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.

"Good Morning Autumn"

 

A brief introduction to Autumn in North Carolina on this lovely Friday morning.

This morning at 7 AM the light on the fig tree was so beautiful

following our first cool night.

This made me jump! Our resident Charlie gecko clinging onto the dining

 room window to wish me "good morning."

The last of the dahlia blooms still enticing the bumble bees.

Definitely a toast and marmalade morning!

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

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.