So...

Putting together a crock-pot of black bean soup before work.  We got the beans along with other things from Henry's Market in Homestead.  My favorite place to shop of late. Which is part of the Amana colonies...one of the great places in this area (my opinion).

It seems blasphemous to post without a photo.  haha...so here you go.

Last night I canned 9 quarts of the tomatoes. We still have some ripening in bowls for fresh slicing.  Which is amazing (to me at least) that we are still eating fresh garden tomatoes at the end of October!

The only garden chore left is to plant the garlic and dig up the cannas and dahlias.  And just tend to the cold weather crops that are still growing.  This I have never done before so it's my fall experiment.  Oh and gather seeds from the bird house gourds.  And bring in and clean the ones that are now dried out...well, I guess there is still lots to do garden wise.  haha

"Put on a robe of joy so you can uplift others"

Baba, as quoted by Swami Chidvilasananda in The Yoga of Discipline

❁

Great Expectations...

We were watching "Great Expectations" the other night and heard the phrase, "Poor miserable fellow creature" (Richie cracked up laughing) used when addressing a less fortunate human. The man spoken to took no offence of the term at all. He was happy to be acknowledged. It was an accepted form of heart felt compassion with no malice taken...my how times have changed.  That same phrase used today would likely be taken as an insult.

These dark mornings are upon this household a little too soon. So here is a cheery scene...

This idea of using a shelf with pots of plants is something I hope to use next year on the house and/or the garage window.  (found on the Internet somewhere...wish I had saved the link to give a credit to)

sorry I just had to...

"30 years ago we had, Steve Jobs, Johnny Cash and Bob Hope. Now we have no jobs, no cash and no hope. Hopefully Kevin Bacon doesn't die..."

cold morning...

During the night I have ideas of poems. I don't know much about poetry. Don't know the rules or even what a stanza (is that for music or poems...haha) means.  But ideas for poems keep coming to me.  Can any group of words that make an image be called a poem?  Are there guidelines that must be followed when writing a poem?  I think I will just write a couple and see what happens...I believe poems and artworks can go together.

The garden needs to be cleaned out. And the carrots thinned.  The leaves are almost all off the trees.  Winter is getting impatient.

Grant Woods painting of his mother in the Figge Art Museum

Lazy Sunday...

Yesterday's walk...

 Richie took these photos.  He had the camera, I had the dog.

Tonight we will be going to one of the scariest haunted houses in the Midwest!  It is were our sweet daughter is working for the season, called Torment Twelve. She plays a crazy old lady with a fascination for dolls, who is also a hoarder.  I used to be horrified of haunted houses until into my 20's!

It is been a very weird stage of life, this newly married/post-menopausal life in a new town.  So many new things all at once...this can, for lots of women my age be a new beginning.  Why do I mostly have this flailing sensation?  haha

"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." Steve Jobs

A little cheat by using other people's quotes.  But the need for inspiration is great this week.

Good night!

Getting back into the swing...

Good Morning!  The view from here is nothing like this sunrise.  We came home to full fledged autumn.  The trees are at their most colorful ripeness.  The garden is pretty much spent.  However, all looks pretty in it's own way...

Front porch love...


“No front porches. My uncle says there used to be front porches. And people sat there sometimes at night, talking when they wanted to talk, rocking, and not talking when they didn't want to talk. Sometimes they just sat there and thought about things, turned things over. My uncle says the architects got rid of the front porches because they didn't look well. But my uncle says that was merely rationalizing it; the real reason, hidden underneath, might be they didn't want people sitting like that, doing nothing, rocking, talking; that was the wrong KIND of social life. People talked too much. And they had time to think. So they ran off with the porches.”
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451


Peach, joy and love ❁

We're back!

Hello!  What a great time we had visting family and lounging on the beach...Home sweet home today.

I was happy to see Mattie and took her for a walk right away.  She walked a very long walk and wasn't lagging behind at all!  It seems her "petsitter" was more like a personal trainer!  Her skinny legs are no more...she has muscles on those bones (I think it was mentioned that we found a fantastic pet-sitter).  Now I need a personal trainer just to keep up with Mattie...haha.  She got walked 2-3 times per day!!  So she also had a great week.

Having some green tea right now...picked a bunch of tomatoes when we got home and still have more to pick tomorrow. It looks like I will have another batch to can this week!  Amazing for almost the middle of October.  The beans are all done and some of the spinach is coming up now.  What a difference just one week makes in a garden!  So dry these past few months though.  Next year I must do better with the watering!

This is the pier on the beach.  Our last day there was so windy when sitting near the water that we got sandblasted!  Rich wasn't sure if it was a windburn or sunburn that he got.

 

This was the cottage we stayed in. It had everything we needed, just no wifi.  So of course I wasn't able to blog from there. 

This was the view from our deck.

Without computer and work I was able to come up with some ideas for future projects!  And figure out how I will self-discipline myself in regards to eating and exercise...let this new lease on life begin!!

Peace, joy and love ❁

 

A day off work with Lots to do...

Found out yesterday that I would be having this day off!!  So much to do today...we are going on a real vacation!!!  It has been about 4-5 years since we went to the ocean.  So Tybee Island, GA is the destination.  And we will get to see all my family on the way.  I just can't believe it until we are there kind of thing.

So, Rich found us a house/pet sitter. She is a grad student who lives just down the street.  A Literature major and cook!  I met her last night and was impressed. It is just exciting to meet such a smart, energetic young lady. And she is even willing to keep up with what is left in the garden.  She said she loves our house with all the plants around it now.  Makes us feel good that lots of neighbors have commented on the change of the yard.  What a difference just planting seeds and small plants can do.

We are going to watch my young'n play soccer Saturday morning (on our way out of state).  His daddy is the coach so I am interested in watching him too!

This is my view at the moment.  Have to make out a list and stick to it!!!  Mattie will even be getting a bath today.

I'll be taking the camera and computer with on vaca so I can still post here. I know taking the computer on vaca is frowned upon...but it is My vacation!!  Can you tell just how excited I am?!

Ok, better finish my cup of tea and get dressed. (yes, still in p.j.s).

Back from Mattie's walk...OH those fall colors!!!

Peace, joy and love ❁

Cloudy wonderful day...

Just got back from taking Mattie for a walk around the neighborhood.  One of the neighbors mentioned that she was going to organize a block party.  I think in 2 weeks...which would be a great way to meet some of the neighbors I have yet to meet!

This is the front yard...isn't it pretty.  Notice the front door color!!!  Robin's egg blue with a wreath I made the other day from the grapevine...I planted some large grasses.  One which is a bamboo type northern variety can get to 12-15'!
Most of the flowers I got from friends who shared from their own gardens.

Tonight we will meet 2 of our kids for dinner.  A special Birthday dinner for one of them!

Peace, joy and love❀

Later that night...

Intentions?  Still intending...haha

Went to the farmer's market after work.  There was a beekeeper there who had some bee pollen...he explained what you can use it for.  He was cute so I bought a jar of raw honey!!  I told my hubby when I got home the reason we now have 3 bottles of honey.