Another weekend rolls around

The full Hunter's Moon rising over our street Friday night.

October is really flying by this year. Before we know it, it's going to be the holidays and then the end of 2023. I wish it would slow down a bit.

Marla and Martina came over yesterday for one of our "girls' nights". Marla's birthday was Thursday, so I invited them early in the week, then almost canceled at the last minute. I've had some low-level depression going on, and then yesterday morning my dad had to go back to the hospital, so I wasn't sure if I felt up to company. In the end I decided to go ahead with it since I'd already purchased food and drinks, and I'm glad I did. Spending a few hours with my two best friends really boosted me up and made me feel better. As always, we laughed and laughed. It was just what I needed. 

I kept the food super simple. We had toasty ham and Swiss sliders on Hawaiian rolls covered with a buttery sauce and poppy seeds, homemade guacamole with assorted chips, one of those pre-made rings of cold shrimp with cocktail sauce, and store-bought cupcakes. In keeping with the season I had an assortment of chilled ciders to drink. 

I didn't get a picture of the ham and cheese sliders, but they were the best part. 

And Martina brought me a present! She was shopping for some new baking dishes and she saw one she thought I'd like. I was chuffed!

Isn't it pretty? And I really need new baking/casserole dishes. I told Martina that the next time they come over, I'll bake something in it to share. That was so sweet and thoughtful of her!

Today I'm on my own until early afternoon. Gregg has started going to the three nursing homes where he cleans aquariums early on Sunday mornings. There's not much traffic and things are quiet and he's able to work efficiently. Plus, he has to take my car, since all three jobs are out of town and his old truck just isn't trustworthy to drive that far. We really need to get him another car, but we'd have to scrape to afford it at the moment, so we've been putting it off. Getting a decent raise with this new job has unfortunately been somewhat eclipsed by inflation.

But anyway, I have several hours to myself this morning. It's a pretty day and I'll take the dogs for a walk whenever I finish this post. Fall color is almost at its peak and it's nice to be outside. This afternoon I'm going to make soup. Not to brag, but last week I made the most delicious batch of chicken soup ever! Gregg isn't normally much of a soup guy, but it was so good he eagerly ate it for supper three days in a row. We finished every drop! So when I was looking for a good, cheap recipe for making my customary large meal-with-leftovers Sunday supper, I asked him if he wanted soup again and he said, "Sure!" A cold front is on its way next week and temperatures will be going down almost to freezing, so soup will be just the thing.

I always serve chicken soup with grilled pimento cheese sandwiches. Yummy!

Intercession, Fall Festival, Trees

This is the first day of our school district's "fall intersession" which means I'm off work until October 12th! Hooray! It was definitely worth going back to school a couple of weeks early this summer to get some time off now. October is one of the best months of the year in eastern South Carolina. The weather is usually perfect--warm days, cool nights, low humidity, bright blue skies. Autumn color in the trees is just starting to show, and won't reach its peak until mid November. The first frost is likely still a month away.

The annual Fall Plant and Flower Festival is at the Pee Dee State Farmer's Market this weekend! After I finish up this blog post and take a shower, I'm going out to have a look at some of the trees and perennial plants offered for sale. It's a good time of year to plant, and we want to find a small tree for our front yard. The little dogwood that's currently there is succumbing to some sort of disease, and 3/4 of the branches are totally dead. I haven't had the heart to chop it down yet, so I'm hoping that buying a replacement will be the motivation I need to go through with it. Cutting down trees, even for the best of reasons, makes me sad. 

The new tree won't be a dogwood, but we're not sure yet what to choose. We're thinking of a crabapple, one of the larger varieties that will grow into a good size (but still smallish) tree. They're pretty during spring flowering, summer fruiting, and in fall when the leaves turn colors, and better yet the birds and deer will appreciate the new food source. We're trying to make our small property as attractive to wildlife as possible so a crabapple seems like a solid choice. 

If nothing interesting is available at the market today, Gregg and I will probably take a day trip to a tree nursery on Monday to look around. I have several projects for the house I want to do next week, too, stuff it's hard to get around to after work and on weekends when basic maintenance and chores have to take priority. Also on the agenda is lunch with a couple of my retired (lucky) friends, Paulette and Marian. I haven't seen Marian in a minute now, so it's going to be good to catch up with her! 

I'll leave you now with a few pictures that were shared of the Fall Festival on the market's Facebook page. I should have some of my own later this afternoon!

Enjoy the day, friends.

Month Ten (of the longest year ever)

October is here and 2020 continues it's run of being the craziest year ever. You couldn't make this shit up. I don't have much to say about the POTUS being sick. I'm trying hard to swallow the mean, small part of me that thinks he deserves whatever comes to him. I can't feel too sorry for him as a person, but I will admit that (I guess because of the office he holds) I got a lump in my throat when I saw him getting off the helicopter at Walter Reed. These are precarious times for our country. I can't imagine the resulting chaos if he should happen to die, and I hope that doesn't happen. What I want to see happen is him to get voted out of office in a landslide in November and then just go away. Not to the graveyard, mind you, just away. I can't wait until he's out of our national consciousness and we can hopefully start to heal and move on as a country.

Trying to be a bigger person won't stop me from posting these memes for your enjoyment, though.

On the increasing consensus that the original "super spreader event" was the Rose Garden event at the White House to announce the new nominee to the Supreme Court:

On right-wing hypocrisy:

It's sad that that last one is only funny because it's so true. Anyone who has Trump loving friends on social media know what I'm talking about.

Onto more pleasant topics. Martina dropped off a copy of  Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh that she bought for me yesterday and I finished it this morning. It was funny, just like her first book, but the part where she talks about her health problems and then the sudden death of her younger sister was heart wrenching. I'll do a quick review of this book as well as a few others I've read recently in a later post, but suffice it to say this book was worth the wait.

Today I went bought a larger, prettier planter for the ficus tree on the porch. We're getting ready to bring it back inside for the winter.

And since it is October now, I added to decorative jack o' lanterns to our front porch.

I hope you're all having a good weekend, and that all my American friends are keeping stress and anxiety at bay as well as you can. 

October Daybook--Finally Fall

After the last hurricane hit Florida and moved north through South Carolina it seemed to bring in fall. We had such an unusually warm and wet September and first half of October that trees that normally bloom in spring were confused and pushing out blooms we normally don't see until March. After the storm, it cooled down to seasonal temperatures and we went from wearing shorts to long sleeves practically overnight.



Outside my window...

The fall colors are starting to pop! I love seeing the leaves changing against the backdrop of a bright blue autumn sky. A week or two ago we were out walking the dogs one night and saw four shooting stars in rapid succession. We had just started negotiations on the house we're buying and I took that to be a very auspicious sign! :) When I checked the almanac I discovered that we were in the middle of the annual Draconid meteor shower, which explained seeing that many almost all at once. And speaking of the wonders of the night sky, we had a flyover of the International Space Station last weekend. A local meteorologist I follow on Facebook gave advance notice, so we were able to be outside looking up at the right time!

I am thinking...

...about a million and one things that need to happen between now and our closing date, and then all the steps involved to get us, two dogs, a parrot, and a combined total of at least 240 gallons worth of aquariums with living plants and fish moved to the new house.

I am hoping...

that the closing process continues to go as smoothly as everything else so far. I've been very happy with the mortgage loan guy my realtor recommended. He's friendly and accessible and he really seems to know his stuff. Even better, he's great at explaining all the fine details of the application process in a way that even I can readily understand. So far, (knock on wood) the whole process has been shockingly smooth and simple. The inspection is Monday morning, and I hope our luck holds and they don't find any major issues to be dealt with.

I am reading...

...nothing much at the moment.The days are too packed with other things to do right now. But I'm looking forward to winter days in front of the fireplace with my knitting and a pile of books at the new house!

Celebrating the season...

It's almost Halloween and I've barely given it a thought. I did pull out two plastic light up Jack o Lanterns and stick them on the front steps, but only because I was beginning to pack up the closet where they were stored with the other holiday junk. Marla, Martina and I were originally planning to read something scary this month and have a book club party, but now with the new house it's just not possible. There will be other Halloweens....and I'm really, really looking forward to Christmas this year!

All that being said, I do love October for lots of reasons that have nothing to do with Halloween. I like the weather and the changing leaves, the heavier foods and spiced drinks, pulling out sweaters and jackets for the first time of the year....!

I can't let this lovely month go by without sharing a few seasonal quotes with you all. Here's one from a kindred spirit to start us off:

October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson and the wild cherry trees along the lane put on the loveliest shades of dark red and bronzy green, while the fields sunned themselves in the aftermaths. Anne reveled in the world of color about her.... "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?..." ~Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874–1942), Anne of Green Gables, 1908

It was October again... a glorious October, all red and gold, with mellow mornings when the valleys were filled with delicate mists as if the spirit of autumn had poured them in for the sun to drain — amethyst, pearl, silver, rose, and smoke-blue. The dews were so heavy that the fields glistened like cloth of silver and there were such heaps of rustling leaves in the hollows of many-stemmed woods to run crisply through. ~Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874–1942), Anne of Green Gables, 1908

And yet another kindred spirit:

October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight, and the enduring constellations above them once again. ~Hal Borland (1900–1978)


Fresh October brings the pheasant,
Then to gather nuts is pleasant.
~Sara Coleridge, "The Months," Pretty Lessons In Verse, For Good Children; With Some Lessons in Latin, In Easy Rhyme, 1834


"The leaves fall patiently
Nothing remembers or grieves
The river takes to the sea
The yellow drift of leaves." -   Sara Teasdale


Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
And I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heartstrings that play soft and low...
~Van Morrison, "Moondance," recorded 1969


"Lord, it is time.  The summer was very big.  Lay thy shadow on the sundials, and on the meadows let the winds go loose.
Command the last fruits that they shall be full; give them another two more southerly days, press them on to fulfillment and drive the last sweetiness into the heavenly wine." -  Rainer Maria Rilke


I hope you all are finding ways to enjoy this lovely month and season!

October in the chair *

It's difficult to believe September is done and already we're entering the home stretch of 2014. October is usually a nice month here. The days are pleasantly warm, the nights are refreshingly cool, and leaves are just beginning to change color. We won't have our first frost for about a month yet. It's a great time to plant bulbs and perennials for next year, and the perfect time for transplanting almost anything. Speaking of which, here is my market impulse buy from yesterday:

It's a miniature potted rose bush that was on sale for only $15. It's large and covered in buds, and should continue to bloom for the rest of this month. I potted it up into a nice, roomy container and now it's brightening up our patio. The latter half of September seemed full of gloom and angst for me (probably partly due to the rapidly shortening days) and I felt I could use a small spot of color and cheer. The tiny, blood-red blossoms are just perfect, and they make me happy every time I enter or leave the house. Not a bad deal for $15!

Inside, I've done a little bit of fall decorating. It's been mostly easy stuff, like candleholders with fall motifs and changing out the "summer" kitchen linens (dish cloths with sunflowers) for the "autumn" ones (leaves, pumpkins, fall colors). I also added some seasonal decorations to our dining room table, just to pretty it up a little. We hardly ever eat there.

It's truly hard to believe that it's October, and Halloween is right around the corner. I love the cooler weather, but the short days really dampen my spirit. And of course, October means the winter months are almost here, which I always dread (for a variety of reasons). So I try to enjoy October, and Halloween, partly for that reason--it will be January before I feel like things are back to normal and I'm my usual cheerful self. In the meantime, there are some nice seasonal distractions to be had: knitting, hot tea, the fireplace lit in the evenings (soon, but not yet), movies, and books books books. It's the best season for serious reading.

And a good season for walking, too. I've been walking the dogs more now that the weather is cool. Not only are we going for more walks, but they're longer than they were in the sweltering heat of summer. It's been really, really good for George. The more he exercises the better he behaves. Ginger, of course, is always perfect.

 

Somebody loves cool, sunny days.

 

 

 

We often walk George with a weighted
backpack to help him burn a little more excess energy.

Happy October to all!


* Today's blog title is from my favorite short story by Neil Gaiman.

October is here!

I love the month of October! Now it really, really feels like fall here in the Carolinas. Trees are sporting real autumn colors. The annual pumpkin sale at the church down the road has commenced. Our nightly walks with Ginger now require a light jacket or hoodie. And best of all, Halloween is on the way!

Several of our neighbors have already decorated their houses and yards for Halloween (or, in the case of older, more staid and/or religious folks, Autumn). I am excited to report that there are several new young families in our neighborhood, and this should mean a good turn out for trick or treating! I've got some special crafty treats planned for handing out, as well as ideas for jack o lanterns and other front step adornments to delight the kiddos. Here are some pictures from previous holidays (I'll be using some of the same decorations this year).

 

 

 

In other news as October opens, the dog I went to see at the shelter was no longer available when I got there. He's going to a rescue up in Washington, DC where a nice foster home is waiting for him. He was chosen for the program the day before I went to see him, so it just wasn't meant to be, I suppose. We're still deciding whether a second dog is a good idea anyway, so it's just as well for now.

The job search has stalled. It's going nowhere. I've looked hard for two months, and only one job has even been worth applying for. I had hoped to be giving notice by the beginning of October, but that is not meant to be either. I'll be taking a week off later this month with vacation days I'd been saving up to use for job interviews. A week off at the end of the month will be glorious...and not a bad consolation prize for the lack of interviews I had hoped to be having. And it will give me some time to do last minute crafty stuff for Halloween, too!

I'm excited October is here!

 

Welcome October!

I am so happy that October is here! September was most decidedly not my month, and this last week has been especially bad. I am ready for a fresh new start!

Today is the beginning of the Countdown to Halloween blog party hosted by http://thewhimsicalcottage.blogspot.com/ Yesterday I attended the opening of our farmers' market annual fall festival. I planned to begin this party by posting pictures taken there, but alas, I forgot my camera. There were so many inspiring sights: heaps of pumpkins, gourds, late summer produce, bales of hay, crates of NC mountain apples, scarecrows, fair-food vendors, herb and perennial plants for sale, crafts, mums in all colors, jams, jellies, locally produced wines, piles of fragrant muscadine and scuppernong grapes, huge stalks of sugar cane as thick as my forearm...oh, all sorts of things! It was also a beautiful day outside. All that, and I forgot my camera. I was so mad! I did take pictures of the stuff I brought home. I only bought a few things, since money is tight at my house right now:

The first fall decorations to make an appearance in my den.

More fall decorations

The last of the heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market.
These lovelies came from the NC mountains.

Tonight there is a chill in the air, and the sky is full of bright stars. It definitely feels like fall has arrived!

Welcome October!

It's October 1st, and where the heck did September go?! It seems like last month just flew by. We are finally getting some color in the trees around here, but due to the lack of rain in the latter half of August and the first 3 weeks of September, I'm not sure that the colors are going to be all that vivid this year. We did make up most of the rain in the last few days though, thanks to the tropical storm that cruised up the east coast over the last few days.

Ginger is restless and I've got to take her for a long walk this morning before work. She mopes when it rains, and being a real high-energy kind of dog she needs her daily trek around the neighborhood! Thanks to the rain and my getting called in to work early yesterday, it's been several days since we've gone and she keeps looking at me reproachfully. It looks like it may start raining again any minute, but I'll just have to take an umbrella with us. Otherwise I'm going to have a mad doggie on my hands!

So now I leave you with the first of my halloween themed links to celebrate the month! I found this over at another blog, buried in the archives. It's Halloween Hangman! Loads of fun, and the skeleton on the rope will taunt you if you guess a wrong letter. Too cute!
http://www.dedge.com/halloween/