Autumn

I love everything about autumn.I love the colors,the way the air feels.....I love the festivals which are celebrated........the clothes worn....I always enjoy planting the fall garden......Thanksgiving,Halloween.......I don't even mind the yard work....I can't wait to ride my bicycle through Freedom Park....lighting the chiminea at night....wearing a sweater during the cool mornings....and there is something about drinking coffee or hot tea in the fall which is different than any other time of the year.There is a seasonal,spiritual component which is thrilling and peaceful to me......and then there is also pumpkin ale!!!

I never thought I would ever say this,but taking care of my heart has become such an incredible journey.....I actually feel the same way about my heart health as I do about autumn.....in more than one way,Autumn is my heart.

Fall my favorite

"Canvas under feet,
Days burnt with color and tone
Autumn the artist...............

In this case this is Jean's canvas...chickens going home at the end of the day.I love the stars in this picture.
I long for autumn...I feel most alive..

"Cinnamon cider. pumpkin spice. celtic music. falling leaves. darkened skies. cold air. finally my world comes into sync. i am autumn." Beverly Leuke

Autumn is trying to make an appearence

Found this in a book recently.Though the temps are in the 90's,reading this quote helps me "feel" fall somehow.

"Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower"
Albert Camus

The Haunted greenhouse is 2 and a half weeks away....I am working like a maniac and so realize how I lack logistical organization.I will have to bring projects home and I don't want to.Oh well...somewhere in there I need to take a breath.....turn off all the lights in the house.Light all the pumpkin flavored candles and turn on the Halloween decorations.Then I need to take a seat and embrace the nostalgia Halloween represents for me.

Went to the Renaissance Festival this past weekend with Jean.We had a great time.We both had Madame Carolyn read our palms.I just had to try it.She kind of freaked me out.She was on the money in sooooo many ways.I felt like she had read my mail.Ate turkey legs,drank Pumpkin beer and bought a small pink garden flag with a skull and crossbones with the label at the bottom:Pirate Girl.
Check out the festival:www.renfest.com

Is it Fall Yet?

So it is September and all the kids have gone back to school.Labor Day came and went.
There have been a few tropical storms in the Atlantic.My sister's birthday was this past weekend....Rosh Hashanah and Ramedan are both getting cranked up....yet it still feels like summer.It is hot,hot,hot....and dry,dry,dry....we have water restrictions galore.Meanwhile I have pansies growing for a fall sale at the end of September....but now the restrictions include not planting anything new that might need water......unless we get rain it will be hard to find homes for 2300 pansies.....what is a horticulture therapist to do? Reiki....maybe a rain dance...

None the less.I love fall....in this area it starts the beginning of the festival season.This past Friday evening we went to the Greek festival in a wonderful and old part of Charlotte.It is called the Dilworth section...filled with fabulous American bungalows,most very old and referbished.The Greek Orthodox church is big and beautiful and full of ornate artwork and icons.It is a huge festival..where we enjoyed Greek beer and Giros..We also enjoyed looking at the greek jewelry...one shop had eclectic designs from Athens including these rings made of micro-mosaics of the Greek gods,mermaids,the sun,the moon...Very inspiring.

We enjoy other festivals during the fall season of which I will write about as they happen...Fall will always have it's festivals...but even if it didn't I would always love it.The changing of the temperature at night and the color changing of the leaves fills me up like nothing else.