Would You Like a Cuppa?

I hope Sunday works for you to share a cuppa coffee or tea – or if later in the day would be better, we can go out on the deck and have a glass of wine, beer, or lemon-water if you would prefer. I would have invited you yesterday, but it was one of those mornings where I started on one thing, thought of something else so ran off to take care of that, eventually getting back to the first thing I started – one of those scattered, “better do it now while I think of it” mornings. Have you had any of those? I find they come more often now that I am more mature. I think most of my dying brain cells are in the memory sector.

Why don’t you bring your coffee, and we’ll take a little walk around the yard – there are these signs of fall scattered about and I love the colors Mother Nature paints with this time of year. The big furry girls will probably join us – Shasta for certain, because she does not like taking a chance that she’ll miss something. Bailey? Maybe. Depends on how her joints are feeling this morning. Oh look, she is coming with us! This Viburnum – sorry, I don’t recall specifically which variety this one is – is finally starting to look like a bush. It’s been a straggler for a few years now, so it pleases me to see it finally take hold. I like how the edges of the leaves are touched with color.

There is another Viburnum out here in the Windmill Bed – this one is a “Blue Muffin”, and the tag promises blue flowers. Some day. When it grows up some more, perhaps. It’s younger than the other one we looked at, so I’m trying to be patient. The autumn red has spread further into its leaves, hasn’t it?

Shall we wander through the plum brush patch towards the road a little bit? I see a few new pine trees making there way into the world in this corner of the yard. Amazing how they can continue to survive despite the fact that they get so little water in the summer months, isn’t it? We seldom get measurable rain in the summer – it’s easy to plan outside activities in this part of the country, because getting rained out is such a rarity.

Across the road, you see the fence posts with a variety of electrical insulators mounted on them? He works for the power company, and collects all sorts of things power-related. Did you know there are people that do that? I thought he might be the only person in the world that did, but then a couple of years ago his property was peppered with motor homes, campers and tents – turns out there are a lot of these kinds of collectors. It was like a regular convention over there. How fun to get together with others with the same interests and share stories, trade items, and just know that you fit in. On this part of his fence, he has this sign, and I wonder if, since it’s upside down, it really means low voltage?

Look, back across the field there – see how the aspen nestled in amongst the pines are starting to turn their fall gold? I’ve noticed this year that several of the aspen are losing their leaves without getting the brilliant autumn color I so love – I’m not sure why. Perhaps because our winter was warm and dry?

Shall we go back now – I notice that Bailey is straggling behind, which usually means her old legs are getting tuckered out. We can sit on the deck, if you like. Would you like your cup refilled? It’s been a fairly quiet week here, but my weeks usually are these days. Fall is a time of slowing down, readying for the cold winter months spent huddled inside, taking on inside projects, reading books, napping. General laziness, although I incorporated a great deal of that into my summer this year too. The “want” part of beautiful, tamed flower beds is still there – the motivation to do what’s required to create that is lurking somewhere in the shadows, not showing its face as often as I would like it to.

My cats? Well, Lily disappeared about two weeks ago and I prefer not to think of what might have happened to her. I still think I hear her meowing at the door now and then, but when I open it, there is nothing other than the sound of birds, squirrels or chipmunks and, on weekends, the kids down below next door. Or the barking of their dogs – they have several, and they tend to set up a loud fuss quite often. Twiggy is here in the house somewhere – she is rather shy and does not often come out when people she doesn’t know are around. Oddly, she has become much more cuddly since Lily has not been around. I don’t really understand that, since Lily spent little time in the house and even less time in my lap.

I’m so happy you were able to join me this morning. We should do this more often, I think. Come over anytime – I am rarely so busy I could not take time to visit for awhile. Next time perhaps I’ll bake something – something evil, sticky and fattening would be best, don’t you think? I’ll go add some things I’ll need to my grocery list right now!

A parting shot is a good idea, I think – the leaning fence we saw earlier when we were on our road.