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Tuesday, October 10, 2023

beauty in the ordinary...

It's been said that some folks are like squirrels when it comes to the month of October...digging in reverse. I agree...that sums me up perfectly as I dust off, shake out, and rearrange all the things I tucked away at winter's end. 

Bittersweet colored candles with names such as Sweet Cinnamon and Snickerdoodle are lined up across the fireplace mantel, while plump pumpkins, handlettered with cheery greetings, are set on cupboard shelves and alongside mums in an old flower cart by the front lamppost. Quilts that have been folded and stored during the heat of summer are freshly laundered and blowing in today's brisk & chilly breeze.

This time of year stirs in me the urge to once again pick up the pace on my to-do list...the temperature is perfect outside now - in the 60's during the day - so any end-of-summer clean-up and preparations for winter are done with ease. And while part of that ease is the definite lack of heat & humidity, part of the inclination to move a little quicker is to prepare for winter...be it harsh and long, or not so much...there's peace of mind in being prepared.

But also, there's peace of mind in remembering to pause, look around, and just "be." 

And so. on this beautiful October day, I've somehow stifled the urge to start a new project and looked for beauty in the ordinary...






















Lastly... a dense, humming mass against the robin's egg blue sky as a flock of Starlings looks to roost for the night.

Known as murmuration, it happens each October as several thousand birds gather - an amazing sight that stops me no matter where I am, to watch...




and listen...




"We need time to dream, 
   time to remember,
   and time to reach the infinite.

Time to be."

~Gladys Taber

6 comments:

  1. Dear Mary, such lovely Autumnal photos. Your pumpkin collection is looking wonderful. You are amazing with all that you do in Autumn. It's Spring here, so no pumpkin decorations for Halloween for me unfortunately. I still find it strange to have Halloween in Spring here after living in New Zealand for over forty years! Your apple tree looks great with so many fruit to pick. I can imagine lots of apple pies and apple sauce being made. Thanks for putting up the video of the starlings singing and the photo of the starling murmuration. I tried to put a video of my cat playing on my blog, but I got the message that the file size was too big and haven't found instructions on how to fix that yet. One more skill for me to learn lol. Have a lovely day. Hugs, Rose x

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  2. Wow! Those birds are a sight! Lovely autumnal shots. Isn’t it wonderful when we remember that the ordinary is actually quite extraordinary! Blessings…daisy

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  3. Such sweet photos and sweet sweet words. There is indeed so much to admire in our everyday. Thank you for the reminder to slow down, look, & listen. Hoping your harvest and food preservation days are winding down and that you are able to take some time to enjoy all things autumnal.

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  4. Such beautiful photos of the season. There is such beauty in ordinary days, if we take time to notice.

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  5. My dear friend, How I wish I could spend a few days with you in your beautiful home! I absolutley loved each and every photo. You captured the beauty of autumn perfectly in each one! Ordinary days are my favorite. Have a cozy evening!

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  6. Love your pictures! They really tell a story of autumn and your country lifestyle!

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