Walking out on the front porch in my bare feet a short time ago, the concrete was cool from the lowering overnight temperatures. Fog cannot hide the signs of the season, such as Sandy's 75 foot tall red maple changing to it's namesake color. The painters have finally returned to the house across the street after a few weeks away. I'm dying to see the colors that have been chosen. Soon I will know.
It's meant to be a sunny day, matching the previous days of this week. What a shame that rain hampered the attendance to the weekend festival.
While it was not raining when we arrived, an hour or so later it began. Actually, probably about the time we saw the bagpipers walk by, a group that can be heard long before being seen!
Most things become trendy again and I think the same holds true for macrame as we saw more than one booth with some creative use of the craft.
For Bruce no festival is complete without lemonade. I am ambivalent about the drink.
So many folks in our region rely heavily on the income they make at the festival so having two days of rain, albeit mostly gentle, is so challenging. Normally at the time Bruce was getting his lemonade, there would be a line twenty deep.
This path above clogs with people heading to the food trucks and the festival barn where Appalachian music and dancing is celebrated, keeping the old traditions alive.
Our friend Marji said her sales were down by a huge percentage. I do remember those days and do not miss them for a minute!!
That same night we went to the Big Brothers fundraising gala where the theme was Dirty Dancing. We did our best to look a little festive using what we already own. I rolled Bruce's jeans up, along with his plaid short sleeved shirt sleeves and he slicked his hair a bit. I wore a swirly skirt, sweater with pearl-type buttons and white Keds. Our friend Ann was kind enough to buy the $100 ticket and I'm glad she did because we had fun.
Well how about that....Mr. Peck is behind her perusing the silent auction offerings. John donated a five piece set of Adirondack furniture for the audible auction. He and Laura just returned from a biking trip in France. They do love their exercise! The wineries along the way don't hurt.
At the event these folks were getting a little exercise of a different persuasion.
Following church on Sunday, Bruce and I went to Valley River Brewing for lunch. I'm not a beer drinker but I do love their food. We mostly always like to sit at the bar and chit-chat a little with whomever is working. A family run pizza and more restaurant, on this day the daughter was behind the bar and we got to talking about watching sports. She claimed she was not much of a fan.
We had been talking about football, however, when asked if she liked watching any sport, she answered that women's lacrosse was her favorite. I did not see that coming!!
Taking a walk through town on Monday afternoon, most all of the dogwood trees are beginning to show their fall finery.
Here's another view of town from the other side of the street.
On another day I walked through town on my way to the riverwalk, rather than go down the street closest to our home. Along the way I saw some things that you might find interesting.
I remember going in the visitor center when we first arrived. I could never have predicted that we would make Murphy our home. NEVER! On this day I met about three couples visiting Murphy for the first time that I was able to help by either answering questions, or giving directions. How about that?
Would you just look at the pollen on this sunflower plant I came across! I had no idea they dropped so much pollen until I displayed them in our home.
Walking through the streets adjacent to the train tracks, I had fun watching these mockingbirds strutting about which is maybe not a good way to put it but I can think of no other!
Morning glories graced a fence post,
I noticed a Downy woodpecker having his way with carport rafters.
It was so crazy that when I backed up a bit, look who was watching me from the roof.
Do you see the giant spiderweb in the bright sunshine.
A closer look.
The golden color of the large one was unique to me.
Back on Campbell Street, the geraniums continue with an abundance of blooms. The hydrangea plants are finally blooming!
I was beginning to think that it was just a bad year for these beautiful flowers as my neighbor's normally prolific bloomers have been mostly bare. They are so pretty as cut flowers and last a good long while indoors. I don't think the picture below does justice to this bloom's size which is actually about eight inches wide!
In the garden the dahlias are still showing off.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined me being someone who has dahlias that bloom like mad. I remember once paying a pretty penny for a few dahlia plants in Orlando and they wilted in the heat. Talk about a joy!
Every day I am picking green beans, the okra is still producing, as are the shishito peppers. Here's something funny....take a look at a six month old carrot.
Isn't that a hoot? The tops are so lush one would think a lot was going on underground but one would be wrong! Alas....there still are some in the ground that I will just leave until a freeze comes along.
A few tomatoes are hanging on, while the herbs are going gang busters. It's sure been fun to have a garden. I was telling Bruce, as I put some okra in the fridge, that I really cannot believe that I grew this food. Not bad for a city girl!
On an afternoon when we were sitting on the porch talking on the phone with David, Bruce saw one hummingbird, but none since. Seemingly they are on their way. Don't get me going on the miracle of migration. The zinnia plants are so darn tall now that they are blocking my view of the bird feeders from inside.
Raising the feeders has been the ticket...no more trouble with Lucifer who I will have to rename as he has changed his ways with a little help from Bruce.
Leaves are falling in our back yard but it is so crowded with trees, here's the only view to show the changing color.
Since I took the photo, more leaves have fallen and we can now see a bit of the sky.
While I was picking up two buckets of the chestnuts, aka spike balls, I was thinking about how amazing seasons are and how well organized and planned everything is. I had never once thought about how when the leaves fall, more sunlight can reach us allowing for a bit of winter warmth. Of course if one lives where it is gray and gloomy all winter, this does not apply, and I am sure that there are benefits to those places, but being a Florida girl, I do like a bit of sunshine whatever the season.
Then again, I like life in all it's many forms. And the mountains...oh my what a treat.
Talk about purple mountain's majesty!!
your friend,
Gail
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