Sunday Stroll - August 30

You may visit Aisling's blog and see other Sunday Strollers on this last Sunday in August.



Astrologically speaking, we are now in Virgo. Virgo is a mutable sign which, in natural terms, means that this period from the twenties of August into the twenties of September is sometimes like summer and other times like fall. Often we have a day which contains both seasons - a cool fallish morning, with a warm summery afternoon, and then back to fall in the evening. Personally, I love it. I love this time of year with the often crisp air and bright blue skies. I even like the gray rains that cool off the summer-burnt lawns and plants.

Late August is quiet, muted, soft. After the hustle-bustle of summer, nature and people breathe a welcome sigh of relief. The end of August is the end of summer here. Other places will have flowers and gardens that thrive well into the fall, and even the winter, but here we are pretty much done.

Brown-eyed Susans

Goldenrod

Tansy

Goldenglow

Asters

The milkweed pods have formed

Some color starting in the maple leaves

The ugly tent caterpillars

Nest won't be needed till next spring

We've begun the garden cleanup - still have some food, but it looks pretty sad this time of year

Peaceful

Sunday Stroll/August 9

This Sunday I want to talk about strolling through the blogs; that is, how I live in the blogging world. First off, you'll notice that I don't show any 'followers' on my blog. This is because I am a modest and shy soul. I'm also not a 'follower' of any blogs. The ones I read are over there on the sidebar. I don't subscribe to any blogs or get any alerts. I can look to my left and see if someone has written something new. I keep a bookmark folder called 'new visits' and a folder called 'new commenters.' Every so often I go to these folders, read a few blogs, and sometimes add them to the blog lists. I love each and every blog I visit. There are some I have absolutely nothing in common with but I like the people and love to read whatever they have to say. There are some with whom I share a common interest. Some blogs make me laugh, some make me cry, each one makes me think and feel.

I am able to be on the world wide web because of this little satellite. It is a miracle to me. But that said, it still isn't as fast as many people are able to go. It is definitely miles better than the old dial-up connection, but it is affected by wind and rain. Not here necessarily, but down in Laredo, Texas. Sometimes we can't connect and Tom will call and they'll say, 'it's raining in Laredo.' Though I get annoyed, I also kind of like it that in this modern electronic world, nature still rules.



Because I don't have a super-duper fast internet connection, it takes me a long time to make my way around each day. Usually what I do is go visit someone and stay a while. I read a few entries at one time, and try to say something warm and witty in reply. ;<) But there are some days I don't have a chance to visit anyone, usually the days I am writing a blog entry myself. Those take a long time, too; even ones with just a photo. I have often walked all around the yard, taken 100 pictures and culled 99 to come up with a view that I'm pleased with. And if I write, say a book report, it always takes me ages. Good thing I'm not a writer because I'd never even have time to cook or pat the dogs. I imagine what it must be like to have really high-speed access. I'd zoom around my list in no time flat. But as it is now, I sometimes don't make it over to a blog I love for days or even weeks or months. That doesn't mean I forget about any of them. On the contrary, I'll find myself thinking about someone during the day or even as I nod off at night, and think I must go 'see' them soon.

Please do head over to The Quiet Country House and see where others are strolling today.

Sunday Stroll/July 26

My Sunday Stroll is a bird's-eye view looking out the upstairs windows. Tom followed me around, removing screens and putting them back on again after I took the photos.

I began at the east windows, moved to the south, and then crossed the hall to the north windows. There is no west view because we have no upstairs west windows. It was a bit overcast (it is bright and sunny now!) and the pictures aren't all that great, but I wanted to give you an idea of where the house sits on the land.

You may visit Aisling and see the other strollers this Sunday.

looking east - the side lawn and vegetable garden. everything is growing beautifully - what a year! beyond the woodpile you may see part of the tractor - from there the road goes up into our woods about .2 mile

to the left of the garden; honeysuckle, rhubarb, lilacs, rosa rugosa, globe thistle, milkweed

to the right of the garden facing south; honeysuckle, William Baffin rose, daylilies - area between honeysuckle and daylilies has yet to be planted. maybe cosmos next year? we plan to get rid of the sidewalk stones, too. the grass has taken over!

front of the house; daylilies and phlox, patio, start of terrace - another area to be planted between gone-by baptisia australis and daylilies. there is some spiderwort hidden in there

terrace and front lawn

daylilies along terrace (need to cut back the aquilegia!)

front lawn with old, old maple, crabapple, and plum trees - the road here goes down to the main road and the mailbox about .1 mile

tubs of torenia and verbena (and ever present splitting maul)

looking toward the west - lilacs (there is a sidewalk between the short light purple and the taller dark purple) and elephant ears or dutchman's pipe - the leaning tree is an ancient Duchess apple

out the north windows, looking toward west - the north pasture

raspberry patch

out the north windows, looking east - rhubarb, lupines, and the rosa rugosa in second photo

porch which faces west, standing on terrace looking north

porch looking south

Sunday Stroll/July 19

You may visit here, and walk along with others on their Sunday Strolls.



Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luke 12:27, King James Version

I'm quite sure the Bible isn't talking about daylilies, but still... . Everywhere I look there are daylilies, mostly the orange variety, but there are splashes of other colors appearing everyday. Some are a blur of orange as I immerse myself in their beauty.

Two Sunday Strolls/July 12

You may visit Aisling's blog to see who else did some strolling yesterday.




The first Sunday Stroll actually took place on Saturday evening, and indeed takes place every day the weather is good. In the morning the animals make a trek from their home pasture, the south pasture where the barn is, across the road to the north pasture. In the evening they come back; they like to be in the barn at night. This Sunday Stroll was Tom's idea, and they are his photos.

Lining up at the north pasture gate 5 pm Saturday

Coming through

Stopping for a snack

Heading across the road (not a main road; essentially 'ours' though the town maintains it)

Stopping for a snack on the other side before heading into the south pasture

On the way to their barn

The second Sunday Stroll is also a 'further afield' entry (other f.a. posts on the sidebar under letter topics). We traveled to New London, New Hampshire to stroll among the gnus.

gnu |n(y)oō|
noun
a large dark antelope with a long head, a beard and mane, and a sloping back. Also called wildebeest . • Genus Connochaetes, familyBovidae: two species, in particular the abundant brindled gnu or blue wildebeest ( C. taurinus).
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from Khoikhoi and San, perhaps imitative of the sound made by the animal when alarmed.

Please do read the link to find out what this is all about. These works of art are beautiful and creatively named. They are all along the streets of this lovely town. Here are a few examples of the over twenty gnus we visited. I've put the sign first and then the gnu.

Yes, THE Tomie de Paola!