A little fall here...a little fall there.

After a good rain overnight it had cooled off nicely this morning. The kitties slept in a bit as the morning breeze kept them comfy in their chosen beds. The retired-guy had been working on something late and left tools on the table overnight. It never fails to amaze me how a cat can find comfort amongst a pile of junk but our oldest, Sierra, does just that.

                                                            Looks comfy, huh?

The coming fall is showing it's colours now.

The summer blooms are hanging on for dear life 

                                                  in the last of the hot summer sun.
The sumac trees are changing colours.

The birds seem rather hungry or are they just anticipating a long cold winter not far off.
Are they 'plumping up' already?

These two arrived early this morning before I was even able to fill the feeders. I gave them some 9 grain bread and they were very happy with that...thank you.

I hope they stick around all fall and winter so I can take care of them.

And tell 100 of their friends.

These trees will soon be ablaze with colour.

We are surrounded by maple trees.  :)) Ain't life grand!

hugs, Deb

Granny's bling

The smallest bedroom in my grandmother's old, white, clapboard house held a large bureau with a mirror that hung behind it on the wall. That was where my gran kept a box of her jewellery. This was the bedroom that the kids would sleep in while visiting; sometimes three in a double bed. I loved to look through the old jewellery box  and would quickly hold a piece up to my ear or along my neck to see what it looked like on.  It was a mystery to me why my less than flamboyant gran would even own such glitter. I never once saw a piece on her, ever. Perhaps much of it was her mother's who may have liked to wear such things. I would try to picture her wearing it with her lips painted red.

                                                                  (pinterest)  

There was a window next to the dresser that looked out the front of the house and down to the road. That was where the old well  is that you see in many of my photos now. It was painted white back then, too.

My fall feeder is fixed and in order once again.

I love the memories that flow through my mind as I go about the day here. Some as vivid as if it was yesterday.

                                                       Chickadee stopped by for tea. :)

                                                            My newest feeder.

                                                           Someone please stop me.

 Today it is hot and humid. So much so that I cleaned out the birdbath and filled it with cold water for the birds, watered everything twice and then went to the local market to buy some pumpkins.  Just having them around makes me happy and excited for fall to arrive. The colours of fall are so beautiful. The old maple above the bench will be a brilliant orange and red before long. The property will be ablaze with red, orange and gold when the maple leaves turn their colours. It's quite the sight to see. I only hope I can capture it for you with my old, worn out camera. Perhaps it's time to go shopping and put this Canon Power Shot pocket camera to rest.

Today at the old pump.

                                                   The retired-guy being, well, retired.

"Happy Labour Day" to everyone.

hugs, Deb

2 & fall preparations

 Gwynn on her 2nd birthday.

It was a fun family gathering to celebrate Gwynn on this long and very hot weekend.
This is the doll bed gramps built for her while I baked cupcakes.

It's a double doll bed although before leaving the party I noticed a stuffed kitty and a donkey having a snooze in it. :)) She'll enjoy this.

I'm anxious to clean up around the old pump today and add some fall touches. Oh, I know it's early but I don't care. Fall flies by like no other season and I intend to enjoy all it's splendor as long as I can. There are many signs of the change at the mouse-house. Even the birds are making plans. :)

An adult garter snake was basking in the heat of the sun near our fence today. I only got a quick glance and then I was off running. :-b

hugs, Deb

Preparing for 'monkey-time'.

While our old dog, Kane, paced until he finally found a comfy place to land and Audrey, after playing in the garage and getting dirty, listened to her favorite (paws down) CD by John Denver, Greatest Hits Volume 3,  and Annie & Sierra napped, I baked banana cupcakes for a Curious George birthday party for our little grandittle, Gwynn.

The retired-guy spent the morning building a doll's bed in his favorite garage. A busy morning that went by far too quickly. I went outside to tend to the feeders and saw that something much bigger than any bird here had paid a visit overnight and all but destroyed my new feeder. Oh well, it becomes another project for the retired-guy to get to when he's finished with the bed. He'll love that.  These things are bound to happen in the country.

So today our little Gwynn turns 2. There will be lots of little monkeys at the party to celebrate and the weather promises to be beautiful as the normal September temperatures move in. I just love this month.

      "Happy Birthday Curious Little Gwynn"


hugs, Deb

What made you smile lately?

First off, "Happy 61st Birthday" to the busiest retired guy I know.
                           He did take time to enjoy his day. :)
                            Lots of love from all your family.

                            
                              What made me smile lately?
 Waking to cool breezes coming through open windows. And the days being warm and sunny.

                                                          A daily watering of the flowers.
                Watching for the changing leaves around the mouse house.

 

Getting bit by 'something' in the garden with a sense of humour.

My silly cats who always entertain me. Note to self...stop buying cat beds.

 

Annie on the floor with the dog.

Having our turkey family drop by again this week.

They are cleaning up the spillage from the feeders.

Audrey's been watching for them all morning.

What brought a smile to your face lately?

hugs, Deb

A fun photo and a turkey sighting

A favorite fall photo of

Audrey watching a moth that came in through the window on a cool October day.

This was taken three years ago at our old house.

It's been warm here the last few days but not near the humidity that we had for most of August. I much prefer September for that reason.
I checked the tomato plants this morning and sure enough there were loads of wee tomatoes for tonight's salad and pizza. The large tomatoes are all done now but I'm sure there are still 100 little ones to pick.

The mouse house had visitors again today. I had just cleaned up around the well; moved some plants from the pump to the fence and cut the grass when low and behold our rather large turkey family came by for a visit. They have been staying around the back of the lot lately; eating where the perennials are. But they always love to check out the grass after it is freshly cut. I cannot get too close so the photos aren't great but to be honest, I don't want to get too close to them. They have grown so much that I can't tell who is who anymore. They are all as big as the parents.

I am so happy to see the mourning doves back at the feeders and a family of five blue-jays. The chickadees are still the friendliest of all and everyone is making the best of the new feeder.

 

(chickadee)

I'll be adding suet this winter and will share a great recipe from my friend, Susan at  http://proseccoandpolkadots.blogspot.ca/. The birds devoured it.

hugs, Deb

Glimpses of the coming fall at the mouse house.

No matter where you look here, fall is on it's way.

Mornings bring fog and cooler temperatures.

I cut the grass in the middle of the day yesterday and did not die from the heat.

 

See the teeny red leaf on the sumac. Soon they will all be a brilliant red.

 

The cats are wanting to be close now in the mornings when the cooler breeze comes in the windows.

                        They are my company when I blog.

It's getting dark by 8 p.m. now. I do miss the long, warm evenings but I am so ready for the beauty of autumn.

Mums at the old well.

Another September beauty.

hugs, Deb