No Killing Frost Yet, But.....

Our lovely Autumn weather continues. We've had our first frost, but not a killing frost yet, so technically this warm spell is not Indian Summer. Maybe next week....

 Indian Summer

Along the line of smoky hills
The crimson forest stands,
And all the day the blue-jay calls
Throughout the autumn lands.

Now by the brook the maple leans
With all his glory spread,
And all the sumachs on the hills
Have turned their green to red.

Now by great marshes wrapt in mist,
Or past some river's mouth,
Throughout the long, still autumn day
Wild birds are flying south.

By: William Wilfred Campbell (Canadian Poet 1860-1918)

Ties to Home

My old blue chambray shirt

Worn through at the elbows

Haphazardly stitched together just so

I could wear it a little longer

Soft, comfortable, holding memories

Worn over a white t-shirt and jeans

Not just looking like a farm girl

But feeling like one - like myself

The farm, once and then again, my home

I would go back if I could

So many memories, good and bad

They do take me back - in my mind

 

October!

October

Crispy air and azure skies,
High above, a white cloud flies,
Bright as newly fallen snow.
Oh the joy to those who know October!

Colors bright on bush and tree.
Over the weedy swamp, we see
A veil of purple and brown and gold.
Thy beauty words have never told. October!

Scolding sparrows on the lawn,
Rabbits frisking home at dawn,
Pheasants midst the sheaves of grain,
All in harmony acclaim, October!

Brown earth freshly turned by plow,
Apples shine on bended bough,
Bins o'erflowed with oats and wheat,
And satisfaction reigns complete. October!

Radiant joy is everywhere.
Spirits in tune to the spicy air,
Thrill in the glory of each day.
Life's worth living when we say, October!

(By Joseph Pullman Porter)

September '26 Books Read

 I managed to read ten books in thirty days this month. 

The Wedding Game, Runaway Groomsman and The Reunion are all by Meghan Quinn, a new author for me. I thought the first book was a bit lame but the other two weren't too bad.

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger was sent to me by my son Douglas. This is an author we both like. This will go back to Doug to read.

September is one of my books read long ago and pulled out to read again. British novelist Rosamund Pilcher was one of my favorite authors. 

Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden was touted as "a book every woman should read even if she is happily married". 

Beach Music by Pat Conroy is another of his books I decided to read after reading his South of Broad last month. This one wasn't nearly as good, in my opinion.

Sleep No More is a collection of "six murderous tales" by English novelist P. D. James.

Border Music By Robert James Waller is another dip back into my own collection of books.

Our Noble Selves is Kate Atkinson's latest novel. She is one of my adopted authors and has been a favorite of mine. I was a bit disappointed in this one which is based on the 1951 Festival of Britain. Her Jackson Brodie books are the best, in my opinion.

With all the rain we've had this month, books were good companions.

Moody Monday

Weather wise it is a rather moody Monday morning - cloudy and overcast though the sun is supposed to come out. 

But mood wise, personally, I'm in a good mood which is one reason I took a little drive up to Lake McKinley. It is so good to see the lake full of water - but not surprising with all the rain we've had.

Water gushing and foaming over and under the spillway - headed downriver as part of the Platte.

Near the spillway, some fall color on the sumacs. Fall is my favorite time of the year even if it does usher in my least favorite season.   

About the same distance away in the other direction is this small backyard pond. Isn't it delightful? When we moved to Mom's farm and I planted my weeping willow tree with plans to construct a small pond beneath it, this was the kind of water feature I had in mind, though maybe not quite this big. Sadly, I never accomplished making it. 😞

One thing I noticed both at the lake and in this tableau (in the top right corner) were the walnuts on the trees and the ground. I wonder if this is a mast year for walnuts?

10:45 a.m. and the sun popped out. The weather forecasters got it right. 😁

The Memories We Carry

A week ago today I posted about my great-grandparents and some memories I had of them as well as comments about my own great-grandchildren.

A couple days ago I found this clip and realized how well it fits into that post and how I feel about the continuum of family connections. 💞

Don't Give Up. Don't Ever Give Up*

 

Don't Quit By Edgar A. Guest

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow - you may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor's cup;
and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out - the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - it's when things seem worst, you must not quit.

*Jimmy V.