thoughts of harvest...

Colorful pumpkins and squash line the steps signaling that harvest-time is here. Jars of jams, jellies, and pickles made in summer now line the pantry shelves, geraniums are overwintering in the cellar, and fields, once filled with corn, are now bare. There is a sense of quiet and rest.

It's a time to catch our breaths, this time between Thanksgiving and Christmas - it's a short time, and should be enjoyed. Below are just a few photos of what it's like in my corner of the world...toss another log on the fire, settle in with a cup of tea, and listen to some sweet violin music  "e're the winter storms begin."

Even in October, the geraniums were lovely...

and quilts were drying on the clothesline.

Evenings have had the prettiest skies, 

and afternoons were spent discovering old barns; all with stories to tell, I'm sure...a different time, fueled by oats and hay, not gasoline, but still lovely to me.

I love the small-town faith of roadside stands with honesty boxes:

An old lilac tree - which usually blooms in May, gifted us with a few new blooms,
unheard of in October!

Even Bailey is ready for a long winter's nap!

Sending you heartfelt good wishes this Thanksgiving, wherever you may be. 

 

a catch-up...

Last week there was a hint that Old Man Winter would shortly be paying a visit. Nighttime temperatures were in the 20's, while the mornings brought the prettiest blue skies with a moon still visible in the early morning. Opening the mudroom door, it seems it's always a toss-up on who's louder...Tinkerbell, the cat on the porch waiting for breakfast, or the crows in the fields. (I just discovered a grouping of crows is called a Murder...yikes, how Halloween-esque!) 

And as my to-do list is whittled down, I think maybe, just maybe, that I'm ready. Okay, well, there are probably a few more things...I can always find something else I feel needs doing!

The garden's been put to bed, and for me, that's a sure sign I can step back, breathe, and see what I've ignored during this time (dust bunnies, I'm coming for you.)

And so today's post is a catch-up on what's been happening while harvest has been in full swing...

pumpkins buckled up for a safe ride home
from a little roadside farm stand

along with the last of the summer blooms

what's been for sale at the

"not shop" shop

a visit to the season's last county fair...

look at the weight of that prize-winning pumpkin:

530 pounds!

blue-ribbon roosters,

and goat mama & kid

my favorite Halloween gal...

this witch just makes me smile!

decorations are simple...

nothing to be afraid of here!

my daughter and I hiked a trail I'd been looking forward to:
the Butternut Trail
no special reason, other than I loved the name!

We packed a lunch and soon were rewarded with
lovely views along the way.

                                 

the last of the garden harvest...

I just couldn't let those green tomatoes freeze,

so I pulled out a handwritten recipe of my grandmother's
for Dilly Green Tomatoes:

Now I have a gallon of them to enjoy!

I'll post about my grandmother sometime...every time I hear Taylor Swift's song, Marjorie  I'm reminded of her...I think she's why I do so much of what I do. 

Well here's to a new month and a new week...hoping for beautiful blue autumn skies, trees with coppery leaves, and that unmistakable hint of Fall in the air, maybe even the first fire in the fireplace. Truly, my favorite season!