Pumpkin Moon

Hello, hello! Did you guys see the eclipse?

moon w/ helicopter below left

Eclipse, what eclipse? Here at the beach we had cloudy skies and a huge wind storm! No eclipse, though the next night was clear as a bell and the moon so golden and bright.

deserted beach cabanas, moon, helicopter

The wind blew down all my deck stuff---umbrellas, table, potted palms and mums. My neighbor has full sized palm trees in giant urns and they blew over too. (Of course we all slept right through all this action.) I went to the farmers market and all the vendors' tents were down, those who were brave enough remain anyway. So I had some extra time (I am training Mo not to have separation issues) and I went for a brief hike to the bird sanctuary. Trees were down there and the trails were not easily maneuvered.

Heck. I went home, solo cabbage in my market sack.

Today my friend L and I had planned our yearly Columbus Day visit to the pretty garden center across the bay. L had doggy probs and cancelled so I decided to go it alone.

I'm such a sucker, I just go all ga-ga over scarecrows and pumpkin stacks. (Don't you? Admit it, you do!)

 

This place is definitely a garden and landscaping center. No cutesy tres chic Halloween stuff here. Just masses of beautiful flowers and pumpkins.

The pumpkin varieties gets more exotic each year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love these dull green guys, and the knobby grey Hubbards

 

Gotta love Big Max. I wonder what he weighs?

 

Aren't these ornamental cabbages fantastic, almost surreal. They should be the design inspiration  for a Kaffee Fassett fabric. (He actually did kale and cabbage I found out! here )

I was looking for ideas for another friend who recently renovated his beach cottage's deck and tiny garden: autumn perennials.

 

 

 

 

Unusual bright pops of color, there are pepper plants.

 

 

Fall landscaping. This waterfall is so perfect and natural.

 

 

Pansies for my deck? Amish quilt colors.

Beautiful dense button mums....

 

 

 

And gentians! I've never seen Swiss-alpine gentians before.

 

 

I was ''just looking".  The owners graciously allow me to wander and take endless photos. They know I'll be back---maybe with my kids?---real soon.

 

 

 

 

PS If you actually saw the eclipse please tell me/ us! Otherwise, I think we get another chance, in, maybe, April 2015?

 

 

love

 

lizzy

 

gone to  the beach

 

 

 

October Blue

Hi guys! And if you're visiting from Lori's blog Humble Quilts, Welcome to the Beach.

I love Fall, I do. I just don't love it in August when "everyone" gets all excited about autumn and back-to-school. The ocean keeps things pretty warm here through November, but this year we seem to be gearing up for a crisp, clear, authentic New England Fall. Huh. Who knew?



market stands say "autumn"

I'll start my Fall decorating this week, to be all autumnal by Columbus Day. (Maybe. Is two months of orange/ brown/ black just too, too much?  Lately I'm so inspired by Autumns blues. Just look at that sky, top photo!).
So far my only gesture has been to switch my weekly flowers to autumn inspired jugs.

This is a very pretty spongeware primitive jug. The yellow glaze always makes me think of corn and squash and harvest time. Without being, well, orange.

And these hydrangeas! Is this not the best, most beautiful blue shade?

I'd love my little cottage to have shutters this color. With a bittersweet red door! Maybe someday, somewhere.

 

Taken with a different camera---another wonderful blue appears.

 

Then I dug out this big half-gallon cobalt blue milk jug.

It is also spongeware or spatterware in a dark blue Bennington-type glaze.

It's old but unmarked, just a nice prim farm pitcher.

These are a change from my favorite blue and white Staffordshire pitcher I usually use. It has been retired until baby Mo the pug is not so destructive, as it is rather valuable and I've had it for many, many years.

I harvested my deck sunflowers. I'm drying them to fill a wooden bowl, then I'll hang them out for the birds, if any, this winter. When dried, they fade to a lovely textural taupe and white.

Our growing season here is delayed by the ocean's proximity. Morning glories don't bloom til October.

cobalt, or almost-purple blue

sky blue

Oh but then! Short-lived but ''glory'' suits this wild weedy climber. Another beautiful sky blue shade, these are "Flying Saucer", I think.

Mo and I do love our walks, and seeing the fence flowers bloom. Pugs do not flourish in hot weather, so I had to be careful with baby Mo all summer.
The wild berries and sunflower seed heads will attract migrating birds soon.

 

 

Cooler days are making our walks much longer now. We're up to a mile or more at lunchtime. Yay! This is a mossy boulder we see in a neighbor's yard. Doesn't it look like fairies and elves should peep out from the tiny ferns?

See you soon! Remember to leave a note on the Comments thing if you're just dropping by? And I hope you'll come back again.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.............

 

my front yard, of sorts
palest grey blue sky

 

ships on the horizon at sunset

"Lying off the roads"

awaiting morning's tide to unload

October Beach

reflections

''October had tremendous possibility.
The summer's oppressive heat was a distant memory,
and the golden leaves promised a world full of beautiful adventures.''   ― Sarah Guillory

 

 

October---My beach becomes, once again, stunningly beautiful in October. The bird fences are down, the people are gone. The lush dunes and white sand soar into infinity.

 

 

Hi, guys! Come for a walk with me! The sun is warm but the air is dry with a hint of crispness. You can wear your shorts, bring a hat---no sweater needed, not yet anyway. It's such a beautiful day. We'll hike on past the dunes, down to water's edge.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A hidden, secret pathway up into the dunes. To be explored another day....

 

 

Tonight there's a chill in the air. Not a damp cold summer sea wind, but a dry stillness. A half-moon is hiding behind cold wispy clouds in a dark velvet sky.  

Mo is practicing his hiberation tactics.

Welcome, October!

 

 

 

 

love

 

lizzy

 

gone to the beach.... 

hello little Gully!
Next time I'll bring food!