.

 

"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells."

~ John Keats

'Til They're Clean And Sparkly

 

The most beautiful of late September days today. Cooler temperatures and mild breezes.

I've spent the majority of the time cleaning away Summer's dirt and grime, 

Windows are washed, and porches swept, late afternoon I baked two loaves of banana nut bread, one to keep, and one to send home with my visiting granddaughter.

A simple day, to be savored.

And The Rains Came

Deluged with rain today, bucket loads of the stuff, the town creek has flooded, and water is standing everywhere.
The flowers look bedraggled, water-logged in fact.
This picture of the Autumn Joy Sedum was taken mid-week, it's finally in bloom, and turning a delicious shade of crimson.
Autumn is just around the corner.

Summer's Bounty

Enjoying a taste of the last Summer strawberries.

I'm freezing the remainder, to indulge in, on a cold Winter's day.

Topped with a dollop of clotted cream, or maybe use them to make a  lovely batch of strawberry scones.

Accompanied by a nice pot of tea.

*grin*

 

 

 

A Cozy Tale

I have always been amazed by the wonderful friends we meet through this world called blogging.

Words of encouragement, sympathy, and an overall feeling of camaraderie.

The sort of people I would enjoy sitting down and sharing a pot of tea and a scone with.

A sweet fellow blogger  writes a delightful blog about all things tea, and in particular English tea and customs. https://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/
Bernideen owned her own tea room in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a town co-incidentally, I lived in for several years, but wasn't aware of her delight.
Recently,  Bernideen has moved to be closer to family in Missouri, and has recreated her tea room in her home, and stunning garden.

Her talents do not stop there she is also a talented crafter.
She designs and sews amazingly beautiful tea-cozies.
If you are a regular reader of my little blog, you are probably aware that I recently lost my handsome Oliver cat to Bobcat fever, a terrible disease with little or no cure.
Bernideen contacted me and asked if she could send me a gift, in remembrance of Oliver, and Saturday it arrived.

The sweetest little tea-cozy created with kitties on the fabric, front and center is the image of a orange and white kitty, just like my Oliver.
The cozy can be reversed, the opposite side, is fabric covered in the Union Jack flag of England.
It's perfect, as pretty as I could have imagined, THAT kindness just made my day.

Thank you dear Bernideen, I will forever treasure your beautiful gift.

Wildflower Beauty

One of the sure signs, that Summer is waning, is the return of the Passion Flower..

Resembling something of an underwater sea-creature, the Passion Flower resides far from the ocean, in land-locked Tennessee.

It was first named as the official state flower in 1919 and then in 1939 the iris was also named the state flower. In 1973 legislation was passed designating the passion flower as the state wildflower and the iris as the state cultivated flower.

Also known as the maypop, wild apricot and the Ocoee, passion flowers grow wild in the southern United States and South America. Ocoee is the Indian name for the passion flower (also used in the name of the Ocoee River and valley in Tennessee and the city of Ocoee in Florida). American Indians considered Ocoee the most beautiful of flowers.
I can't help but agree.

Returning

The porch rails have been replaced, how I've missed them !

This is our third set of rails, the spindles are custom turned and made from beautiful Western Cedar wood, shipped in from North Dakota.

The painters show up tomorrow, not the best timing, with a hurricane lingering in the atmosphere.

Tom-Tilly is one happy little camper, they give her just enough privacy to watch over her domain, yet deter adventurous visitors from disturbing her naps. 

That unusually means a  naughty squirrel or two.  

Words From The Old Farmer's Almanac

"Winter will be warmer than normal, on average, with the coldest periods in early December, late January, and early to mid-February"

Apparently, the trees have not yet read that prediction.

Autumn seems to be creeping in.

In A Pickle

My sweet daughter has worked at the same company over the past thirty years. 

This summer her job was no longer.

She's enjoying taking care of her little hobby farm, and has found a new talent....canning.

From pencil-pusher to pickle-packer and lots more.

Bread and butter pickles and I can't stop devouring them 🙂