September in Photos- Once More With Feeling

This is the road to October. Shall we?

Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you a joyful journey.

The Joys of Late September

are many and varied

like salsa so fresh the plants are still trembling when you eat it,

or a woodland walk

and apple picking

with someone special.

Or that certain shade

of September-Sky Blue.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you memorable days

in late September.

September in Photos - Twilight

Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you a lovely perspective.

Tuesday Topic : Seasonal Produce

What produce is in season where you live right now? 

What is your favorite way to prepare and eat that item?

If you have time, please join the conversation in my comments or link to a post on this topic on your own blog. 

We are still overwhelmed with tomatoes, but apples are starting to pile up now too.  Made Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats earlier this week. Yum.

In a mason jar:

1 chopped apple, tossed in cinnamon (and a teeny bit of sugar, if you wish)
1 cup oats
1 cup milk (I used almond/coconut)

Add a drizzle of maple syrup (or other sweetener of choice)
And a handful of sunflower seeds

Put in refrigerator overnight. Eat cold in the morning.

I love this easy breakfast and the fresh apple added a great crunch!

Secrets

In the early morning,
I hear the sky
whispering secrets
To the sycamore tree.

The dawn light,
rosy and tender,
spills betwixt and between
the shivering leaves.

Sitting in the quiet house,
I feel the breeze
slip through the window screens
and those secrets
tickle my skin.

It would be good, I think,
to understand
what the sky whispered
to the sycamore.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you quiet moments.

If September had a box of paints

it would be a rich palette,

of ripe red

and jeweled-crimson

Of rain-polished gold

and celestial blue.

September's paintbox overflows

and the whole world glows.

I have been elbow deep in canning tomatoes and the second crop of beets. I have also been working extra hours at my day job, leaving little time for blogging or leisure. So  I am busy... but it is a good kind of busy.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather I wish you color and deep awareness.

The Day the Turkeys Came to Tea

 The day the turkeys came to tea,

They dressed all  in feathers modestly.

They brought all their children,

 both Jennys and Jakes, 

And declined my offer
of mint tea and cupcakes.

They elected instead a garden stroll, Then nibbled and walked
til their bellies were full.

When the leaves turn gold
 and apples fall from the tree, 

We know that the turkeys
 will soon come for tea.

We are canning Rosemary Garlic Tomato Juice on the farm this morning. I lit the fire in the wood cook stove and poured a cup of mint tea to sip while  I waited for the next step. Looking through the window, I noticed that the turkeys were here again... just in time for tea.

So, there is a bit of silliness for you to read and now I must head back to my canning. It is beginning to smell like rosemary all through the house!

Where ever you are, whatever the weather I wish you some fun and laughter.

September in Photos - Autumn Joy

The nectar gatherers are preparing for colder days ahead, as we are. This bumblebee is dining on Sedum, Autumn Joy.


Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you joy in this season.

Earth Tones

Some days, I need a buffer between my working hours and my home responsibilities. Being a semi-wild woodland creature at heart, a walk under the forest canopy provides a gentle transition.

Just in case you need the healing balm of earth's beauty in your day, I will share my afternoon trek.

It is a walking meditation of sorts to look for these colorful fungi, some with stems like threads and tiny  umbrella caps. Some are camouflaged and tucked in hidden nooks, while others are boldly obvious.

In daily life, I am sometimes too stressed or overwhelmed with the busyness of life to be observant. How reassuring to come home to nature and relearn the art of noticing.

As Immanuel Kant reminds us, "Look closely, The small may be beautiful."

Along with an abundance of toadstools, a blessing left behind by recent heavy rains, there are ten thousand other things to marvel over... probably more.  There are oddly beautiful burls of wood and emerging autumn blossoms.

One last look over my shoulder at the haven in which I feel most like myself...where I can most easily forgive my own human imperfections... where I can just be, simply breathe, and see with joyful clarity.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you a haven and moments of joyful clarity.

September in Photos - Morning Light

Good Morning, September

This month begin with an early morning forage, while the sunlight slanted in gently from the eastern edge of the sky.

Two wild apples for breakfast
And another in the pocket for later.

September brings change. Beach days are replaced by the school year routine. Tank tops are traded in for sweaters.  The sun sets earlier. Rises later. On the farm, everything seems to ripen at once and a slight edge of urgency seeps into the preservation and storing of food for winter days.

Perhaps in September I shall weave a nest of summer sunshine and autumn comfort to settle into in the cold months ahead.

Where ever you are, whatever the weather I wish you comfort and a fine and fulfilling September.