Autumn's Here!!!

It was a glorious start to Autumn yesterday.  It was fresh, crisp and clean after the inch and a half of rain we got here Saturday and early Sunday morning.  The temperatures dropped and it was a cozy weekend.  I swapped out my spring/summer colors for the autumn/winter colors of my Fiesta ware, flannels on the bed and plugged the television back in so we could watch the Voice.  The cranes have been been making their unique racket up above cruising on the thermals on their migrations south.









I've been working on applying what I learned while on my retreat and breaking down my internal walls that have kept me from trying.  It's never too late!  I am going to be working seriously on my writing.  I've gotten over the hurdle of letting Larry help me with it, it is helpful to have someone look over my projects, critiquing and helping me with his lovely red pen immediately.  Then I can get right back to it.







As the weather starts cooling down we'll have to get to work getting the garden ready for winter.  I have lots of pruning to do on the roses, they all grew huge this summer, the hedge is over my head.  I have a lot I want to dig out and get rid of and I have all the daylillies and glads to dig up.

I came home from pilates on Friday and Larry had Gracie in the utility sink and ooh-wheee, the stink.  She was black from the chest down.  On their hike they went to the pond, across the highway, for the first time in a few months and Gracie decided to chase the frogs, straight into the mud.  The water had gone way down and it was pure mud a few feet from the shore.  She had lots of fun.  Larry said on the way home she kept kicking out a foot and he would check them, but there was nothing stuck in them.  He figured the mud was drying and pulling on her fur.  There wasn't water around to rinse her off, so she had a nice mud pack to wear on the way home.

Connor, Ian, Me and Chloe

A week ago Sunday we drove over to Ukiah to see the kids.  We left early, had a great day hanging with the kids, visiting and then headed back home, a fun day.

I just thought of something I forgot to share but I'll save that for another time.  I have to get the pictures from our wet weekend posted and I still have to make time to get my pictures edited of the lotus pond that was at my retreat so I can eventually share them here.

I harvested these lovelies before the storm.

After the storm, sparkling fresh!

We're BAaAck!

A favorite pic from my retreat.

Larry and I both got home on Thursday.  I was home a couple of hours before Larry.  Gracie was happy to see us both.  I washed the car, it was covered in tree sap sprinkles from where I was parked and I wasn't under the trees.

I had a good retreat.  Didn't do but one class of yoga and that was of restorative yoga, which is very easy.  I took a ton of pictures of lotus flowers, leaves and waterlilies and frogs.  It was very relaxing, but with the usual cast of characters, turkeys, deer, lizards, so I felt right at home.  I made a few new friends and just enjoyed the peaceful surroundings.  I have that at home, but at home I always see and get distracted by the stuff that needs doing, hence getting away.

A very big bumble!

Larry, Gracie and I took a hike this morning.  Just an easy one, I was pooped from my hardest, best ever Pilates workout yesterday and Larry was tired from cleaning up his trailer and camper.  The weather is supposed to be in the low to mid 80's the next few days, which I am really looking forward to...woo hoo!

This is what happens when you leave your zucchini plants
for a week.  Nineteen pounds worth and that longest
one in the middle is an inch or so taller than a 5 gallon bucket.
That fat one on the right was dinner tonight, stuffed and baked.  Yummy!

Happy 36th Anniversary to us!

My roses and mug, and all the cookies I baked for
my love.

Tuesday, Larry made it home before dark.  Gracie let out a scream and flew off of my lap when she saw Larry come around the back of the camper, she about wriggled out of her skin and she talked away to him.  It was our 36th anniversary so a nice present to have him home for a few days.  He brought me a bouquet of red roses and a huge handmade mug from the Strawhouse coffee place on highway 299.  I love it there and he knows me well, because I will probably put a plant in it or use it for flowers because it holds more coffee than I normally drink in a morning.  Your husband has been gone too long when you clean and bake cookies like company is coming for a visit.

Wednesday morning Larry prepared to leave for his hike, we both expected Gracie to be hopping to go, BUT she stayed glued to her perch and was NOT going with him.  Contrary female, she was showing HIM what she thought of his defection from home...so funny.  Late that afternoon we went to Auburn for anniversary dinner at a little Italian restaurant, very good food.

The weather has been great, Larry got caught up on stuff he wanted and needed to do, we got his hair cut and he cut Gracie's nails so everyone is in tiptop shape.

Traffic on the hill, deer and turkey.

Tomorrow he leaves to go back to Willow Creek, I take Gracie to a friends, have neighbors watching things and I am going to be gone until late next week.  I am going on my first ever solo personal retreat.  The food is wonderful, I can do yoga and meditation, get a massage and walk trails all over the place, mostly I will be contemplating my inner self...NOT my innards, I know a couple of you smart asses were thinking it.  No cell service but maybe wifi, as much as I love you guys I'm taking a break while I'm there...the whole point of going is no distractions.

Have a great week!  September is moving along.

The asian pears are ripening and the wildlife
is letting us have a bunch this year.

The tree is loaded and they are juicy and yummy.

One of my favorite oaks on our hike.

Rainy day

Oddly my azalea is blooming again.

Had quite the unexpected weather today.  Woke up to it pouring rain at 6:45.  It quit by 7.  But surprisingly we had three more cloud bursts and then it rained solidly for two and a half hours at least, with sporadic rainfall until sunset.  Had a bit of thunder too.  Needless to say Gracie and I stayed inside for much of the day.  It stayed under 65 degrees most all day too, once the rain mostly quit around fourish it got up to 74 but the sun never came out beyond a slight ray peaking through now and then.

Yesterday morning from the garden bench.

Yesterday was a pleasant weather day, a bit warmer than expected.  I've been playing catch up with my knit mystery square project.  I still hadn't completed July's square as of Friday and I've August's square to do and yesterday I expected and received September's pattern.  So I knit away and I finished July's on Saturday, began August's and am about half way through it, I should get all caught up by the end of this month.  The knitting police might fine me...hahaha.

Gracie is bored with me and needs a hike on the trails, but I'm not comfortable walking over there with lions, bears, and maybe a random crazed serial killer with just Gracie and pepper spray for protection.  We've taken a few walks down to the highway and back but nothing like she does with Larry.  He will be home tomorrow evening for a few days and then back up there until they finish the thing.

The asian pears are ripening and the wildlife is actually letting us get some for the first time since we've been here.  Boy are they yummy, crisp and juicy.  Larry was worried he would miss them.  They are delicate, if they drop to the ground they split open and bruise beyond redemption and become deer and fox food up on the hill.

Woo hoo, 36 year anniversary for Larry and I tomorrow!

Today's rain

Gracie bored and forlorn, missing her friend.

These are the sunset we caught as Gracie and I took a
little stroll after being mostly inside all day.

My wishbone plant, isn't it cool.

Sitting right outside the garden fence.

Gracie barked herself hoarse at the bad, bad, pear thief!

A sinister closeup of the mangy beast.