Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Autumn notes -





Small original oil found at a thrift shop years ago.


I'm so behind with everything - here's a quick catch up of what's happening around us. I'm trying hard not to be sad about not being in England now as planned, but I am so missing seeing my family and friends there. 

With October close I feel Autumn days are here despite not much color in the trees overhead yet. Golden leaves fall silently from the fig tree and Bob gathers them daily. The oaks haven't started dressing for autumn, but cooler nights are here so all will be changing soon. Acorns will rain down, followed by crisp brown leaves requiring several weeks of raking to the curb for the annual collections by the city. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks"............easy to see why.

Today our lawn will be aerated and over-seeded, this will require daily watering as there's no rain in the forecast for at least a week. I cannot help much in the garden as it looks like the pain issue in my hip/thigh/knee, now three weeks with no resolution, is coming from my lower spine.  A doctor visit yesterday will see me having PT soon - I'm in a lot of pain - and perhaps an injection down the road. 
Aging is not pretty. 

While at the doctor's office Bob and I each received a high-dose flu shot, suggested for the elderly, and then made appointments for the #3 Pfizer COVID booster vaccination on October 6th. We will then feel even safer regarding the pandemic, ready to get on with life and enjoy a bit more freedom to roam hopefully.  A beach weekend this fall would be awesome, and we are looking forward to visiting family in Arizona for Thanksgiving.

Snippets of autumn last year.

If you've been wondering about the house next door - it has sold. In fact it sold just a week after the sign went up, and at a really high price! Our neighbor, who just bought the house 11 months ago, but did do a lot of interior renovations, made a great profit. We are sorry to see him go but wish him luck in his new job in Washington, D.C. His moving truck pulled up this morning and is being loaded as I write. Best news is the buyers are a young couple who will be living here. . . . . not flipping the property, not renting it out, or tearing it down thank goodness!


Not much color in the garden to share, however a late blooming cluster
 of hydrangea blossom was a welcome surprise this past weekend.

I'm assisting my granddaughter Jasmin as she prepares to fly to Alaska for a best friend's wedding. Besides being a bridesmaid she is the official photographer which is really rather awkward.  Fortunately her boyfriend is accompanying her and can help with camera equipment - my fingers are crossed they will have safe flights and good weather.

I'm also cat/house sitting again this week as my other neighbor heads to Massachusetts for a funeral. Unfortunately his fridge/freezer died over the weekend and I've been storing food for him. . . . . .do you have any idea how difficult it is now to even find a replacement appliance? Can you imagine some models cannot even be delivered until end of November.......if you're lucky!  COVID has changed so many things in life and there seems no light at the end of the tunnel yet. Businesses, some many years old, continue to close down, others are struggling with lack of employees.


This morning baby bunny was busy in the garden - all grown up now but staying close by, at least for the time being. 
Look at the size of those back paws - no wonder they can make a fast getaway!



   

Happy Autumn days to all.



27 comments:

  1. Love the bunny. I never see any here at my apartment. Miss them. And, that hydrangea!! What color! Love it.

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    1. We did have a mom bunny too all summer but she's gone - hopefully just moved on to new pastures! This little sweetie hangs about our garden all the time and doesn't seem to mind us getting close - though I did take these pix through the window!

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  2. It must be a relief that the house next door sold to a young family. Our neighbours sold their house too. It was also bought by a family and we're hoping it will be a nice one.
    That bunny is super cute. I wish he was in our backyard.
    Hope you feel better soon. Being in pain is awful.

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    1. Good neighbors are important - hope yours will be nice! We feel ours will be interesting and looking forward to when they move in next month. Thankfully they don't have dogs - we've enough of them in other close by neighbors, and they are often quite disturbing!

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  3. It's been a chilly and miserable day here in England today - if that makes you feel any better!
    My neighbours are also in the process of moving out, I'll be sorry to see them go. I hope that rabbit likes having his photo taken.

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    1. John, the rabbit really seems comfy around us - he does like having his photo taken, lol!
      Hope you get good new neighbors too.

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  4. Great picture of the bunny - bet my little whippet would give him a god run though!
    We should soon have booster shots too, though I don't really feel vulnerable it will still be good, and I rather hope it will help to further ease restrictions - I too feel for the local businesses closing down, and for young people who owned many of them too.

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    1. Mark, we have many dogs in the neighborhood, six right here in the cul-de-sac! There's a leash law though so unless they get out accidentally they cannot roam the area! They are loud barkers though and bother us at times!

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  5. It is so disappointing to have to cancel travel plans again. I know you are missing your homeland and friends and family there very much. Having pain just adds to the general feeling of blah. I hope you soon feel better, Mary, and I hope October brings you much joy!

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    1. Thanks for the good wishes dear, I am going to start PT soon which hopefully will help.
      Yes, October is my favorite month.........despite bringing another birthday - and that number is getting very close to another decade, sigh!!!!!!

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  6. I have needed a new bathroom window for a while now and realized it wasn't going to repair itself. After choosing a manufacturer and installation company that would do just one small window, I was told I would have to wait until March 2022 for the product and installation. So that is what I will do. We are now on our beach vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Many restaurants are only opened Thursdays through Sundays. The weather has been perfect and summer crowds are a month gone. We are glamping in our newish travel trailer and feel safer than staying in hotels or motels. The second oldest home in our community was sold last summer, only to be flipped, and the owners moving on to another project. It is a beautiful Victorian farmhouse on the outside with a stark white open floorplan interior devoid of any period charm now. I'm not sure they really lived in the house but that is the modern way to make money, I guess. Hoping you will have nice neighbors who appreciate the lovely couple living next door.

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    1. Oh my, such a long wait for just one window - hope the winter weather doesn't cause you a problem. I fear many things will take much longer for quite a few years, especially anything requiring a 'chip'. Even the new iPhones are held up because parts are unavailable - how stupid that Apple would even offer a new model if it can't be purchased! Life is certainly changing - and not for the better I fear.
      Housing is crazy here - so many small older homes being razed and huge mansions now in the 2-3 million dollar price range going up! Thank you for you very sweet comment regarding us - we do try to be good neighbors and so far have had good people around us in the 40 plus years living here!
      Hugs - Mary

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  7. Dearest Mary,
    Such cute bunny shots you took!
    Sorry for your discomfort. Have you ever tried the youtheory Turmeric Extra Capsules, available from Costco?
    It is a problem everywhere for buying things as there is a real shortage, due to a lack of workers. Since they got offered pay without working; the incentive is gone!
    There also is a tremendous shortage on truck drivers and all that will eventually affect us all as they haul our food and everything we need.
    We were shocked yesterday when we were at the Infiniti service department in Atlanta to see an empty showroom. When we bought our Infiniti QX50 on April 28, it was still well stocked. There seems to be a shortage of Chips and that is holding up the production lines WORLDWIDE. China got the world in its grip, first with the nasty China Virus and also with manipulating production. Too bad so many companies went off shore; this is the result and we all pay the price.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Everything you say here is so very true Mariette, and the future is not too bright for so many businesses.

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  8. Dear baby bunny, I hope it stays permanently as a special pet in your garden. I am so sorry you have pain from your spine, and associated pain in other places too. Gardening is such a joy for you and I hope they can relieve the pain very soon. It was interesting to read the Covid related changes in life over there. Similar things also happen here, and supply chains are very unpredictable. Cheese suddenly became in short supply for several weeks - no idea why. The building trade has great difficulty sourcing supplies. And yes, businesses close, and others make a fortune from the situation. We are facing another expected Delta breakout around here. But think of nature, your little oil painting is exquisite. xoxox

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    1. OMG Trish, a cheese shortage would finish me off!
      Thanks for the good wishes - will try some PT soon before anything more invasive.
      Let me know how you are doing - I left you a comment. You guys looked awesome at the anniversary celebration service.

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  9. So sorry to hear that you are in pain Mary ….. let’s hope the Physio can sort you out ! Such a shame that you can’t get here to the U.K. but Spring won’t be too long in coming and the U.K. in the Spring is a beautiful time to visit as you know. Love your hydrangea, love the bunny and your new neighbours seem perfect. Thinking of you and hope you will be feeling better soon. XXXX

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    1. Thanks so much Jackie - hope to get relief soon despite dreading PT visits and all that means!
      I'm definitely feeling my age lately, ouch!

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  10. Hi Mary, I m very your pictures. I live in Sanford and have only had two rain events in months. It rains all around but not in my particular area. :(

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    1. Well you're not far from Raleigh and we also have only had one heavy rain in about a month! I know the crops must be suffering out there in the countryside!

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  11. Dear Mary, I am just beginning to catch up with blogs as I am still on my 2-week break from work with limited internet access. Sorry to hear you are in so much pain; hopefully, PT will help.
    Your small autumn painting is beautiful, and so are your other pictures on this post (as always). Colours here are spreading more and more every day here now, with the first very cold nights and daylight hours dwindling very noticeable. A time to make things cosy at home but also to take advantage of any dry and sunny day for walks.

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    1. Yes, was missing you Meike - glad all is well and look forward to seeing how you spent your vacation time away from the computer etc!!!

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  12. Replies
    1. Thank you so much - I hope you have viewed my posts of a brief, and much too short, visit to India in 2012. If you scroll to near the bottom of my blog you can click on two photos - Mumbai and Cochin and open posts with photos. India is certainly an amazing country to capture in colorful photos.
      Mary -

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  13. The baby bunny is so cute. Your hydrangea is stunning. Nice weekend to you.

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  14. That first photo collage is gorgeous. So sorry you have been having a lot of pain. Hope PT is helping.

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