Autumn Is Called FALL For A Reason

Killing frost has reached our valley.

The leafs rained down.

There are many more to fall.

We have mowed, mulched, raked, carried and blown leafs.  My water gardens look like compost piles! Hubby was kind enough to buy me a leaf blower, a new tool for me.  It makes clearing around the water gardens easier.  

The compost/worm pit is full.  Plants are mulched.  The dogs are enjoying the large piles of leafs I haven't placed yet.

The work continues. I'm grateful I have so many beautiful trees to make oxygen for the sweet country air I enjoy every day.

We're extremely dry here. I'd enjoy a wet rain from the skies but this is part of the seasons. I embrace it.

Lizzy's New Hangout

The view from my front porch

Lizzy's new favorite spot after I raked some leafs.

She can nap and watch every direction.

Even someone as important as The Announcer

has fun now and then.

Fall

with almost an inch of rain!

We are blessed.

Fall

For Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

Fall

I was smart enough not to, I thought

but you chipped at my wall

'til I had no choice

but to fall for you

And I fall

every 

day

all

 over

in 

love 

with 

you

again

The Portal To Fall

 Sun's light reflection reminds me of a space portal

but fall is really a time portal.

The poke berries ripen for the animals to eat.

Colored leaf in spring water

The fields have seeded

and the trees show a hint of fall color

Wild flowers give a last hurrah as they share their pollen

Color shows more

as fallen leafs fill the creek.

We wait for precious rain.

Walking On The Dry Side

I walked the dry creek which is really dry this time,

more dry than I've ever seen.

We had an abundance of rain through winter and spring

but now the deep holes are dry and the ponds are lower.

I know the leaves fall when the light lessens but many have fallen from the dry.  The trees are smarter than me and know when they can no longer feed their leaves.

As I walk and explore dry waterfalls I've never seen, I worry since water is such an important thing.

May the rains come.

Outdoor Time

Rain has made the water cloudy

 The water cress thinks it's spring

Most of the leafs have fallen

The water garden wears its winter coat. 

There's work to do but

Mother Nature and the valley's ancient inhabitants called me.

I listened.

Seasons for Open Link Monday

For Open Link Monday

Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

Swirl, wind, swirl
leafs fall
floating in all directions
that end in down

Icy breath on green
paints in shades of brown

Soon, soon
shades of white
will cover
all around

Rest well, things green
store the sun's power deep
and prepare
to greet spring

Dentists and Dogs

We'll not speak of the dentist except to say the staff almost makes it a joy to have a drill in your mouth.

Some trees are showing color.  After our first frost little Lizzy will blend right in.  Hope that's a long way down the road.

Lil checking the spring pond filled with cat tails.

Lil is THE water dog

Stalking water skaters

Still looking

 The water cress is showing new growth along with mushrooms popping up.  Rain was good.

But signs of fall

are

beginning to show.

Ain't No Handyman or Murphy's Law or It Sure Ain't My Week...

I've laughed at few friends' tales like Mad Snapper's Murphy's Law and Two Men and a Little Farm's Epic Bathroom Battle   Really enjoyed their stories,  I just couldn't help myself...and Karma bit me!

My paybacks began when I laughed, of course, but the first pay back came from the brilliant idea of placing this desk in the main house after I cleaned it.

Beautiful little desk with a place for your pen and your ink well. A few carvings and scratches but a pretty piece nonetheless.

Yep, this was my downfall (and laughing at other people's woes).  First I diligently worked to bring the water hose to the patio at the bottom of this TALL porch.  After I have it ready to go I remember we have no power.  No power means no water.

Not to be stymied by this little set back I struggled and brought the desk up the steps to oil and clean it.

I proceeded to clean at least sixty years of dust and grime from this wonderful piece.  My plan was to set it in my entry hall as a handy spot to sit while taking off my boots.  Seat folds up or down, small foot print for a beautiful piece of history.  Lemon oil and iron cleaner and a filthy rag later I stepped off the porch backwards...I think.

As I'm trying to regain my balance I decide it's a good idea to grab the desk. Well, it was a good idea, sorta. The desk had enough weight that I spun around like someone working on uneven parallel bars. This would have made a great video! I am finally, after hours of trying to completely fall, able to grab the porch rail and bring every thing to a screeching halt.

The desk was unharmed and silently sat where I had placed it...I think it was laughing.  My right forearm hit the first CONCRETE step, my hip hit the third.  Hurting like crazy I decided not to finish cleaning.  I did not tell Hubby til I healed for fear of him bird-dogging me where ever I went.  Good thing is I have no broken bones.  The bruises are fading but the desk still sets.

This was the no power day and the beginning of The Electronic Strike.  The power returned almost 24 hours later minus phone and internet.

Then the washer died.  One of those wonderful HE washers that are worthless! This is the third time it's died while still under warranty. Will be a month before some one can repair it. If it wasn't under warranty I could have it repaired in less than three days.

Phones were out. Got them back, nothing but static.  Hubby worked on that and finally this morning the phone man came for the second time and said power surge was the culprit.

Now the internet has changed my setting to WEP and I need WPA2.  My brilliant nephew, Toni, told me that.  Now I have to call the internet service to reset every thing.

Oh, I almost forgot...I have a pipe leaking in the bathroom!

If I have another week like this, I going "off the grid" doing candles, books, and the wash board.

I'm feeding that Mr Murphy some laxative where he has something to do besides bother me.

Here's my shirt.

Have a great day.

In Autumn...

the leaves

fall

down.

A Crisp Wind Blows...

through the valley today raining leaves sideways. The trees rustle as if to say, "No, it's not time!" Another season begins.

The "falling back" of the clock has timed itself well. Food is falling. We gather walnuts, pecans, hickory nuts, pears, chestnuts, persimmons, and pawpaws. Preparing them for storage and use like the generations before us.

The figs frozen by the cold nights display the color of their last hurrah and drift to the ground.    Green still fills the valley as the hillsides are in constant color change.  Once again the valley shall shelter and feed the fifth generation of our family as they have fed the inhabitants that have gone before.

I believe the valley smiles.

We are home.

Random Thoughts

I totally dislike the Geico commercial with Old McDonald!  The logical way for Old McDonald to spell cow would be E-I-E-I-O not  c-o-w-e-i-e-i-o.  Remember the line "..and on that farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O"
 Spelling Bee may have a cute "Dagnabbit" in it but it doesn't make me happy.  Maybe the Spock in me coming out.

We go soon to have Andrew's broken foot checked.  Hopefully he will be running and dancing soon.

We had ice in the water buckets Wednesday morning so fall is leaving us (unintended pun).

The flowers linger.

 The moon still rises

At The Farm.