Halloween Greetings

The morning started on a foggy note.

I went trick or treating for my morning cup of coffee.

The trees are well into their autumn color change.

Once the fog cleared, the patio made a nice spot to begin Halloween morning.

Living in a 55+ community means there will be no kids trick or treating at our door tonight.  

Yesterday I was feeling a bit nostalgic so I dug out photos of my boys in their trick or treating days.

Once again I am reminded of how quickly the years fly by.

Instead of passing out candy tonight, I will be meeting some friends to play Mexican Train.  Before I go I'll light up the jack o' lanterns to send their cheerful Halloween greetings into the night.

Whatever your day holds, I wish you a 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

Gourdgeous Fall Days

Luckily that frost I was concerned about in my last post didn't happen.  So, my houseplants are back on the patio enjoying these  gourdgeous  gorgeous fall days we are now having.

I had some jobs I wanted to tackle indoors today.

Although it was hard to be inside on such a lovely day, I opened the doors and windows and got busy.

First on the agenda was cleaning under the kitchen sink.

I find the best way to do this properly is to empty everything out,

wipe the cabinets, edit what is lurking under there and then put things back in an organized fashion.

All done.

A few things got tossed and the remainder is now better organized.

The hardest part of this task was getting up and down from the floor.

:D

I discovered a container of stainless steel wipes under there and decided to shine up the fridge, dishwasher, microwave and oven.

Thought briefly about cleaning out the inside of the fridge and freezer and decided that job could be for another day.

Before the sun set on this day I wanted to get outside and see what was happening in the garden.  Couldn't resist snipping these late hydrangeas as the variation of color is so beautiful.

Prior to getting started on my cleaning tasks I brought out a couple of kitchen helpers.  A new to me soup recipe is simmering away in the slow cooker while a loaf of potato bread is baking in the bread machine.  

It's such a nice feeling to know that when dinnertime rolls around, all we have to do is serve ourselves.

All in all it was a most satisfying day in the kitchen.

It's Getting a Little Chilly Around Here

This bud on my hibiscus plant is contemplating whether or not it will open fully.  The warm temperatures that it prefers have vanished this week.  Tonight they are saying we might even see a touch of frost.

Because I'm not ready to take the chance of frost jeopardizing that bloom, we've pulled all of the tender potted plants onto the covered patio for the night.  Before I go to bed, I'll drape a sheet over them and hope they will be protected from frost damage.  

The houseplants that spent the summer on the patio are having a sleepover in the garage tonight.  In a week or two they will be moved back into the house.  After tonight the temperatures are supposed to be well above the freezing mark.  To be on the safe side we will be monitoring the weather closely in case something changes and we need to protect them again.

This morning we had all of the windows washed and believe me, they needed it.

After the job was done, I was going around putting things back together and dusting off the window sills.  It was a sweet surprise to see this vivid blue hydrangea in bloom outside the window next to the bathtub.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that old Jack Frost keeps his hands off the hydrangeas.  This blue one barely bloomed all summer.  It now has several blooms and buds eager to do their thing.  I hope they are successful as I'd love to be able to cut one last bouquet.

The mums on the front porch don't mind the chilly temperatures.

I think it will help them last longer than if it was very warm like it often is at this time of year.

🍁🍁🍁

Has frost visited your garden yet?

Hello October

Hello and Happy October to you!

Although I am listening to the air conditioner humming away outside the window, I know that it won't be long until it won't be necessary to run it anymore.  I look forward to those crisp autumn days.  Have they found their way to you yet?

On this first day of October, I found it a temporary distraction to spread a touch of fall decor around the house.  That would be a distraction from the news stories covering the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  As you are probably aware, the western mountains of North Carolina were hit particularly hard.  Through the years, Brett & I have visited the area several times.  Fall was often a time we would schedule a short getaway into one of the small towns in the mountains.  The scenery was beautiful and we enjoyed exploring the apple orchards and little pottery studios and art galleries along the way.  

These past few days we have both been comparing videos we watch (in disbelief) of the devastation.  It's hard to imagine the conditions so many people are dealing with right now.  Not just in North Carolina, but South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia as well.

My heart goes out to everyone who has been impacted by this.

Adding a touch of fall to the kitchen counter.

I have been looking for something to put on the kitchen island that was proportionate to it's size.  I think this long dough bowl is the answer.  I filled it with fall items I already owned.  When Christmas rolls around I'll replace the gourds with greenery and maybe some candles.

A little spot by the window to enjoy those warm fall beverages.

🍁🍁🍂🍁🍁

Taking Notice

Since my last post, two additional eye "issues" presented themselves.  One was quickly resolved with a laser procedure.  The other came on quickly while I was reading a book.  A huge floater appeared followed by showers of additional floaters.  This all happened in the eye that had received the injection two weeks prior.  I would be less than honest if I said it didn't startle me greatly.

Of course it happened on a weekend so I was scrambling for just what to do about it.  With the macular degeneration diagnosis being so new, I wasn't sure if I was soon to lose vision in the eye or just what was going on.

I called the number for the eye care center and, fortunately, could leave a message for the doctor on call.  When he returned my call, he asked some questions and said it sounded like PVD.  He explained what it was and said it isn't considered an emergency, but it is necessary to be seen to make sure it didn't cause a retina tear.  That was another visit to the retinal specialist who numbed the eye and performed a test involving pushing my eyeball every which way while shining a very bright light into the eye.  Not exactly my idea of fun, but the good news was no retina tear.  

Apparently these PVDs are common as we get older.  The eye doctor said most of us will get them.  When Brett and I were talking about it afterwards, we couldn't think of anybody we knew that has had them.

All of these eye issues happening at once have given me a new appreciation for my eyesight.  I suppose it is one of the many things in life I have taken for granted until something like this makes me sit up and take notice.  I occasionally try to imagine life with vanishing eyesight and quickly stick my head back in the sand.  I am thankful for doctors who specialize in this field and for the medications that may prolong my vision.  

I must say while I've been trying to limit my computer time. I have been paying better attention to the beautiful sights around me like the butterflies and this cloud formation that was right outside my door the other evening.

July was very dry here.

August has been making up for it with plenty of rainfall and even the remnants of Tropical Storm Debbie.

The first rainy evening I lit the patio table candles and just sat out there watching and listening to the glorious raindrops as they gave my garden the hydration it so desperately needed.  My best efforts with the garden hose are no match for plentiful rainfall.

Well, what do we have here?

I see you through the Japanese Maple.

Please don't eat the black eyed susans or the crape myrtle blossom.

Well, that's the low down on my eye issues.

It's been taking up a good part of the summer.

Now, I hope to carry on with "regularly scheduled programming".

Thank you for your caring comments and prayers.

I sure do appreciate it!!

💗💗💗

Summertime ~ Hydrangea Time

Since I last posted it has officially become summer.

I hope yours is off to a good start.

Here the hydrangeas are coming into bloom which is always a highly anticipated event.

I especially like how it only takes a few blossoms to make a good sized bouquet.

This one has been on the table for over two weeks.

While the hydrangeas are thriving, the roses are struggling.

The Japanese Beetles have moved in and set up a smorgasbord.

(you might see one of the little buggers on the bottom left rose).

I have been going out there morning and evening to shake them off into a bucket of soapy water.  I am seeing more blossoms now, but the foliage looks bad.  From past experience, they eventually move on or expire and the plants rebound.  Looking forward to that day.

In other news:

My eye doctor appointment last week revealed changes that resulted in an urgent visit to a retinal specialist.  It seems I now have macular degeneration.  I received an eye injection and will be receiving them monthly.  The day after the injection the doctor advised no tv, computer or reading time.  I was a bit surprised by how often I felt the urge to pick up my phone and check all those things I check each day.  I tried to think of what I did all day before the internet and social media took over.  I often miss those days.  Back then I was raising kids and busy with all that was required for that.

It was kind of a fun challenge to find other things to keep me busy.

Drawers are being decluttered, ovens cleaned, carpets vacuumed and new recipes being tried.

So, now that I can return to my normal daily life, I think it best to greatly reduce my time spent on the computer.  Did you know that when we are on computers and devices we don't blink as often as we should?  That isn't a good thing for dry eye (which is another thing I'm dealing with).  The eye doctor told me that they are seeing a much higher amount of children with dry eye.  He said that was rare in children before electronic devices became such a part of daily life.

Anyhow, the reason I am sharing this with you is that if you don't see new posts here or comments from me on your blogs, you will know why.  I'm not ready to totally give up on blogging, just prioritizing things.

Wishing you all a wonderful summer!

Pondering Weddings Now and Weddings Then

We made a quick trip to Baltimore over the weekend to attend a nephew's wedding.  While waiting for my son to finish last minute packing, I strolled around his yard to see what was blooming.  The previous evening's raindrops were still clinging to the calla lilies.  Gazing at them conjured up thoughts of my own wedding nearly 43 years ago.  Prior to the wedding I had seen a magazine photo of a bride holding a simple bouquet of calla lilies.  To me it was a very beautiful and elegant look.  One I hoped to copy for my own wedding someday.  When that day came along and my mom and I were talking about wedding plans, she suggested using silk flowers instead.  Her thought was that real flowers were a waste of money.  All the money spent only to throw them in the trash a few days later.

Go the silk route and you and the bridesmaids can have them for years to come she said.  I could see her point and somewhat reluctantly gave up on my calla lily bouquet.

June 27, 1981

Here you see the beautiful silk candleholders the girls carried.  Pretty safe to say none of them kept them for long.

I, myself, carried a lace fan embellished with silk flowers.

I held onto that fan until we moved six years ago.  It had been sitting in a trunk all those years.  I did love my wedding gown.  Being a sentimental sort, I had visions of a future daughter wearing it one day.  Since there are no daughters, I took a closer look at it when I moved and decided there was no need to keep it either.  Although I could scarcely believe I would ever part with it, it felt good to let it go.

My nephew's bride has been involved in dance and drama since she was a little girl.  When they planned their wedding they wanted all of the most important people in their lives in attendance and they said being on the dance floor at least once was mandatory.

I don't think I have been to a wedding with so many young people in attendance.  Many of them were also dancers.

My brother (father of the groom) danced with his granddaughter.

She is only 2 and a half years old and was on the dance floor most of the evening.  With all of the dancers she was surrounded by, she will most likely grow up with a love of dancing.

At some point the bride changed from her wedding gown to this mini length fringed dress.  Her 88 year old grandmother is behind her in this picture.  Grandmother was also on the dance floor most of the evening.  
My brother and I were sitting at the table remembering how much our dad loved to dance.  We were commenting on how he would have loved to see his grandchildren and a great grand having so much fun on the dance floor.  Right about then the DJ announced that he was fulfilling a request for grandmother.  Proud Mary was the song she chose.  It is also the song my dad loved dancing to.  It prompted my brother and I to get out there and join the crowd.

Dancing with Dad.

June 27, 1981

Reflecting back on my own wedding, it seems like we followed all of the traditions of the time:  church wedding, layered wedding cake, bouquet and garter toss, etc.  I remember my mom telling me that it was important to get around to each table to say hello to each of the guests.  Although I loved every minute of my wedding, I felt like by the time I fulfilled all of the obligations, the band was performing their last number and the guests were dwindling out the door.

I did, however, cherish that dance with my dear dad.

Back to the weekend wedding, the wedding took place in an outdoor garden just outside an art museum.  We migrated indoors for the reception.  The garter (do they even wear those anymore?) and bouquet were never tossed and cookies and brownies replaced the cake.  To me it seems like the weddings I have been to in recent years are more a reflection of the bride and groom's interests, talents and shared dreams.  I kind of like how they express their individuality more now rather than being tied to those traditions.

Just comparing notes on weddings here today.

Mine was everything I wanted it to be at that time.  I don't regret a thing.  Well, if I'm being honest I might have regretted those silk flowers just a tad.  :-D