Early September

 It is hard to believe that this is our third Autumn in the mountains! Because of this we are becoming accustomed to some of the rhythms of the area as well as some of the seasonal beauty. While there are a few leaves changing here and there, one of the most beautiful happenings right now are the "fields" of zinnias blooming beside Hwy 64, the main road to Franklin, a place many are familiar with. On our way back from a recognizance mission to locate a home that we were invited to later in the week, we drove by and of course we had to stop. Well, maybe it was just me that had to stop, but ever the accommodating husband, Bruce pulled over.

As we move through this post there will be more "pull over" moments to come.

Speaking of zinnias, one thing that many people don't realize when they come across this blog, is that it began as mostly a space where I could share photographs. Stories were featured, but they were not the star of the show back then. Speaking with a friend the other day, she mentioned that she barely looked at the photos and focused on the stories. I wonder who else does the same? Yet here I am, still experimenting with light and photography.

We are all decorated for Autumn!! The placemat above was a very handy thrift store find. Isn't everything around here? Not everything, but a bunch!

A few weeks early, I just could not wait! 

Remember last episode's bat story? Here's a better look at the area to give you some context. Bruce was facing me and the bat was to his left in the white siding.

Should you be wondering about the hanging pickleball, it is to keep us from running into the screen!  To the left of that is the garden bench cubby which has turned out to be amazing. Bruce fertilized last year, adding grass seed and it is looking so good it is hard to imagine. He's also painted the back steps and while they were fine before, they are better now. One little detail about this time of the year that we could do without are the dropping chestnuts and their spiny containers. Oh my goodness they are SO SHARP!

Not only are they sharp, they are PLENTIFUL as well! On the day pictured, I picked up two buckets full. Over the weekend Bruce picked up two buckets full, and just yesterday another two buckets. The bad news is there are so MANY more still in the tree. The same holds true for the magnolia tree which has hundreds and hundreds of seed pods just waiting to drop. Aren't most things like that? Both good and bad? While we love the shade the trees provide, the price to pay for that can be somewhat unpleasant. 

Speaking of trees, let's keep track of our Japanese Maple tree as it changes color. Doesn't that sound fun?

The photo below is for documentation purposes so that together we can follow the color changes Eventually I will begin to learn when things changeand will be keeping track in this very space.

While it is still warm in the day, the nights are definitely cooling down. This morning it was 54 degrees on the back porch and it remains cool in the house, It has been weeks since we have had to use very much air conditioning, something that pleases me.

Last of the tomatoes are ripening now.

I picked probably the last cucumber yesterday afternoon. An impatient planted in a tea tin is thriving, even in the afternoon sun which for a Floridian is shocking.

Something else that is shocking, or maybe I should describe it as a pleasant surprise? A pizza crust that I made worked so beautifully and that is most definitely not the norm for me. On that evening, the crust was so pliable and spread like magic, unlike many times when I have had to tug and pull to get it to fit the pan. Happy days!

Something just around the corner from the spot above is a palm in the dining room. I had such high hopes and for a time this large plant was thriving and then, much to my dismay, it began heading in the other direction. I don't know why I did it but I ran my hand over one of the fronds and discovered a brown, sticky substance coating the back of the fronds. Do you see what I found?

Spider mites were sucking the life out of the plant and I cut off the declining fronds, as well as washed the remaining ones, in hopes of saving the plant. Isn't it easy to assume one is over-watering or the reverse when a plant begins looking sad? From now on, searching for bugs is going to be my first thought when a plant begins declining. 

Before we head over to Chattanooga (!), I am including a photo taken in town that shows the work being done there now. Additionally, the tall (!!!) brick building is the one made famous for the chimney swift hotel. Haha!

There is great hope amongst the folks around here that the construction of the new parks, lighting and paving will be done by Christmas, maybe in time for the town Christmas tree? I will keep you posted.

So what is this about Chattanooga you ask? When we got up on Friday morning I never imagined that within a few hours I would be getting a message from D'Anna about a retreat that she and her sister were meant to attend. I knew that she had driven down to the Atlanta area to pick her up on Wednesday, but I had no idea that Carol began feeling unwell and canceled on the retreat, leaving D'Anna to go alone. "Can you please go with me for the weekend to a ladies retreat with my church friends from Kennesaw?" Never having done anything like that before we thought, why not? 

Furthermore, the Drury Hotel was the location and we now know how much the Pecks love a good Drury Hotel. No, seriously, that was a plus, but there was absolutely no reason not to go. Well I could think of one and that was my darn ankle, swollen and miserable from what we are now thinking was chigger bites. I have had a heck of a time this summer with bites which for many people are a nuisance, but that is not how my body responds. She brought some lotion that David swears by; coating my ankle, I put on some thick socks to help me not scratch my leg and off we went. 

I discovered that she is as accommodating as Bruce in the pull over department. Our first stop as we drove through the Ocoee gorge was the park where, well you can read the sign!

Some folks were enjoying what water there was.

Next time you go white water rafting, this is what you are rafting over once they release the water from the dam!

That night for some reason I could not get enough of this Krystal out our window.

After two days it came to me that what is so striking is the complete lack of landscaping. Just a red and white Krystal in a very large parking lot.

We had meals together, and a great speaker named Abbie who told us much about her life that has been filled with may unexpected turns.

Seeing the keyboard you know that we sang a bunch, as well as made some prayer beads. Well actually the pretty lady that sat to my left helped me a bunch.

She was a lovely Ukrainian woman who has lived in the states for 10 years after marrying an American. Thankfully, they are able to house her parents after the destruction of all that they knew and loved in Ukraine during the war.  

After lunch on Saturday four of us went downtown to explore while many others went to the Tennessee aquarium, striking buildings as pictured from the bridge over the Tennessee River.

Bridges seem to be a theme because here's another one that aside from looking good seemed to have no purpose.

A huge rainstorm an hour earlier had cleared up enough for our excursion. We discovered some changing leaves,

a chalk alley,

and a beautiful free carousel to ride.

Oh and a really cool fountain that featured some elephants, a theme Abbie had used in her Friday night talk.

Walking back to the car I had to stop and photograph this pretty wall art.

The building across the street has rock climbing on the upper part! 

After dinner at the hotel we had another session with singing, another Abbie talk, door prizes and a movement exercise led by D'Anna. I heard over and over how much they miss her and I can't say as I blame them! 

Following breakfast and communion, we all made our way home, but first we stopped at a few stores that, while I have gotten used to not having, I still miss, including Trader Joes and HomeGoods. Once we were settled with shopping we headed back through the river gorge on our return to North Carolina, only about sixty miles away, if that. Murphy is a little further, but the drive was very scenic and pleasant. Here is one scene,

and here is another.

Just think in a month's time all that green will be clothed in reds, oranges and yellows! Apparently since we went through on Friday, they released the water onto the riverbed in order for folks to go rafting.

The scene below is so unique and the few times I have been this way I have tried to capture what it feels like to see these random trees rising from the water. 

I am still not sure I have captured it to my liking but I am getting closer.

Arriving home around 3PM, Bruce was happy to see me and show me how he had held the fort down in my absence! Laundry done, house clean and tidy. What more could one ask? We bubbled over with stories before D'Anna headed home to take care of her chickens and dog. David had left earlier Sunday on a motorcycle trip to Maine! 

Lastly our hummingbirds!! They are so busy before they migrate to Mexico and Central America, an unfathomable distance for such a tiny bird! 

Like the trees above, I may take a lot of the same subject before I am happy with the results. Finally I got this one showing off the tiny ruby throat. Maybe when they return in the Spring I will have success with one with a big red throat!

Now that they days are getting cooler I am walking more. Pickleball is a given but walking in the afternoon sun is really not my idea of fun. It has allowed me to see more birds than just those in my yard like this pretty Mockingbird, the same species that five states claim as their state bird and as far as I know is the favorite of few folks. Not like a bluebird or a cardinal that so many love for their vibrant colors.

That makes me think of how so many people use a gray palette while decorating their homes.  I seriously don't get that but I suppose that is what makes life so interesting. We are all different and yet the same. That is really saying something, isn't it?

your friend,

Gail