How Can This Be Possible

grandma, looks back over 15 years
and now, you saved your money, a good buy on a car and you will be driving next year

how can 15 years go by so quickly...

Fall Blooms Beginning

Early morning, like 5:30
I walk onto the screen porch
the scent is heavenly
Jasmine
never disappoints

First vine planted 8 years ago
 among the Clematis
and one on trellis by the woods.

Seems through the month's I forget about this one a Fall Poinsettia
the first time I spotted it was 40 years ago in an elderly neighbor's garden (I was so close too)Miss Robbie, she shared many plants with me through the years.
They have traveled with me from home to home over the years.  Noticed a lot of these in the
compost pile and need to bring them closer to my cottage - I thank you and miss you Robbie.

Sedum, have 3 colors and takes year to become this size

A new mum

Notice Fall purple Aster is beginning to bloom, so showy by mailbox, along the drive
and several among other plants.   Every Spring I dig up a portion and plant it somewhere else.
Have seen this plant in yellow and may try to find online....

Feels Like Fall

Wonderful weather
Yesterday
was able to get a 8:30 dental appointment, seems another crown came off.
Since my dentist is  half way to Nashville and fortunate to have a driver we headed for Nashville.
(I no longer am comfortable driving the hour long drive in heavy traffic or the area's I liked to visit in years past) Not the Nashville I have known for almost 60 years, lived there for a while two different times
and liked it. Yesterday on the road viewing new buildings arising on every street, cranes high in the air,
traffic is horrible.  Many high rise condo's being built

 on property that was considered less then desirable
in past years.   Every inch of land is being built on, new restaurants, shops  on every corner,  I have the thought
where are all of these people arriving from.  I do know Nashville in the past  has been an economical location
but not anymore.  I believe many relocating from California, Foreign investors .  Past homes
 lived in prices have tripled and maybe more, taxes also.

Two small shops in a quiet area I wanted to visit and was pleased that I found what I was looking for
two large baskets to hold over 40 years of pictures, many past on to children and some now copied on my computer. Now images are down loaded from camera to computer - so easy and convenient.

Most of my pictures fit in these containers along with albums, some in another conainer also wanted a basket to place by

door when family visits, most take their shoes off

Spotted this wooden box and it looks like my rural cottage.
T.J.Max never disappoints me and good prices.

It is so nice when my son visits and go to many of the newer eating places.  Will have to wait until then.

While checking online yesterday saw a recipe for Corn Chowder and it reminded me of an old
recipe from my favorite Aunt Lucille, she past it on to me and noticed the recipe card dated 2003.
It is simmering on the stove with a few changes after reading the online recipe.
Lucille is where my Banana Bread recipe came from, enjoyed for years and my daughter's now bake.

Chopped potato, celery, onion, carrots are simmering
I reduce the recipe for me and enough for 2 days
when these are soft add a small can of drained cream corn
small can of regular corn that is drained
1 cup of milk
1 cup of shredded cheese
some garlic - s & p
and the main difference was
black beans and I added a cup

when done and serving
I add chopped bacon and a dollop of sour cream.

You figure how much you want to make
I add and delete along the way....

Corn bread would be good with this but do not feel like turning the oven on as the temperature is rising.
Smells so good and have corn chips and my sweet tea
and this is all I need.

Soups are so easy and nutritious for me and soon will be making several times a week.

Evenings I read, many of my old books, sometimes I do not read the whole book but look at all of the
many passages I have underlined and dated  - find it interesting.

My youngest daughter, years ago told me she did not like reading my books because they seemed
like my diary with everything I underlined, dated and sometimes wrote comments:)

Still weary today from busy day yesterday
just the way it is...

The Way It Is

Remember

"a diamond is a chunk of coal
that did well under pressure"

New header I took a couple of years ago
saw it looking out the window as I sat in an old chair - rocked my son and youngest daughter  in,
retrieved my camera
and got the shot :)

Another crown came off an hour ago
will be reapplied soon
only have 3 but seems dry mouth and gums (schogrens) contribute to this
do not like this..

Beautiful cooler weather
like 62 degrees this morning
helper a few hours this morning
and washed some windows.

Everything I did in the Fall
in years past
was done in a week
not any more
now takes a month or longer with a little help.
So much I want to go over, organize and clean
and
hopefully done in October.

Oldest daughter arriving for a couple of days in September
arriving with her my first granddaughter that is expecting her first baby
in December
a boy :)
I want to talk to him
so he knows his great grandmother...

Baked Zucchini bread, 3 loaves, one for me and two in the freezer
hopefully one will remain for daughter - along with blueberry bread and want to
bake pumpkin bread and maybe banana.

When it is cool
I love to bake
what,s different, it takes forever
and a big mess
what use to take  1 1/2 hours
now takes 3 hours or more
also like to iron and upstairs on the loft
ironing board has been brought out of the storage room
and is piled high with ironing.

Also a basket with hand sewing that I do not do well :)
but no one turning up hems to look at my stitches
everything is too long for me...

Oh my mother was a seamstress ( I took her my sewing and have many of her quilts
and each child and grandchild has one)
her mother and grandmother all sewed beautifully
talent not passed on to me
or I think
my daughter's :)

With age everything changes
but not my reading, love my books with a passion
do not want the new thing you sit and read
I want a book I can feel and keep close by
they surround my old chair, on my nightstand, can live without much
but not my books, good home cooked food and my garden to look at and flowere I grow inside

image taken 13 years ago

Life's simple pleasures
are the best....

Waiting

Waiting for darkness to arrive
and it is beginning

Trying to do Childs Pose
brought my son's bolster cushion down from loft

Planted 8 years ago when building and planning to return home
Crepe Myrtle is good to bloom when nothing much else us,
Pleasing to look at and if you want one takes years to really be beautiful

red one planted 4 years ago, and white one last year....

Crab cakes bought several weeks ago
took out of freezer, hope they are good for my dark time lunch

Always on end of a table so I can see where everyone is during travel times and gives
me an idea how far away my son is....

Good Day

This one
surrounded by her books

A special artist gave me permission to post
and I thank her,
love all of her work and some images a reminder of me :)

Look her up on Google - Yao Yao Ma Van As.....

Introduced to her
when I read Ronni yesterday "Time Goes By"

and another
a reminder of me
 because I drink a lot of tea

A really warm day
like 94 at the moment.
Balance is horrible
might be in part because of the weather
and
Eclipse arriving tomorrow
and it makes me feel unsettled
why I do not know.

Happy Callie is here with me

Abundance

Morning, as my day begins

On the computer checking to see if there are any emails from my family,

then I check Cate who writes "Beyond The Fields We Know." 

This morning the heading Abundance caught my eye.

After reading her words I knew what my lunch was going to be, no abundant garden for me
like in the past

that I miss.

But a trip to the market was scheduled and in my basket would be mixed greens, fresh tomato's, mozzarella cheese and

fresh artisan bread.   On hand olive oil, olives, avocado and herbs from my garden.  All of this in my bowl,
drizzled with warm olive oil and chunks of the bread I warmed in the olive oil.
So good.
 I always buy the best olive oil, cheese and olives that are at the market.  A treat for me
as I rarely eat out, do some when my son visits from Thailand and at that time enjoy food from
a different country

Miss my garden tremendously and planted a few Fall items in containers handy, next year will
grow tomato's and a few other things.

Hot weather has returned
the few cooler mornings and days
spoiled me.

This Cypress Vine is one the Humming birds love