Michaelmas

It is Michaelmas.
The feast day of St. Michael.

A perfect September day.

My Red Admirals seem to like over-ripe fruit the best.

The Asters are loved
 by the Eastern Tailed-blues.

These are in-between days for me,

it is the end of September

not yet October.

I am ready.
The October House
is dressed.

I am excited.

I have my Spells all ready to cast.

I have gathered my supplies.

I think spicy kisses
will be grand.

 Red Spotted Purple is fading gracefully. 

The Rain Lilies are still blooming.

The fish will need to be moved
 to the deeper pond
for the winter.

It is time to bring in the plants
that will over winter indoors.

It is time to make up boo bags
 and treat boxes for the kids.

I sat with the Dogwood this morning.

I wrote outside with the butterflies.

I will miss them when they are gone.

On Michaelmas
I remember to treasure each moment.
Soon the north wind will blow.

Sunday Safari

The Black Swallowtail caterpillar
 that had been inside,
 in the caterpillar habitat,
 emerged yesterday from her chrysalis.

We put her outside on the deck hoping she would be able to dry her wings before the rain came. When it began to rain hard we brought her inside. She spent the night on a bloom in the living room. This morning it was so chilly I was concerned for her. Finally the sun came out and I helped her outside to the butterfly bush.

Watching the caterpillars has been very fun.

The leaves on the Maple trees are starting to turn.
Autumn is here.

I will be out of pocket for a few days.

It is time for me to pack up September.

It is time to celebrate pumpkins

and orange mums.

We are embracing our inner
Mad Scientist.

We are in awe of the bugs.

We are learning.

The miniature pumpkins informed me
it is time to get the October journal out.

It is time to prepare and decorate.

It is time to mix up
some fun.

Happy Sunday safari.

My pen

I am a writer.
I write every day.

I needed a pen.
I needed a pen I could draw ink into.

I needed a pen that was fitted to me.

I have stories bubbling up.

I have begun to write a book.

A book about October,
 the Season of the Ancients.

It will take me 13 months to write this book.
I shall use the calendar Rose, from Prairie Rose's Garden, sent
to help keep me motivated.
Thank you Rose for your thoughtfulness.


This morning I wrote about creating salad bowls to use as centerpieces for the October table.

I wrote for over an hour.
Like I do every morning.

I wrote about swiss chard, lettuces, lemon thyme
and salad burnet.

I wrote about growing parsley indoors
 and harvesting mint.

I wrote how to make lovely, simple, mint wreaths
for October decorating and how to dry
for winter teas.

I use lots of ink.
For years I have written with disposable pens.
I am committed to reducing my waste.

The September journal is full.
I have begun a new one even though the month is winding down.
I needed to write about our scarecrow and my
Grandfather's hay fork.
I needed to make a note to look for overalls
at the second hand shop.

The orange mums are in bloom.

The purple asters on the north side
of the front peonies are just opening.
I have added purple to my October decorating.

 Beauty Berry will grace our gardens with
the beauty of friendship.
I wrote about gifting and sharing.

The oats have sprouted.
They are our cover crop for this winter.

The tomatoes are ripening.
I will write about putting them up.

Kale is one of our cole crops.
It was washed by the overnight
rains.

Today I will gather the seed from
the Bright Eyed Cosmos.

I will write in the morning about seed boxes
and gathering seed.
I am a writer.

My husband took me downtown to find a pen.
I established myself with a lovely pen shop.
I was fitted with a pen.
I chose my ink.
Thank you Lee, for being so helpful.
I love writing with my new pen.
My letters and words flow so easily.
It is delightful to shop locally.
It was delightful to get acquainted with
 my independent pen and ink merchant.