The years are flying by . . . . . . .

Today is my birthday. The sun didn't shine.
 That's OK though, I feel blessed to have another birthday with a seven in it.
Next time around I might have a different feeling because then I just

 might begin to feel "over the hill."

Yesterday my granddaughter Jasmin had a birthday also.

In my eyes she's still a youngster at twenty six.

We have many things in common which makes me feel good, perhaps 

younger, and she keeps me on my toes.

This evening we will celebrate our birthdays at a very lovely downtown

restaurant. Moroccan chef in an Italian kitchen - been wanting to 

try it for some time, and tonight's the night.

Wine list should be interesting. . . . . and Bob's driving!

Cheers to anyone else celebrating an October birthday, they're always

such fun.

Afternoon at the lake -

Sunday afternoon at Massabesic Lake, Manchester/Auburn, New Hampshire.

Peace and quiet by the water.

Home soon - it has really been lovely in New England.

New England colors -

 

~ Autumn colors in the New Hampshire countryside ~

~ Autumn colors at the New Hampshire coast ~

Enjoying our time in New England.

Wonderful weather, sunny and dry, with just a little rain on one day.

Fall colors and packing -

Time is going quickly and I still have so much to attend to prior to flying

 away to New England for an Autumn break.

 The pots of tri-colored chrysanthemums have been lovely all week - a bargain

 at LIDL 2/$12.00. Hoping they will remain pretty until I return to deadhead

and encourage even more blooms for a while longer.

Yesterday Bob mowed the grass. Later I steadied the ladder while he

 cleared off the roof over the front porch where many twigs had been

 deposited by Hurricane Ian.  

We are always very careful when working with ladders of course!

This is all I have time for today. Picking and packing clothes for a cooler

 region of the east coast has to be done. We have enjoyed beautiful

warm weather here all week but on checking New Hampshire, Vermont

 and Maine it's already much cooler!

Hoping your Autumn weekend is fun and colorful.

October Shades, Knitting & A Soup Recipe -

Goldener lights set noon asleeping

Like an afternoon;

Colder airs come stealing, creeping

After sun and moon;

And the leaves, all tired of blowing

Cloudlike o'er the sun;

Change to sunset colours, knowing

That their day is done.

. . . . .George Macdonald

Here today the sun is bright, the sky clear and blue, and it's warm.

I just did a little flower bed clean up and it was actually hot.

The knitting came out last weekend as we awaited the storm.

The clicking of the bamboo needles and the warmth of the yarn 

between my fingers was calming as all raged outside the windows.

This is the color for the first cowl of this new season. It will 

complement my ZARA brown wrap coat from a couple of years

 back, and a new cashmere sweater of a similar shade - the label

 named it Syrup - I'm thinking more Ginger Snap.

FYI - if you're shopping for new sweaters (also coats, jackets and other

 items), and have a T.J.Maxx close by which has a 'Runway' department, 

you too might find an amazing selection of items at deep discounts.

Even though the cashmere sweaters are marked Past Season they

are classic, never look dated, and are beautiful. 

The VINCE, NAKED CASHMERE,THEORY brands etc. originally

 $350+ were selling for $129+, and in my store there were dozens in

 all colors to choose from!

Yesterday I cooked, and cooked some more!

What started off as just using up a butternut squash for my favorite 

seasonal soup (easy recipe below - I just change to lo-sodium

 vegetable broth), ended with a complete meal including delicious

 roasted Halloumi cheese and veggies, and a dessert - apple

and blackberry galette.

A most tasty and warming meal for a cooler Autumn evening. . . . and

 of course leftovers for another day!

This could have been Bob cleaning up after Hurricane Ian, except

the leaves here are still mostly green. Of course they'll be many more

 fallen gold and brown leaves in the weeks, even months, to come!

We'll be traveling north soon and I know the colors will be advanced

 compared to here in the southeast.

Have a great week - I'm picking out clothes for New England and 

think I'll include at least one warm, cozy cashmere sweater!

 

October and Hurricane Ian -

My kitchen wall calendar with Angela Harding's beautiful illustration for October.

. . . . . . . . hopefully will soon be here!

We escaped major damage yesterday as

 Hurricane Ian

paid us a scary visit.

Losing some of its ferocity after devastating many

 areas in Florida, it made a second landfall along

the South Carolina coast and came full blast across

central North Carolina. We did loose power for a

few hours here, but are thankful that on waking this

morning we only had small tree debris covering the

 garden and our street. A big mess to clean up once

 it's dried and we can rake and blow.

Feeling grateful today.