One more upheaval now done. The attic boxes and contents are ship-shape and the Salvation Army will smile when I drive up. Enough.

Though warm days keep rolling back in, it still is fall. Marge pulled the flora out of the pool exposing the aquatic animals to view though the fish mainly stay at the bottom now. One of the frogs was easily visible. Usually, I only hear the plop as he dives back in and out of sight under the plant life...

Frog friend clinging to pond edge.

Marge assembled her leaf netting for the pond and together we moved it into its place for the winter.

One of the colder, gloomy days I was inspired to make bread again...

All ingredients in one bowl, add 19 hours.

By the time the second rising and the baking were complete, it was back to summer temps outside.

This recipe is sort of amazing. Hard to believe it's so easy. Figuring out if I'll be around at the 19th through 23rd hour is the main concern. Alton Brown dreamed this one up... Knead Not Sourdough on the Food Network.

Jeanenne and Larry took a couple of days to go to Miramar Beach and Jeanenne got out her watercolors and made some art that she shared with me...

These are making me smile all over again. It's so much fun thinking about and seeing what Jeanenne has been doing with watercolors!

Saturday, Marge and I took the bus to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. It sits on 250 acres...

...and the Chihuly Exhibit was still up.

We walked in the woods, ate tacos from a food truck, saw wonderful trees and growing things, and still didn't see it all.

Someone forgot their hat. Must have been playing outside somewhere.

It got so warm I changed into a tee-shirt I bought in the gift shop.

A creek runs through the property...










The rose garden at the end of the season didn't completely disappoint. We found this...

"'Julia Child'. Personally selected by Julia Child for its buttery yellow color..."

And Sandy just sent this lovely view from Missouri...

Holding My Breath and Dancing

We are all excited about possibilities that are in front of Keoni in the weeks and months ahead. A Junior-year recital he is preparing for (two pieces violin, two viola) will include his mom, dad, and brother in the audience who are flying to GA to attend early next month. Later in October, he'll be in Philly a brief weekend for the second-round audition for a viola sub spot at the Philadelphia Orchestra. He already has secured a sub viola spot in the New World Symphony Orchestra in Miami. Two weeks in February will see him as a guest violist for a symphony orchestra in Iowa. I am by turns holding my breath then dancing-excited.

McDuffie Center for Strings where Keoni has been a student these last, two-plus years, allows for students to go to gigs that further their places in the music world. An amazing, common-sense approach to the betterment of a career and the school's own reputation.

You'll be right if you guessed that yours truly is the goatherd while Wendy, John, and Aidan fly to Keoni's recital next month. Sandy will be visiting PA that month and promises to be backup. Since she mid-wifed the birth of Rosy it will be a reunion of sorts.

Recently, Sandy with her friend Janice joined our sister Jeanenne at the Missouri Botanical Gardens followed by a lunch out together. Sandy sent along a snap for me...

Jeanenne, Sandy, and Janice.

Aidan and I worked in a walk together at the farm during his busy days. It's easy to see he's been lifting weights as he scooped up Rosy, who is no longer a kid...

From the Weather Desk: Summer and Fall are in a tangle; tumbling through the forests, along the shores, skies, the air. Yesterday was jacket weather; this morning, I am sitting on the patio in pajamas and summer robe. The usual magnificence of the leaves is dimmed by the struggles as the colors go from summer's greens often to browns more than all the oranges, yellows, and reds of a Pennsylvania fall landscape. Marge and I, in a little while, are going to settle the net-dome over the fish pond for the winter to keep the falling leaves out. The fish are beginning their transition to winter behavior and no longer are fed daily. Marge saw one of the frogs who is good size now.

Wendy sent a video moment from her back porch this week...

Let It Begin with Me

First, I want to acknowledge and hold dear our weather-bashed citizens and peoples who will spend decades dealing with the fury of hurricanes; and for those in the midst of still another atrocity that shot to death, wounded, and changed so many lives right here in America a few days ago and, not-to-be-forgotten, for those who every day of every month experience the terror of gun deaths, maimings, fear, and pain.

Citizens of America, put aside allegiances to organized, corporate walls placed against the huge majority of Americans who want common sense to prevail against war-zone weaponry ownership and controls over killing-them-softly and swiftly, weapon modifications. Read the Second Amendment yourself here, not the self-interested interpretations of loud, monied organizations and the weapons corporations furthering their grasp for ever-more lucre and power over our lives and governing representatives. Ask yourself what "well-regulated militia" and "keep and bear arms" means in the context of today's "bump" stocks, silencers, "automatic", rapid fire, and handguns means to you today. Then, YOU decide what can be done about the wildly unbalanced weapons control we're experiencing in our country every single day that leads to ever more savagery. Break the throat-hold of those weaponry-wielding, fear-mongering elitists with your own common sense and ground-up actions whether voting or peaceful action.

What to do: Here are some actions. Here is how to contact all Federal and State Elected Officials. And, for good measure, I am supporting the organization led by Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly. If you want to check that out--Americans for Responsible Solutions.

Sent from South Carolina by Marge's brother John after one of the hurricanes...

...I'm posting his photo as a visual prayer of remembrance of all those lost to the violence of the hurricanes, of all those lost to the violence of weapons.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Fog began Nature's morning today. Coffee began mine. Fall pushed away the hot part of the hurricanes' hot, humid froth this past week. It's now chilly in the mornings and humid. The streams of sunlight illuminate the drips falling from the tree leaves.

From The Week That Was Desk:

Searching for the property where Sandy is going to stay...

...and I found it here.

There were opportunities for walks at the farm, too...

Austin grazing.

Sunset and half moon. Also, airliner cruising into Philadelphia.

And Rosy smiling at me.

Happy dogs and cats.

Over at the "milk" store, the corn maze is almost ripe enough for Halloween circuits.

Pumpkins and gourds are pouring in everywhere.

Saturday, I pulled apart the third-floor room I use. Here's a somewhat before picture. I'd already managed to inch-by-inch move the big cabinet chest across the room.






Sunday, morning over at church came the annual St. Francis of Assisi Blessing of the Animals. The day was perfect for the outdoor service.






By Sunday night, I'd finished moving stuff around upstairs and here's the "after" picture...






This week, Marge, Pat and I carried our breakfast to Lake Nockamixon to eat it there...

A heron flapped in for a little fishing.

And I sat and watched and sketched. Dressed in my ball cap, jeans and jacket, a groundskeeper approaching from behind didn't know whether to address me as Ms or Sir and tried both. When I turned around, he politely addressed me as Miss and asked if the breakfast stuff on the nearby picnic table with no one around, belonged to me. Interesting, how we think of each other and ourselves as genders.

Geese with heron.

Geese, ducks and heron.

And, today, Wendy sent along a snap of Toby on his favorite fence.

Toby.