Is It Too Early?

Hello friends,

Warning: This post is photo heavy!

I bet you think I'm going to ask how early is too early for Christmas? Well, that's not my question. My question is, how early is too early to start decorating for Autumn? aka Fall if you live in America.

Meteorological Autumn begins in a few days on September 1st, while Astronomical Autumn is recognised as starting on the Autumn Equinox around the 22nd of September, this year on Saturday 23rd September, and ending on Friday, the 22nd of December with the Winter Solstice.

Those of you who know me well know that, although I love and honour all the seasons, Autumn is my favourite. I don't know why I love it so much. Maybe it's because I'm an October baby. Who knows? I love everything about it.  Even the bad weather!  I love the warmer layers of clothing. I love the softer lighting as the sun slips slowly lower in the sky. I love mittens and fingerless gloves, scarves and woollen hats. I love wrapping up warmly. I loved going out for long walks on frosty days. I loved stomping through crisply crunchy fallen leaves. I love closing my curtains on the darker evenings. I love the changing smells that waft from the kitchen. I love bringing out my blankets from storage and draping them on the sofa and chairs ready to use as the nights become more and more chilly. I love candles. I love hot chocolate. I love pumpkins. I love the wind, as it howls in the chimney. As long as everyone stays safe, I even like the sturdy winds that come with the Autumn storms.  I love watching Hallmark Christmas movies on the television.

So that raises the question. how soon is too soon to begin decorating for Autumn? Can I do it now, or should I wait until Astronomical Autumn in a few more weeks? Well, I think I already know the answer to this question. A few bits and pieces might start making their way out slowly; I won't go for the full on Autumn just yet, but it won't be long!

Here are a few photos of some decorating from previous years.

We mustn't forget the pumpkins!

I am rather fond of pumpkins. Of all sorts of pumpkins. You'll notice my handle is Rustic Pumpkin.  I have just put together an assemblance of these photos to have a calendar for next year, every photo will be a pumpkin!

So my friends,

Until next time.

Stay safe. Stay well.

Debbie xx 

Return to the Garden and the Magical Eye of Ceridwen

Hello, friends!

I am between art courses at the moment. The next one starts in a week. It's a 10 day long course by Ida Lang Anderson. We work on one piece of art over the 10 days. It's going to be an interesting project for me because I am not a patient person in that respect. I like to see my results quickly.

In the meantime, I had help, as I mentioned previously with my garden. A lot of clearing has been done and now the garden is resting in between seasons and recuperating its strength. Clearing debris meant a lot of space freed up so that light could get in between the plants again.  I could not resist half an hour in the garden, walking round, capturing the lovely sunlight with its unique autumnal qualities.

Native Fern

Bramble leaves in sunlight

Rosebay Willowherb seed heads

Late flowering rose on the rugosa.

Rosa ragosa hips.

Spider web in the camellia.

Japanese wind anemones

Cosmia Lucifer, seedhead.

The Magical Eye is a warm up exercise for the next art course I am doing which is called Wish Upon A Star. Hosted by Ida Anderson Lang.  

I don't have a fine gold pen at the moment, so I've left the wording off for now. When I do add it, it will be named after Ceridwen, the Welsh Enchantress.  

Looking at this now, I can see I really do need to work on eyelashes! But then again, I've only been doing faces of any sort. for a couple of months. It will come in time, I'm sure.

Practise! Practise! Practise!

Since I last wrote, I have had a thorough asthma and respiratory checkup. This is the first one I have ever had that has been so thorough, it lasted an hour, is to be followed with a review in a month, and I have to have blood tests to try and find out what my trigger is.  I've come out with completely new medication, and I'm really hopeful that we might shortly discover the cause behind the worsening of my asthma.  It was generally agreed today that although I have only had my official diagnosis in 1999, it is most likely I have been asthmatic since I was a baby at age 6 weeks old when I had my very first attack of bronchitis.  I've gone from two medications, {one to be taken twice daily, one to be taken as needed} to four different ones, now taken very differently. Fingers crossed this new regime will work better and I will see an improvement in my respiratory system.  Shake me and I rattle!!!

Until next time

Stay Safe, Stay Well

Debbie xoxo