So Far So Good

I've been in contact with my granddaughter who lives in NY about her sister (my granddaughter) who was just visiting there with her daughter (my great grandaughter). They headed back to her home in Coral Gables via air just before Ian came through.  They could have stayed in NY but her husband was in FL so they left. I just heard this morning that they had arrived safely and now have no power and lots of rain and water issues but are OK. Whew!

I have another friend whose two adult sisters live in Naples and they stayed, did not evacuate, generator quit so have no power and have severe damage to their home but also are OK.

My friend from Western PA is in SC at the campground where we often went in the past. She used to camp there but for the last few years has rented a villa instead and planned to stay until November 1, visiting me as she traveled home. Well, I haven't heard anything from her but do know the campground usually had an evacuation plan for hurricanes. We evacuated once and after that, for a long time, had a tub full of necessities ready in case of another event. I'm hoping to hear from her soon. Right now I think SC is in a state of emergency but no mandatory evacuations yet.

Autumn "Regulars"

Every year on the beachfront grass under the large pine tree I have found many mushrooms growing. Maybe they are appearing on a regular basis due to the underground tree roots that must be huge, though hidden. 

This morning a neighbor walked by with her beautiful young Portuguese Water Dog (puppy) and I asked her to please take a picture of this year's mushrooms as I know the lawn guy will mow them down in the afternoon.  I just really hesitate to ambulate down the incline to shoot them myself. 

The results are very nice and she even captured some of the little asters that always flower here in September.

I did go through my 2021 images and found that I didn't send my buggy (the old green one) out to storage until November 2 so I hope to be able to do the same this year with the newer one. That will give me one more month to ride about and find pretty.

Heat's on!

C C Cold!

 I DO not like the weather turning so cold at this time. Not at ALL!

Onward.... The sun is shining and I'm seriously thinking of taking a buggy ride, but......

One of my blogging friends, a lady from AR who is a retired school teacher writes in her journal wonderful thoughts and she draws and colors accompanying art. Her entries are hand-written in unusual script which in itself, is lovely. Recently she was telling about the migration of birds and the time of the year — the Fall Equinox. Migration is in full swing in the hills of Arkansas where she lives farming, gardening, walking with Millie her dog, and she also photographs nature, sews, and sculpts! It is a wonderful blog to enter with anticipation of something special every time she posts. 

Today a hand drawn and painted picture she created showed the full moon and an Indian with a horse. I admit the horse is what got me started here today. You see, her drawing is the exact replica of a carved wooden horse's head that I have saved since I was a young teen. A boyfriend made it for me as a gift, even mounting it on a part of a clock!  Hopefully she will see this and chuckle at how her painting is my horsehead!

It seems that my surroundings contain a huge amount of wonderful memories!

Please tap image to view "Linda" better!

The First Day of Autumn

I'm a bit late on the first day of Autumn as we lost power the first thing this morning and now I'm just getting to it at 2:30 PM.

So I kept busy as I opened the pods and saved the seeds. Now you know where they came from! I have taken photos of this little blue spruce for several years and the invasive plant is always there!

The little red berries came into my life when my boys were very small as they found them, bit into them, ended up going to the doctor and then having to eat bread dipped in milk to kill the burn on their tongues. Lesson learned the hard way.

A couple of years ago I discovered two plants and photographed them. They were on the side of the road hidden by other plant life.

I recognized them very well. Yesterday I looked and they were gone, BUT one cluster of seeds was there - all alone - I took it home. Now to find a special spot to plant. After research *here* I'll just toss them back to earth and let her do the job. 

*LINK* Propagating Jack

Last Day of Summer

Tomorrow is the first day of Autumn. Today I took a buggy ride on the last day of summer. I wore a jacket and enjoyed a couple of hours out there. This blog is mostly a picture book but be sure to investigate the last few shots! I was lucky and reaped a few 'treasures.' More about them sometime tomorrow.....

The end of the lake at the end of the season.

Yes the leaves are starting to change colors.

Goldenrod is everywhere.

It is maligned and often misunderstood.

It is not ragweed.

The calico asters share space.

And now for the day's DELIGHT! 

More about these tomorrow. 

Be sure to click on image to view larger!

Old...

71 years ago I was heading out for a night of square dancing with my boyfriend. We had TV— 71 years ago—how about that? I was only fifteen. Then........

64 years ago my second son was born. 

He is one year older today.

He is a GOOD MAN.

click on image to view larger

It would be nice to travel back and maybe even stay there. Old is Gold!

There and Here

I bid my farewell to Queen Elizabeth II this morning. I admit to being emotional while watching the funeral procession on TV. I have always admired this lady in so many ways. 

Life goes on here across the pond. Remember the volunteer sunflower that grew in front of the cabin all summer? Well, here it is on August 19. 

I have never grown one before, but I do remember my dad bringing large heads home from farms he worked at when doing his milk testing job. They were very large and he showed us how to pull out a seed and crack it open and enjoy the insides! There were several dried heads in our garage and we kids sure ate many seeds. Now I know why the birds like them!

Yesterday I had the yard guy cut off the top of mine as it was really hanging its head low and leaning. Look!

Now it is indoors and resting until completely dry and then I'll attempt to remove seeds. I'll probably save a couple to plant next year.

please tap on image to see detail

Nature

Well I finally figured out the name of one of my succulents that I have propagated. It took some research after I saw a change in the mother plant. Look!

When I removed its 'baby' and put it into a separate pot, it took only a couple of days for this to happen! She is producing a blossom!  The internet photos with open blossoms are shown below.

Meet Crassula Tetragona! Isn't nature wonderful?!!!!!

Aging...

James is still here but really leaning and getting thinner. He is doing his best to glow in the Autumn chill today!

Everything in my life is aging. At least my new computer charger came in the mail today and I won't have to buy a new laptop yet! I did look at them and there is even a 16" model which I would very much love to have. I cannot justify that purchase now when the charger fixed my problem this time! Actually I live with a lot of old stuff. I'm very comfortable with old stuff! Comfort matters.

New

Quite a few months ago when I was watering my three year old succulent I bumped the bottom leaf with the spout of the watering can and it fell off. I poked it into the soil around the plant and it sat there for over 4 months. Yesterday I looked at it, intending to remove it because it had been stagnant all this time and what did I see? Well I immediately procured a dish, spooned it out of it's mother plant's soil and re-planted it to grow on its own.

I have no solid idea what this plant is named but do know it can be propagated in this way, though it takes a long time to do so. Even after research my mind is boggled with new knowledge of so many varieties. I think this one may be pachyphytum. ???

please tap on image to see my new baby

911

Please stop and pause and remember this day of 21 years ago... 

2001 - The Mister and I were bringing groceries into our place in the SC campground where we spent every September and October. As I started putting things away, he turned on the TV and we were shocked to see an airplane crash into a tower with a great explosion. We didn't know what had happened until  further viewing with commentary explained the terrible news. Several days later there were items of commemorative clothing for sale at the camp store. We bought a T-shirt. 

Every year since, for the past 20 years, the Mister wore this shirt on 9-11. It was a single wearing and then treasured away until the next year.

Well, now he is gone, but the shirt was passed on to a special friend and neighbor who will keep our tradition. She wore it last year and this year I am comforted by her thoughtful wearing of it again.

Almost....

Whew! Saved by the bell!  This AM as I was doing my usual run-through of friends and places on the 2013 laptop, I noticed the light on the charger wasn't on and the laptop battery was draining down as I cruised here and there. OH! I sure don't need a computer problem now! Well, who does?  

I went through my files and could not find where I had stored the paperwork for this computer, remembering that the charger had failed in the past due to a broken wire which I had covered with black electrical tape. Then a light went on! I had a special zippered sack where I kept all of the paperwork for this particular computer and it was calling to me, "OPEN ME" so I did. I found all the paperwork, wires, and stuff in it plus the order invoice when I had to replace the charger before. AND...the old one, with the broken wire covered in black electrical tape was in there too! Joy! Joy! Joy! I put that old charger to use and it still works, so I'm fine until a new one has arrived. The date on the invoice is 9/24/20 so that tells me the replacement that just today failed, was only two years old. The repaired one is also saved but I have no idea why it failed. 

I'm back in business folks. Hopefully I won't have to buy a new laptop for a while yet.