Quiet Days

Last week J. decided to visit his sister who lives in Tennessee.

I was still weary from my painting project, from late [delightful] evenings with company, from hours of canning fruit.

Contemplating the miles of riding in the car, three nights in a strange bed, the effort needed for conversation and outings I suddenly decided I was not up for it.

I sent J. on his way--not without some regrets--but also with a feeling of relief as

quiet descended on the house.

The day was chilly and sunless with a nipping wind.

I made up the wood fire in the living room, put the kettle on for tea, gathered books and magazines and retreated to my favorite lair--my Grampa Mac's old rocking chair which sits in a corner near the fireplace.

I thought briefly of the projects I might undertake with no scheduled meals to prepare, no din of the TV.

I even considered that perhaps I should haul out the vac and do a bit of house cleaning.

In the end, I admitted that I was badly over-tired and that I could REST without feeling guilty.

By Sunday morning sunshine had returned and two days of quiet tasks interspersed with hours of  reading by the fire had begun to restore me.

With breakfast cleared away and animals tended, I went outside to enjoy October's 'bright blue weather.'

Each day a new crop of leaves has drifted down from the dooryard trees.

Dogwood leaves have turned a glowing deep red.

The old pear tree looms against the sky.

Yesterday the corn harvesting machinery growled through the field, leaving brown stubble behind.

A clump of yarrow, started from seed in the springtime, blooms near the front steps.

Last blooms on the phlox.

Roses and mint.

Willis potters about with me, weaving through the tall bleached grass at the edge of the front field.

Llittle Edward poses prettily in a clump of lavender.

Not as attractive as catnip, still my herbal harvest must be investigated.

Note the differences in color of the lavender branches.  The grey tinged stalks are from plants purchased last year. The plants I raised this spring from seed designated a 'lavender vera' have green foliage.

Each day the landscape changes as the leaves deepen in color and then

float down to lie in sweeps and billows across the lawn.

Mornings are darker, the daylight melts away into dusky evenings as we move ever closer to the season of winter.