the gold standard

The trees are finally putting on their fall attire...just like Borga!

It was just a week or so ago that we barely had a touch of color at our house.

But now...wow!  We are nestled in a clearing of Morgan-Monroe State Forest, so we've got color on all sides.  Our street is absolutely gorgeous!

Even our pond cattails are tipped in gold.

We've been too busy and distracted for our normal fall hiking, but we took some time out a few days ago to stretch our legs.  Morgan-Monroe Forest is so close...there's really no excuse not to take advantage of it.  So...much...color!

All this color, and it's still been mild enough for just a sweatshirt.  Perfect weather for enjoying sunny days and gorgeous sunsets!

Ahhhhh...fall. 

signs, signs, everywhere signs

Finally...after 2 months of hot and dry, with the ground so hard and cracked that Claudia stopped sharpening her claws on the wood beams outlining the front garden bed and started using a patch of bare dirt by the front porch...we have rain.

It's perfect weather for the advancing season.  We've had some other signs, too...some spots of color in the trees surrounding the property...

...especially with those burning bush shrubs around here.

They make lovely bouquets.

We've had some really vivid sunrises, too.  Interesting how only 30 minutes can make such a dramatic difference in the color tones. 

I've been hard at work on that big load of compost delivered several weeks ago.  Each bed has received a heavy covering, and then I laid out new beds along the side of the house, with a path (to be filled in with pavers soon) running through the center.

It's not very pretty, but it was a necessary job.  I had about 15 plants just transplanted here yesterday.  It's a big risk, this late in the season.  They must be kept watered and must start some kind of root activity before the big freeze, or they could die.  Thankfully, we've got another week of fairly mild weather coming up.  I think they'll be all right.

The cats are loving these spurts of nice weather!

I finished up a little project recently.  Todd and I had been planning a trip to IKEA for a sideboard, since there's just not enough storage room in our kitchen.  Then he found an amazing old trunk at an auction for $20.  I spent a weekend sanding off the old glue strips on the lid, then gave it a nice natural finish with Danish oil.  Todd mounted some legs from Lowe's and the new sideboard was complete!

It's the same size as the one I was going to buy at IKEA, and it's definitely a better fit here.  Todd is going to put in a shallow shelf, and it should be able to hold all of my baking supplies and odd-sized tins.

I just finished up another project, too...a painted "barn quilt" sign for the house!  I primed a 2' x 2' piece of plywood and traced a shape.  Then I used painter's tape to section off each color designation.

Here is the finished product:

It's not a traditional shape, necessarily...meaning that it isn't a traditional star shape.  After hanging it, I saw that it wasn't quite big enough for the space.  But I still love it.  The green on the sign exactly matches the new green house trim, and that mustard color is one of my very favorites.   It was a lot more work than I had expected, between the priming, the multiple coats of paint and the endless touch-up work, plus the final sealant and hanging...but in the end, I'm very satisfied.

Speaking of quilts, I just picked up an old project.  It's a cheddar quilt, referring to that delightful cheesy shade that I love so much.  The original pattern has a blue border, but mine will be plain.

I've got a huge stack of 12" five star blocks...I just need 5 - 10 more to complete it!

I haven't been able to do much sewing, other than finishing off this baby quilt (made up of a series of blocks that I'd already put together before our move):

I love the pattern, but not crazy about the colors now.  With feathers and birds and flowers, it's a perfect design for a baby quilt. 

Todd still needs to "sink" the sewing machine into my table so that the needle sits just above the surface.  It's so much easier on my shoulders and back.  I'm looking forward to getting back to it soon.

Have a great week!

stay frosty

Frost!  Some days light, some days heavy, but despite afternoon temperatures in the upper 60s, mornings are delightfully cool and frosty.

Some mornings, too, the front field has some special visitors...wild turkeys!

Red wing blackbirds are still migrating through, sending up an absolute cacophony at dawn and twilight.  I took this recording the other evening.  Lovely!

Cats are cuddling on quilts...

...or in laps.

I love these cozy autumn days. 

Have a great week!

the thrill of the chill

Even with prolonged heat and dry weather, and even after being uprooted and moved to a place that's not quite as shady as she'd like...my Japanese anemone has bloomed.  Isn't she beautiful?

Japanese anemones are fantastic fall flowers and a nice bit of subtlety next to showy chrysanthemums.  They love the shade and are nice bright spots there.  I bought two plants in the spring and plan to propagate them by experimenting with root cuttings next year.  They'll be beautiful in bouquets!

Still lording it over the rest of the plants in the garden is the non-stop cleome.

I don't know if they're ever going to quit!  I would've cut them down a long time ago, but they're absolutely covered in bees by day and moths at night.  I guess I'll have to wait for the first frost.  Meanwhile, I love going out in the morning and seeing bees snoozing on the long stamens!

Sometimes when I go out, I see something that I wish I hadn't.  Claudia is still bringing voles on a regular basis, which is fine, but twice this year she's also brought song birds.  There are some pretty strong opinions held by some bird lovers, namely that feral cats are invasive creatures and need to be stamped out to protect our native birds.  I personally believe that Claudia has as much right to exist as any song bird, but I still hate going out onto the porch and seeing the remnants of an unfortunate meal.

Fall is definitely coming now.  We've had some beautiful fiery sunsets...

...and the return of another harbinger of fall, the red-wing blackbird.  I've missed hearing their loud conk-la-ree calls, and I'd forgotten how numerous they can be when they flock.  They're hanging out down by the pond (see them among the leaves?)...

...and they take off en masse frequently, startled by some mysterious noise or creature.

They  migrate, so I'm not quite sure why they're stopping here now or where they've been all summer.  I guess I'll be seeing them again in about 5 months!

Mornings and evenings are definitely cooler, and I've pulled out the flannel pjs and some of my quilts.  Unfortunately, our things are still in storage, so I can't do my usual fall decorating.  I managed to pull together a little feel of fall with a storage basket, some fleabane from the fields, and a few miniature pumpkins.

Cats are spending longer amounts of time in sunbeams...

...and the hornets in our nest seemed stunned by the sudden chill.  I haven't seen any activity for days.

Todd and I set up at a toy show yesterday and had fun goofing off during a slow afternoon.  It's the first time I've worn jeans and a long-sleeved shirt since April. 

So many signs...fall is definitely coming!  It's definitely my favorite season by far.  This year is a little tough, since our things are still in storage and we're just too busy to do any real hiking right now, but I'm going to wear my flannels, enjoy regular spicy pumpkin pancakes, and snuggle in my quilts as the weather continues to cool off.  Hopefully we'll get outside before the really cold weather hits!

Have a great week!