Leaving home ---------------

This could be my 'last rose of summer' - a yellow Peace tucked in between 

two huge now withered hydrangea bushes.

Did it bloom to say "goodbye" as we leave, hefting the cumbersome luggage 

down the driveway for our ride to the airport later?

We stowed all garden knick knacks, seat cushions, bird feeders, umbrella etc., 

anything able to blow around and cause damage in a windstorm.

First leaves falling from the fig tree - on yet another already sweltering morning.

Very little autumn color here yet, but perhaps on our return it will have cooled at
 long last, the leaves will have changed to gold and rust, and hopefully rain - a lot
 of soaking rain - will have fallen to end the serious drought conditions. 

When we leave town this afternoon the temperature will be 99F/37C - hard to
 believe this is October and each day is breaking heat records here.

Next post should be from London when we arrive tomorrow and have an
 overnight at Heathrow, then on to Lisbon Saturday where we board the
 ship . . . . . . . or, if not from there, who knows where! This trip is going to so 
many places and I'm hoping to blog when Internet is available!
At least it will be cooler our first few days in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . I'm so
 looking forward to that, plus wearing boots and a sweater at long last!

Enjoy your October days.