Good bye September!

I am at my desk this evening putting September's papers away. So hope the Painted Ladies stay in October. I have not seen a Monarch for two days. I have not seen the hummingbirds for a couple of days.
I had wanted fancier bugs to enjoy the orange mums. The Stink bug and Grasshopper were not doing any damage I could see. They are interesting bugs, beautiful in their own way.
The Leaf Hopper is also an interesting bug.
The tiny skippers are fun to watch. The sulphers were about all day.

As I finish up September's journal I am filled with gratitude. So many birds and butterflies were in the garden and we did have some vegetables for the table. Picked two tomatoes today.
My toe is better, the three weeks in the brace has made a difference. My husband and I are able to walk again. I enjoy our evening walks. The temperatures are pleasant. After supper I just need a sweater outdoors.
Life has changed some this month. Both of our children are in new cities, they are farther away. We do chat. They are busy enjoying their new homes and jobs. My friend, who came on Wednesday for kitchen table time, for twenty-two years, cannot come any more. I miss her. Her work may settle down after the New Year and we might be able to share precious moments again. There will always be a chair waiting for her. No Yoga class for five more months! I miss my teacher and my classmates. Life changes. The Seasons unfold day by day and there are always wonders. New adventures will come my way.
Tomorrow we start October! It is my "old" favorite month. I am comfortable in the arms of October.

September Swallowtail

I spent an hour taking photos of the Swallowtail. The red zinnias have been a blessing to many butterflies and Hummingbirds. I am letting them go to seed so I can sow them again next Spring.
Other butterflies are in the gardens this afternoon. I took many photos.
As the last rays of September's sun fill the yard I am grateful to the butterflies, birds and bugs.
September has been a joyful month.

A Quick Hello

I am tired tonight. Too tired to decorate. Too tired to think. Shopping was wonderful today. I was out for five hours before I went to the Salon. Once again I was able to find things for the October House that are unusual and usable.
The treat bags were greatly appreciated. My nails are looking nice again, my feet refreshed, my hair trimmed and ready for Autumn.
I will sleep well tonight. I will dream. Tomorrow I will continue. It is fun. It is lovely. I am so very tired.

 

Trick or Treat?

I am going to the salon tomorrow. I did up a couple of treat bags for the ladies that do my services. A couple of apple muffins, some candies and the sparkling ciders wrapped in tissue, made a little snack bag.
It is easy to do up a fast treat bag. My ribbons are in my basket and my treats and bags are in my kettle.
I cut some bats out of black construction paper and wrote a little greeting in white colored pencil. I slipped it and an orange Jack-o-Lantern paper napkin in the bag. They might want a muffin in between clients.

I enjoy making up treat bags.

Lovely September Day

I left early this morning. I began shopping for treats to give to my special trick-or-treaters that come to call during the month of October.
I needed to restock the pantry too. It took me six hours. The pantry is full again and I have a nice beginning on treats. Tomorrow I will go out into the market place again. By the time I put away my purchases it was early evening. I had not spent any time in the gardens. I needed to reconnect with Nature. My heart was happy to see Monarchs.
When I looked up at the clouds I was reminded of the Magic that is always around me.
The creeping thyme is in bloom. The Eastern Tailed-blue butterflies are so tiny. They seem to float on top of the tiny blooms.
Within ten minutes I was calm. The hussle and bussle of the day was over. I put the kettle on for tea, washed up some sweet potatoes and put them in the oven for supper. The forecast is low tonight in the low 40's. The oven will warm the kitchen and the smell is divine!

Day Three

I was unpacked and decorated by mid-afternoon. Took me thirty-six hours this year. Much faster than last year. House looks lovely in her October colors and all of her motifs. Now I get to do the part I enjoy the most. I start wild crafting. Years ago my Husband would take me on drive about in the country. As we saw wild grasses, seed pods and bittersweet we would stop and I would harvest. Now the country roadways are sprayed so all the native grasses are gone. My bittersweet spot has been gone for many years. I grow what I need for my October House. I garden craft now.


The orange mums are in bloom. So bright they glow. As they become top heavy I will cut for inside vases. It will be a week before I will start doing that. For now I am using the yellow mums I bought at Costco for my inside flowers. I should have mums for vases all of October.


The Pine trees have dropped many cones. I will gather for December decorating.


I cut down the Twisting Willow, it will come back next year. The large branches are the "rod" over the windows in the living room and dining room that herbs are drying from. The smaller pieces are in sand in iron smelter pots on the deck. I had enough to do three pots. I will save the willow for next year. I will look for more iron pots. One of these days the deck will be transformed by Willow in October. I will need to find a long box to store my Willow in.

Garden spiders are weaving webs. So beautiful. I am hoping to get some spider web photos to print and frame. It was cloudy today so no butterflies. Miss Hummer was at the feeder this morning. Soon she will fly south. Soon we will see the geese migrating.
September is drawing to a close. I have end of month things to do.

Day Two

This Monarch is drying her wings. She has just emerged. She fed all day at the zinnias.
The cloudless sulphers were also feeding.
I took breaks from decorating to watch butterflies. The kitchen is finished. All the October dishes are washed, dried and in the cabinets. Will add the gourds as soon as I have all the bins unpacked. Did do the flowers and candles.
The living room is finished. Tomorrow I hope to finish the dining room and the basement and the stairwell. Part of October decorating is bringing in the plants that will winter over inside. I love the one on one time with each of the plants. Kumquat is in her winter home now. Four of the Scented Geraniums are in. They make up part of the inside Haunted Forest. This year I added scent to the Forest. Not only do I have the scented geraniums but the living room and dining room windows are hung with herbs. I took the curtains down last year and they never went back up. After Halloween I will take the dried herbs down for Winter use.
The outside Haunted Forest received it's lights tonight; flicker light bulbs in the outside lanterns and orange light bulbs in the soffit lights. Our lighting ceremony will be October First. I have work to do on the forest to be ready.

Day One

The yellow mums are brillant in the afternoon sun. For October I do lots of shadow art. I was pleased to see Mother Nature playing with shadow too.
Orange Sulphers sharing a flower was ever so fun. The gardens were filled with them. I counted twenty! I am watching the bittersweet. Soon it will pop open and I will be in decorator's heaven. I have plans for bittersweet wreaths and swags for doors and doorways.
Day one is going well. Bedrooms and baths are finished. On to the hallway and the entry. I could get into the living room by this evening. As the oranges, greens, black and browns fill the house I am filled with the joy of creating. I adore decorating for October.

It's Beginning to Look like October

I stopped my work when I saw the Painted Lady fly in. I was hoping I would see one this year. I am getting the outdoor October things out and putting the last of the summer things away. I have all sorts of candle holders with a variety of different sized candles for evening shadows. They are on the tables and in the flowers beds. The cat lantern is surrounded by spent bean vines. It will have a tea light

I have been cleaning the deck and planting the potted up mums into the gardens. This little mum will grow in this unusual basket. It will be well supported. It just might bloom this year.

Autumn Decorating

The Maple tree began decorating the front yard today.
The pink and green leaves were a surprise to me. The rain this morning helped the mums to open a bit more,
and the wheat to sprout.


The gardens are changing. Mother Nature is decorating. I am joining in.
I have scheduled seven days to do October up!

Happy Monarch New Moon

I went to the skies before sunrise. Orion was walking, Sirius was twinkling blue bright and the Pleiades were in full display. All of our star friends were visible. The rains of yesterday left us with 8 tenths of an inch.
For New Monarch Moon I went into my film library and brought out a few photos. Like the Monarchs I am traveling today. Just a day trip to see my favorite Aunt. One of my older brothers is taking me. We will drive all morning, listen to music from his collection, and have lunch with this most gracious and wise woman. I love her. We will drive into the evening to come home for Autumn Equinox.
For New Moon I am spreading my wings and having new adventures. A solar Eclipse is visible in South America and Africa during New Moon time. The energy is perfect for travel.
For Equinox I am planting an Acorn. I am celebrating the changes in life. I am looking for Pegasus in the skies. I am watching for the geese to fly over.
I am balanced.
Night and Day are equal. All is equal. All is in Spirit.

Last Rays of Summer

Today is the last official day of Summer. This morning was cloudy and cool, a storm is coming in.

The white roses are in full bloom.
I cut a few for my morning table. Goodbye Summer. It has been a joy filled season.
I did a nosegay for my desk. I lit my small oil lamp; blessings to my friend.

New Moon is tomorrow! I am thinking about it's name.

I am listening to "Mantis and the Moon" today. It is a compact disc of guitar duets done by John Williams and Timothy Kain. Lovely music on a cloudy day. Tomorrow is a busy day with the New Moon in the morning at 6:46 am cdt and Autumn Equinox at 11:04 pm cdt. I have plans on how I will celebrate.
I have begun to decorate the gardens for October. It is time for me to get the potted mums into the ground so they will winter over.

The mum will root into the ground through the basket. Next year the basket will become the support for the mum. I will remove my metal owl after Halloween.

Heaven in the Garden

This morning I went on garden walk-a-bout. One of the Dragonflies, that patrols in the evenings, was resting on a spent tomato leaf. The morning light was perfect. I was able to capture the details in his wings. Hummingbird was already doing battle with the bees.
Monarchs were in the zinnias.
The Groundhog had already eaten all of the broccoli sprouts.
I will order more seed. I will replant. I will recommend a relocation. He can join other Groundhogs that have been relocated to a nice park down by the river.

On The Prowl

Just after first light, before the sun had risen, I went outside to check on the Monarch. She was gone. I did not see any signs of foul play. Happy travels to her. It was chilly out, 52 degrees. I thought I would sit on the deck for a few minutes and listened to the early bird songs. Miss Hummingbird came for her morning drink. Other birds came to the feeders. I forgot about being chilly. I forgot about time. I wish there was a way to take you with me as I poke about in Thrift Stores. I always have a list of needs. Yesterday and today I found many thing I "needed."
We put glass doors on a few of our kitchen cabinets so now I want to display my dishes in a lovely way. I am using large letter racks. My leaf plates for September look pretty now in their racks. I will switch out plates each month. The racks can stay in the cabinet. I had the brass rack and today I found the black metal one. I would like to have a few more to stand bowls in. Yesterday I found two small jugs. After being fitted with wicks they made pretty oil lamps for September. I was in need. I also found a leaf wind chime for the East side of the house. Now I will be able to hear, "Wind from the East."

My other finds are for October. I am on the prowl for strange "Octobery" things. I am decorating the gardens for an October Garden tour. Last year I invited my Husband to join me for a private October Garden Tour 2006. No date has been set. It depends on the mums.
When they peak we shall tour.