I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Showing posts with label fall foliage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fall foliage. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Fall Garden Peeping



Hello everyone! It's a gorgeous sunny breezy day today. Let's get out of the sewing room, office, the kitchen---no closet cleaning today! (Okay I admit I did a smidge of closet cleaning earlier. Mel and I have a project! Had to find my beads...).


November is one of my favorite months here. It's usually so autumn-y, like how we expect October to be. Crisp days, chilly nights, lovely for sleeping, but not cold enough for flannel sheets. Apples and cheese--brie, cheddar, Stilton?, white wine, hot Earl Grey tea. Scents of cinnamon and clove, even woodsmoke. One of the neighbors must have lit their fireplaces.



We're a bit short on beautiful red and orange trees, tall leafy trees are rare here, just pines and shrubs. The color comes in the marsh's verges, red creeper and poison ivy, orange bittersweet, amber plumes on the phragmites, school bus yellow golden rod. Now and then a hint of lavender peeks out, the fall marsh asters are blooming.
But today is not a marsh walk day, instead we'll take Mo and amble around, see what's blooming in the neighbors' gardens.



The grass is still so green. These pics were taken while we were training Mo to wear his costume last week.


Checking out the beach alley. The tiny marigold hedges are at their best now.








My friends' dahlias finally have bloomed.


Roses and begonias, happy at last.


Morning glories thrive in the cooler weather. I think these are called Flying Saucer. Must have next year, maybe I can harvest some seeds?






Volunteer MGs abound. The climate is too harsh here by the ocean, though; they won't become invasive.






And what are these adorable tiny brown-eyed yellow morning glories? Very cute, a climbing vine





The ornamental grasses are in the glory days. The seed heads nod and glow in low amber sunshine.









The hydrangeas like the rain we finally had, looking very pretty in in mostly shades of old rose and bronze.






A few confused bushes sporting bright midsummer blue.


I snipped some heads here and there, with permission, of course. They'll dry in my crocks all Fall.




Now let's swing by Mo's bench, a five minute rest, a treat, a drink of water. I have cheese and peanut butter crappy crackers in my pocket, and a few of Mo's ''healthy'' treats.


Say hello, to the Kitties at the house being reno'd....


Back home Mo must try on his winter clothes. Oh the humiliation! Will things still fit? Or have we outgrown our clothes? We all know that season change dread and sympathize.


Mo's Puppias and Bumble Bee sweater fit but he is a big boned Pug, with a broad chest.
Later we found a last hour of sunshine to sit on the deck and sew and/ or chew on a toy.






I watched that solo sailboat all afternoon. He was either becalmed or out of gas, or just having a lazy day.



The sunset comes too soon but is beautiful.






You'd know it was November even if like Snow White you suddenly opened your eyes after a hundred years.



Tonight's candle scent is "London", scented of black tea and bergamot. Lovely. Mo is snuggled now with his new dolly, Smelly the Skunk. Poor Smelly has no stuffing, but his tail crinkles. lol.






Goodnight!




love

lizzy

gone to the beach...






PS We also have visited the Goose Family recently. Sadly they were dressed for football, instead of Halloween. And yeah, Baby is naked again...





Monday, November 9, 2015

The Adventures of Mo




Hi! In the past few weeks, as summer finally fades away and life gets quieter here at the beach, Mo has seemed a bit lonely, in need of canine companionship. Quilting is boooring, mommy, he whines.


Today it was cool enough to take him to the dog park. Finally. He saw me get his water bottle and my car key and he scampered fast as he can to my car.
Sniff sniff, he checked a couple of other white SUVs parked nearby but, darn!---he sat right down by my Jeep and waited to be buckled into his car seat. How does he know? Scent, maybe?
He always thinks the dog park will be more fun than it is.
There were no little doggies in the small run so I had to let him into the big dog run. At first he was fine but the big dogs---just playing!---chased him, and he got scared. His tail uncurled and he was bug eyed.
We'll keep trying. It's so funny to see Mo with ''regular'' dogs, like today's Labs and collies--he looks like another species entirely.


The dog run is pretty nice, set in the dunes, the ocean is just behind the sea grasses here.   Well, sort of---the actual water is about a half mile away, just like at my house.


I always say that ''peak color'' for Fall occurs here between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. The leaves are beginning to turn now.

















Look at this blue sky!


More blue, a confused late blooming hydrangea.



And the morning glories are ---well, in their glory. The leaves may shrivel but the vines bloom profusely until December at least. They love the cooler days.









Mo finds the falling leaves a bit puzzling. Maybe they smell of birds or squirrels.








Our wild kitties are more visible, now that it's quieter.

Stripey, who must be at least 10 years old now.
We also saw Smokey,
who is the grown up child of Stripey and Kitty---
but the other cats were mean
and chased him away!

Baby Spook. She's new.
She lives near the koi pond.


And look who is back!



Mr Mockingbird, again rules from the tip top of the ugly locust tree or the neighbors' pine. I believe they nest in the bayberry trees in the dunes in the summer, but he returns each Fall and winter. He too has been coming around for many years. I put out dried cranberries on my deck and he even visited one afternoon, as I sewed on my It's a Crock. I was thrilled, he was only a few feet away, oblivious to me and Mo.



Back home Mo had to take a nap. Immediately,lol.




And I made an apple/ carrot/ walnuts salad. I used light mayo and a fuji apple vinaigrette from Panera. 


We can add turkey or chicken if anyone wants to make this a meal. I love it for snacks too.


Hope your week is good. Remember to slow down sometimes and enjoy the little things passing by.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach

PS The flea was busy and it was a beautiful day, but not a treasure to be had. Next time? Hope springs eternal...