Rainbow Carrots, Liberty Pumpkins and other Stuff Going On

Hi everyone! Hard to believe it's the autumn equinox tomorrow. This is the last Friday, and last day!, of official summer '23, though here we desperately hang on, considering Columbus Day an end of summer omen, and Veterans Day in November the start of Fall. I mentioned buying pumpkins and mums to a friend and she was horrified! #nopumpkinstiloctober

Having said that, the odd upstart storm Ophelia, if she comes here, may usher in a few rainy colder days this weekend.

The weather has been glorious, one Ten Best Day candidate after another.

In the still mornings on my hot sunny deck, the flowers are filled with butterflies. This swallowtail comes for hours, flitting away if I come too close.

                                                                                                                  [google image]

Then there is the giant Monarch butterfly. He is so big [as is the swallowtail],I think he is a bird when his arrival catches my eye. The wings must be the size of the palm of my hand. [google image]

                                        

I was surprised to find this info--yes, the monarchs can have wingspans of almost 5".

I'm also seeing admirals and many yellow sulfurs. The sulfurs are very shy!

I was surprised to find out that 1-they prefer red flowers 2-rest on yellow flowers for camouflage 3-migrate like monarchs, except they go to Florida not Mexico. [I'll put some saved pages about the butterflies at the very end in case anyone is as nature nerdy as I am, wants to read more.

..........................................

I prepped handwork so Mo and I can enjoy evry single day outdoors. This one is Liberty Pumpkins. So far it doesn't seem very Autumn Pumpkin-y but it's cute. Pattern by Jan Patek, at 90%, leaves at 80%.

And the next Sarah Sporrer block is Rainbow Carrots [10 cents a bunch]. So cute, easy. It too is reduced in size at 75% plus some redrawing.  The blocks are quite random, there's no theme yet/ ever? Next is a Pineapple, of course---and I hope to find the Pumpkin/ Coneflower one for October.

Last  i put together some antique indigo/ cadet blue blocks, for a primitive little make-do quilt.

For handquilting if we have power failures. Only to find out I have NO batting for it, just small mini quilt bits. Amazon? Old flannel sheet?

................................

While i was having medical issues Mo went to friends for more than a week. I think the longest he has ever been away. Looks like he had a wonderful time  and was not homesick a bit.

He was wary when he got home, 

It took him about three hours to settle in, then he fell asleep--exhausted, with his favorite blanky I forgot to send in the chaos of the ER trip.

.....................

Recent Nature Journal: I'm a bit behind, this is last week. I didn't start this week yet, bad double vision and shaky hands, migraine after infusion day.

I lost my pretty golden heart shaped leaf from the hospital parking lot. It looked like this.

The other leaf is a Bradford pear from infusion clinic sidewalk. [not an apple]. A few ornammental trees turn early due to hot weather stress.

Gorgeous drawing of the heart leaf, by one of my art journal heroes, below.

As the sun sets this evening, I'll light my first autumn candles, warding off the coming months of darkness. Sunset tonight is at 6.53 pm. 

Have a good weekend!

love

 lizzy

 gone to the beach...

photos for us from my friend:

below, a manmade jetty--on the left is her neighborhood's private beach, 

on the right is the surfing beach I show sometimes.

Butterfly photos except the swallowtail/ zinnia are via google images.

 Here are some butterfly info pages I enjoyed: