September touches of gold -

It's almost over! How did it pass so quickly?

If you aren't really into bright orange 'Halloween' pumpkins there

 now seem to be so many other colors to choose from.

I really love these yellow ones. . . . . . .

Soon the fig tree will drop all its leaves. . . . . .so far just a few

 golden ones have fallen. . . . . . . 

OK I admit I did bring home a couple of small orange pumpkins, for the

front porch. . . . . . . and to welcome the arrival of October later this week!

Note the Swedish Ivy. This was the second summer on the porch.  

it has grown so much whilst hanging outside, and now it's starting to

 bloom with those pretty white 'candle flowers.' 

Later, before the first frost, I will have to find a place to over-winter

 it again - no space in the house.  

If you grow these, any tips are appreciated. 

Can I cut it way back to make it more manageable during the winter?

Would it survive in an unheated space such as the potting shed?

Should I ask my neighbor with the glass enclosed sunroom to

 adopt it for the winter months again?

Thanks.

Then.........and Now!

I'm not saying life has returned to normal. After all is there really a 'normal' when everything can change so suddenly?  Days come and go and every one is different. My virtual visit of the last 12 days to the UK is over. It was completely different from my real in-person visit back in June. Arriving home the week after the Platinum Jubilee was somewhat sad as we missed the celebration - but of course much quieter. I think now what if we had planned to visit during the recent two weeks, how would that have impacted our time. . . . . . I doubt it would have been a vacation.

Growing up in a family who loved and respected Queen Elizabeth II and the monarchy, losing her, no matter when, was always going to be a day of grief for me despite being so far away from home. You may think it audacious of me to still call England 'home' having been gone almost 60 years, but it is and always will be. I can't ever change that.

So now I'm moving on and planning Autumn days and some travel come October. Decorating the cottage is low key, no over the top pumpkin displays outside but perhaps a large pot of bright chrysanthemums to take the place of the fading canna lily. Indoors I've a vignette on the dining room table, small white pumpkins on the mantel. A few more wait in the wings to go on the front porch once the 90F days leave - please let that be soon!

Butternut squash, often said to be the 'favorite squash' of many, is always a pleasure to cook with. Sometimes though, when the local growing season is long over and the squash are not so good in the grocery stores, I think back to these, just harvested from the field, tender to cut, quick to cook, and so very flavorsome as a bowl of soup or a savory roast. I was thrilled when I found these at the pumpkin farm on Saturday. Yesterday I stocked up with fresh carrots, parsnips and ginger -

so I'm heading to the kitchen now where I'll get cracking on something tasty for supper. Also bought two roasting pumpkins. . . . . . more on preparing them another time as they will stay fresh for quite a while.

Collections, shelves and pumpkins!

 

I think I'm a pushover when it comes to open shelves. 

I have a lot of them and I really love them!

My biggest problem is that all are loaded with collections, and those items 

require constant TLC. Yes, vignettes and stacks are dust collectors, they do 

require dusting and frequent washing, but also bring happy moments and

memories.  

These are the shelves in the dining room on a Welsh dresser purchased

 30 years ago as bare wood. I've painted it in different finishes at least three times. 

This current antiqued/distressed blue-grey was done many years

 ago and will remain - no way can I paint anything of this size these days!

My collections of antique and vintage English and French china fit well here. 

I move items around some days, take a few away then add something new

 for the current season.

Small decor changes are now my norm. Over the top decorating is no longer

 an option as I try to downsize. 

I am finding I really like just a touch of something different for a few weeks. 

Currently it's just one natural papier-maché pumpkin - I have two more which

 will be placed elsewhere. I also added the fabulous pumpkin painting I found

 last year at SuzAnna's Antiques.

Speaking of pumpkins, we hope to make our annual visit to our favorite

 pumpkin farm soon - I still would like some real pumpkins for the front porch.

Days are a little cooler, I feel a chill in the air at night, so pumpkins will enjoy

 being outside now.

Are you decorating for this new season?

Do you buy real pumpkins?

Will you decorate for Halloween?

October Garden odds and ends -

Other than the evening shots above - gazebo with wine (bringing out the robust reds now after 'fighting' the pandemic summer months with some delightful well-chilled rosés), and squash being prepped for a roasting with sage - these garden peeks were taken today. . . . . . . another beautiful October morning.

As Bob watered the newly sown grass seed and swept up more fallen acorns, millions are falling this year, I popped outside to get a few shots in the sunshine and cool air. Later it will reach 80F so still hot here.

Yesterday a large deer passed silently through the garden, squirrels were back in numbers, a hawk sat high in an oak calling loudly, a harmless (hopefully) brown garter snake slithered across the driveway. . . . . . .and the bluebirds are back bringing instant happiness! A red cardinal perched at the top of the fig tree, now dropping its leaves non-stop, a mockingbird bathed with much splashing, and a brown thrasher flipped a mushy fallen fig back and forth on the lawn.  

The potting shed requires some repairs which will be carried out next week. A raccoon (we think) has gnawed large holes along the lower edge in back, and there are a couple of small leaks in the roof.  When those repairs are completed it will be time for a good overall clean out and tidy.

We are still awaiting help with the drainage problem along the back fence which hopefully will be done soon. Until then I can't plant the new shrubs I want in that back flower bed. Tree trimming and shrub pruning is done for now - next spring we'll start all over again!

Next post I'll give you an update on the house next door - a rather crazy story and we're still awaiting info as to what will become of it! Our street is so busy - two other houses sold this past month - both being improved and not knocked down thankfully. More new young neighbors which we like to see.

Enjoy this day. . . . . . and all the lovely October days to come. We continue to stay busy, mostly here at home where we feel safest these days. How about you?

SuzAnna's Antiques - still the best!

 

Lovely things for sale at SuzAnna's this week.

A much beloved place moved from the quirky Vintage Village last year.  

SuzAnna's Antiques, still owned by mother and daughter Susie and Jenny, 

is now a huge bricks and mortar store located in the small town of

 Rolesville. . . . . . a pleasant 30 minute country ride from north Raleigh.

On Monday, granddaughter Jasmin and I headed that way in still hot

 sunshine, passing green fields and front yards decorated with pumpkins

 galore - a lovely day to be out and about. . . . . . . and going somewhere

other than a grocery store!!!!!!

Yes, I purchased a few things, of course! Jasmin did too.

My favorite find was this hand painted on wood white pumpkin - looking 

perfect on my mantel.

These small velvet pumpkins caught my eye being royal blue and grey - and

 are now sitting on the perfect plate from Anthropologie.

Old books, who doesn't love them, and how useful they can be when wanting

a splash of your chosen color when styling a table, shelf or corner. This one is 

volume 25 of the 30 volumes of The Works of William Makepeace Thackeray,

printed in 1907.

A stunning set of framed stems from Nature - Jasmin and I both

loved these but decided as we couldn't really afford the whole set

so would leave it for another customer who could!

***************

I use to write a lot about this much-loved local place, the best place to

 shop for antiques and vintage. I enjoyed it so much I had a booth there

 myself, at first shared with my dear friend Vanessa ("Hi Vanessa" - in

 California now!), then we each had a space of our own. 

My granddaughter Jasmin enjoyed a part time job there from

 age 14 to 20 and 'learned the ropes' about decorating with beautiful things. 

  Life changes, Vanessa moved away, I started traveling more frequently

 and for longer times. I was not selling anymore but stopped by weekly on

 treasure hunting trips, and of course to visit with dear friends.

Life must go on and hopefully get back to normal.

The 'treasure hunting' trip on Monday was certainly a 

huge pick me up. Despite masks and distancing where 

possible, seeing old friends, catching up on news and

just being away from the house was awesome.

Off now to prepare for the aeration and seeding of the back 

garden area where a new lawn will hopefully grow!

Enjoy your day - get some fresh air - and welcome what is 

my favorite month, OCTOBER!

Pumpkins and Round Houses --------

However in Laayoune, Western Sahara, there were these really cute

 pumpkin-looking 'round houses' in an area called Spanish Town.

This year I'm missing travel to distant lands so much! 

I was more than ready to head south of the city on the first cool

 day to our favorite small family farm, Johnson Pumpkin Farm, 

and pick up some traditional pumpkins for a little fall decor. 

The ride through the countryside was fabulous - green

 fields, blue skies and plenty of brilliant pumpkins.

These came home with me and are now decorating the

 front porch. . . . . . .the two large paler colored pumpkins on the right

I will roast later as they are good for soups and veggie stews.

Also picked up a couple of pots of heavily budded mums - should open

 with a lot of yellow blooms soon!

Are you planning to decorate for Autumn and Halloween this year?

Time Tables -

I love old tables.

Farm tables especially catch my eye and make me want to pull up a chair, 

sit down and run my hand over beautiful aged wood. 

Family histories have often been created around a table. 

A beautiful slab of wood supported on four legs, plain, turned or carved,

can hold history from several generations.

Tables age but seldom wear out, they stand solidly taking the daily knocks,

scratches and dings of life.

They may have been dressed elegantly on special occasions when

 the best ironed linens, china and silverware were used in celebration.

For everyday, a more rustic look with a linen tablecloth draped 

casually can turn the table into a surface for a casual meal, even a

 workspace for writing and creating.

This year I've used the farmhouse style table in my dining room much more
for projects than dining. Currently it's my desk and covered with folders, papers, 
lists, travel itineraries - we'll soon be on the move again to places far away.

The bounty at our favorite pumpkin farm. . . . captured on a lovely Autumn
 afternoon in early October last year.  I'll really miss our annual visit chatting to
 our farm friends and bringing home pumpkins, gourds and squash.

A mixed bag -

 It's been one of those weeks. . . . . . routine doctor check ups, cat sitting for the
 neighbor, quick stop at the mall (only because it's near a doctor's office and I was
 an hour too early for my appointment - am I losing it?). Men digging up our
 cul-de-sac searching for water pipes, duh!  Interrupted sleep due to shoulder pain. 
Too much online time dealing with VISAS for travel to new islands - more on
 that later! Deadheading hydrangeas fried to a crisp and looking so sad, while
 almost frying myself in 90F plus humidity in the garden that day. . . . . . . .definitely
 a mixed bag of daily ups and downs.

Can you believe this?  After celebrating their 30th birthday with this pretty

 Sept/Oct issue, a card in the mail this week announced the demise of

 bi-monthly issues and mail subscriptions, which many of us have.

Traditional Home will become one of those 'special interest' publications now

 and then, perhaps overpriced and often full of already published articles.  

Sad, sad, sad - this was always a classy magazine and seeing it go the way of

 others only makes one realize how turning real pages may become a thing of the

 past in the world of print journalism.

Next door neighbor Nala. On a diet and looking good - but still

 really a hefty girl to lift!

Yes, that whip round the mall included a stop at H&M where I found this zebra print

 caftan-style dress on sale - very inexpensive!  Light, comfy and may be perfect for

 travel to hot places - moonlit evenings on deck, or even as a robe/coverup. 

I like that it has hidden buttons too. At home, I can wear on the front porch or in

 the gazebo for a casual supper and not look like I'm still in my robe! 
Actually, I had forgotten just how cool a flowing dress can be on a hot day.

The hummers are really busy and hungry this week - perhaps they feel Autumn 

in the air with the slightly cooler nights starting.

 Thankfully, if they are planning to migrate further south, they don't have the journey

of UK swallows migrating to Africa. . . . . . 6,000 miles and they travel at 35 mph!

One more purchase - from Pier 1 - this week.  Fell for this pretty pillow when

 killing that time before the doctor appointment.  As we'll be traveling in October, 

sadly I won't be visiting our favorite pumpkin farm for the real thing. I just knew this

 would be perfect on my chair, and give me the feeling of my favorite season
 approaching.  Again, with 25% off, it was a great buy.

I was able to dry this basket of hydrangeas, the ones I cut on my return

from Ireland, prior to the heatwave which lasted the past 6 weeks or more.

They are pretty, mostly muted greens with a little dusty blue remaining on

some heads.

It was lovely today and will remain sunny and in the high 80's over the Labor Day 

weekend.

With approaching Hurricane Dorian, this holiday weekend may not be a good, 

safe one for our Florida friends. If you live there, please know you are in our
 thoughts and prayers. . . . . .and our fingers are definitely crossed that it won't 
be as serious as expected. We here in the Carolinas may get some bad
 weather from this storm later the week after next as it may hang around 
far too long!