Summer was hot and dry. So far, autumn has been cool and wet. It is good weather for reading novels, writing letters, knitting, drinking tea, and playing with cats.

Twice in the last month--twice--Presely the boxer was sprayed by a skunk which he then dispatched. I am beginning to wonder if he is really a prince or not. Right now I'm thinking not.

There are so many books I want to read. I have a list and the beginnings of a nice stack. I just started reading The Little Stranger a few days ago. It is an atmospheric, gothic tale about a house--I have always loved books about houses. All the better if the house is creepy and mysterious.

Autumn is my favorite time to walk in the woods. There is a feeling of anticipation as plants scatter their produce and animals gather and store.

In my photos, I try to capture what I really see and how I see it, so I don't use filters at all. This was the sky outside my house the other night at sundown:

 And this was the sky just a few seconds later:

The world's problems are so large, and I am so small--smaller than most it seems. The world has changed so fast, and it keeps changing faster and faster. I don't know what to think, to be honest. I went to the doctor's the other day, and while going over my history, the nurse said, "Still no work?" Well, actually, I do quite a lot of work: I keep house and cook for seven people, educate my children, care for several pets, tend a large garden, provide hospitality multiple weeks of the year for out-of-town guests, and do all of the bookkeeping for my husband's business. But, yes I am a housewife, a once common occupation that is now considered obsolete, insignificant, and the opposite of "working". 

However, there is no point in dwelling in negativity and other people's perceptions. Far better to dwell in leaf fall and candlelight, stories about spooky houses, the magic of handwritten letters, and the mystery of wild peace. ♥

Love and roses,
Sue

Yesterday was dark and rainy--really dark--as the remnants of hurricane Florence moved up the coast. I was glad for the rain, because now I don't have to water my plants for at least a few days.

I drank lots of tea and finished reading The Forbidden Place by Susanne Jansson--so good! A spooky novel that is far more than just a story. So much to think about and record in my notebook.
 

Do you make these "Apple Babies" on autumn days? Peel and cut two apples into eighths. Cut crescent dough triangles (the refrigerator rolls) into two long triangles each and roll each triangle around an apple slice. Place in pan and drizzle half a stick of butter over all. Generously sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Pour a 1/4 cup of apple cider or orange juice in spaces around pan (not over the top of the apples/dough). Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. They are too easy and addicting. 

September is the month for rose bouquets at my house. My rose bushes always go crazy in September--wild and huge and producing continuous blooms. I cut at least a dozen stems a week.

The September sky can be darkly moody or so blue and bright that it leaves me breathless. I love the sky so much.

 The days are growing shorter, the nights cooler. The in-drawing-cozy-time has come.

 

 

I have taken out this cardigan project I started last spring. I am only knitting on it a little each evening, but maybe I will finish it this fall. The color of the wool doesn't photograph well. It is a true moss green.

These two never stop making me smile.

 Zach stringing-up. Always there is music at my house ♪

I have said before that I think Presley is really a prince in a dog suit. Look at those eyes. So much love and kindness for everyone. Except for when the skunk sprayed him in the face a few weeks ago. He was all dog then.

 I can't remember the last time I watched television. I watch the birds and animals instead.

 Look closely now:

 And look who is watching from the fence!


Leaf fall has begun.The leaves are just beginning to lose their chlorophyll.

The pond is splendid with purple loosestrife, orange jewel weed, goldenrod, misty mauve love grass, and wild aster.

It has taken me awhile to get going, but we have finally started back to our home school lessons this week. I think it is the latest we have ever started. But, better late than never, right?   

Love and roses,
Sue

March. Only one more week; I will be so very glad to welcome April. : ) This week was a hard one, with doctors appointments every day, including an unpleasant medical procedure. Plus, I did our taxes last weekend--a task that always leaves me feeling anxious. Every March I say, "Next year we're hiring an accountant." But when tax time rolls around, I can never bring myself to spend the money.

There is still a lot of snow on the ground from four nor'easters in as many weeks. The weather is one thing reticent New Englanders are willing to talk about--and it's truly never a dull topic!

On St. Joseph's day (last Monday) Seth brought home a box of zepolle from the bakery--such delicious pastries! I am reading The Tale of Hill Top Farm, a quiet, cozy mystery featuring Beatrix Potter, by Susan Wittig Albert. There is just something very special about stories set in an English country village. Nothing extraordinary needs to happen; village life is interesting on its own.

In the last month I have ordered thirteen different colors of wool to knit into birds. I am making a flock of spring migrants that are flying up from the tropics of my imagination. : ) I have no idea what I will do with them, where they will land. A completely useless project that is all joy!

The kittens are growing fast and are a constant delight. I love them deeply, deeply.♥ It is apparent from watching them (and from raising other pets, as well as human children) that gentleness is learned through relationships, whereas wildness is innate. It is tempting to think of these qualities as conflicting, but it strikes me that harmony between these two qualities is necessary to complete the essence of the creature.

Brief notes from a hectic week. : )

Love and roses,
Sue xo

 

On Sunday we went to the beach and ran in the sand and looked for shells in our winter coats. The sunshine was dazzling and the sky was summertime blue. But today snow fell all day long, a thick white blanket--two feet thick. Typical weather for mid-March in New England.

So much time has passed since I last posted that I feel quite out of practice here. I don't believe in catch-up posts; how does one summarize the terrible beauty of life without being misunderstood? The story of today holds the past in its heart, anyway.

We have two new brother kittens who are currently making things lots of fun. ♥ (I hear them rumbling now upstairs in the girls' bedroom!) The cream and white one is Rhys and the gray and white is Wyatt. They were named after two characters in a story I wrote. Our pet tally at the moment is: two dogs, two kittens, two guinea pigs, three parakeets, one big bunny, and one very big snake. Oh, and two red hens in the yard.

I've been knitting little birds after my work is done (school and housekeeping and helping in the office for my husband's business) from patterns in the book Field Guide to Knitted Birds, by Carlos and Arne. The book is absolutely gorgeous and knitting birds is addicting--so many possibilities.

For breakfast on several March mornings, I've made Irish Soda Scones. I highly recommend this recipe. These scones are light and delicious with a lovely texture and authentic Irish soda bread flavor.

Love and roses,
Sue ♥