The Golden Time (but you know what that means. . .)

We've reached it.

The Golden Time.

Although the neon reds and oranges are really magical, it's the golden color of fall that steals my heart.

My own gardens are glowing gold now.

Pretty much everywhere I look.

It's a melancholy time.  The garden is finished for another season.  It's time to move inside; time to hunker down against darkness and cold.  I'm pretty much ready now.

(Because . . . nothing gold can stay.)

Nothing Gold Can Stay*

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day,
Nothing gold can stay.

               --- Robert Frost

==========

*This was the first poem I ever loved.  (Thanks, Ponyboy.)

Fall ... Now in Full Splendor!

What a beautiful, gorgeous fall weekend we had here in my neck of the woods!

Lots of sunshine; lots of blue sky.

My garden turned golden!

Plenty of time - and sunshine - for garden chores and running and walking the dogs!

Fall.  In all its splendor!

And a beautiful sunset, to boot!

Hope your weekend was just as spectacular!

 

Melt-Watch: Week 2

Despite a mid-week snow storm last week that dumped 8 new inches of snow on us . . .

and despite the fact that we were still sub-zero last night . . .

we're melting here.  

Finally.

See?

Yeah.  That's Garden Buddha!  Visible for the first time since late December.

And check THIS out. . .

My mailbox!  Totally accessible and nearly snow-free.

Sure, my yard is still mostly covered with snow. . . 

but there is hope!  

My pond is nearly visible again. . . 

And.  (Heart, be still!)  The GREEN is beginning to show!

That's a hellebores there.  (I'm so excited.)  

And, of course, the MUD is beginning to show, too!

Spring is in the (still frigid) air.  And we've got sunshine in the forecast.

Good timing.

Because . . . 

my mittens are worn out. . . .

handknit socks, too. 

My car is a mess, and my garage is covered with salt.

And my poor, damaged (unmanicured!) nails are in need of some humidity.  (STAT.)

Spring.

Bring it!

 

 

Melt-Watch: Week 1

Sometimes, in the fall, I do a Color Watch here on the blog . . . to track, visually, how the colors change around me.

This past weekend, I was inspired by the melting snow piles.  How about . . . if I track, visually, how the snow melts around me?

So I snapped a few quick photos . . . of the snow piles, mid-melt.

My mailbox.

My driveway.

My front walkway.

My patio.

My potting bench.

My new "lower patio."

My pond.  (Right.  My pond.)

Since Sunday, when I took these photos, melting continued.  However, when I woke up this morning, the temperature had plummeted, and about 6 inches of new snow has piled up overnight (with more falling).

Still.  I have hope.

 

Color Watch: Nov 1: Wrapping Things Up

Today is November 1.  Time to wrap up the Color Watch for another season.

The leaves are still turning here in my corner of the world, but yesterday's heavy rains and wind will pretty much do them in!  So here's one last look . . . at the colors in my world.

Here is the view from my front porch earlier this week . . .

Here is the view of my neighbor's entryway a few days ago . . .

And here in my own backyard, all the hostas suddenly turned golden.

The entire landscape glows!  (But only for a few days.  Soon those hosta leaves will be mush on the ground.)

Wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying the last of fall's color show.

Color Watch 2013: Oct 25

This week, the colors aren't really popping like they might.

Because. . .

Yeah.

We got snow.

Not a lot.

Just wet.  And cold.

Big, sloppy flakes.

It's not sticking around.

(Not yet.)

But it is putting a damper on this year's color watch.

Wherever you are, I hope your weekend is full of color!

 

Color Watch 2013: Oct 18

NOW we're getting down to business . . .

It's happening.

Everywhere I look.

Even in my own backyard!

Hope your weekend is full of color!

Color Watch 2013: Oct 11

We had a lot of rain last weekend, which doesn't do much for the leaves . . . when it comes to color-watching.  Still, change is happening and colors are popping.

My views this week, though . . .

are not terribly different . . .

from my views last week.

It's only a matter of time now.

Because my color-watching is still pretty . . . dull . . . I'll give you a couple of bonus shots.  While the leaves are slowly turning, my grasses are putting on quite a show!

Definitely one of the best parts of my garden in fall.

Happy weekend!

Color Watch 2013: Oct 4

Every year, as the leaves begin to turn, I like to keep track of the process with my camera.  So join me this month . . . on my annual Color Watch.

The photos here today are the views I see from various points in my yard.

Watch along with me this month . . .

as the trees in my world . . .

Put on their fall color show!

Happy weekend!

Right Now . . . October

Here's what's going on in my life  . . . RIGHT NOW.

Watching . . . Outside, I'm watching the leaves fall.  Fast.  Most of the loveliness is gone now.  Just the dull oak leaves, bare branches, and a few colorfull hangers-on remain.  Inside, I'm watching Upstairs Downstairs on PBS. 

Reading . . . In Sunlight and In Shadow by Mark Helprin (which is delicious . . . if you like lyrical language and poetry; which . . . I do.)  Also still slogging through this biography of Catherine the Great.  It's good, and I like it. . . but I can put it down and not lose the thread.  Y'know?

Knitting . . . I am working on this cardigan, and using this yarn.  Frankly, I don't see what all the fuss is about this yarn, but it is beginning to grow on me.  I'm also working on my Leftie, with many more little leaf-blobs complete, now, than when you last saw it.

Humming . . . Pilot of the Air Waves.  Really.  Where do these things come from?

 

Thinking about . . . how to bring LIGHT into my ever-darker days.

Listening to . . . my phone ring.  And ring.  And ring.  But not answering.  Because I can't bear one more election-related robo-call.

Dreading . . . Jenny's upcoming X-ray procedure (and the aftermath, which might be surgery).  Jenny has likely torn a ligament -- all that dock-jumping, I'm afraid -- and has been limping lately.  She has to have an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis, but must be put under anesthesia first. . . because dogs don't cooperate with X-rays.  This isn't for another week; I hate having her in pain -- but I also hate having to put her through this procedure.

Planning . . . my plan-of-attack on the holidays.

Excited about . . . finally checking out the recipes in this double issue!  I look forward to the November issue of Cooking Light more than I look forward to the September issue of Vogue.  (Yeah.  True confessions.)

Drinking . . . Yes.  (And let's just leave it at that.)

Itching to . . . peel wallpaper from my upstairs bathroom, but will hold off until after the holidays.  Because I don't need any MORE projects.  (And that one wasn't on my list.)

Needing to . . . deal with the fact that my iMac's hard drive has been "recalled."  Although Apple is going to make it right, it's still a pain in the ass.  For many reasons.

Organizing . . . closets.  Always.  Forever.  Until the end of time.

Inspired by . . .progress!

Delighted by. . . my new knitting bag.  Perfect; absolutely perfect.  (And, best of all, I got it with an unused WEBS gift card I found while cleaning out my closet!!!!)

How about YOU?  What's going on for YOU . . . right now?