If we were having coffee: After the party edition

The heart of the rose.

If you want an interesting party sometime, combine cocktails and a fresh box of crayons for everyone.

~ Robert Fulghum

Peek-a-boo

If we were having coffee or some other beverage, I would be thrilled to see you again.  Come on in!  Hugs if you’re amenable to them, a respectful nod and a smile if you’re not.  Let’s grab whatever we’re drinking today and head out to the deck or the porch.  Where we sit is your choice although the weather might have some input on the decision.  There is a good chance of rain until after noon today.  The weather folks are calling it “an elongated area of disturbed weather” (Dr. Jeff Masters’ WunderBlog).  It’s been sitting off the coast of the Carolinas.  I mentioned it on Monday, I think, when they were calling it Invest 97L.  Anyhow, it looks as though it’s going to be making its way north, providing wind and rain.  We’ve been under a coastal flood advisory for the past few days from the wind driving the water from the Chesapeake Bay our way, and higher tides due to the moon phase (it’s approaching full moon status).  The flooding has been minor.  Just a little water on the roadways here and there, and water along the sides of the boardwalk that leads to our dock.

I see you

Phew!  That was a long “hi, come on in!”  I am feeling loquacious today so I apologize for that in advance.  I will probably talk your ear off.  (Pardon the use of “loquacious” where “chatty” would  have sufficed.  I am trying to expand my vocabulary which, oddly, appears to be shrinking lately.  Maybe “garrulous” would have fit better since my excessive babbling borders on the trivial.)

How are you?  Fit as a fiddle, I hope.  What have you been up to lately?  Have you gone on any walks or adventures?  Traveled anywhere?  Spent time with friends or family?  Have you read any good books or watched any good films?  Have a seat and catch me up on all your doings and not-doings.

Leaning in (Praying mantis.)

If we were having coffee or some other beverage, I would tell you that I finally finished reading The Abominable by Dan Simmons.  It was near the end of the book that I discovered there are some things I just can’t do anymore.  I wanted to stay up Thursday night until I finished it, but I was so exhausted (with good reason) I couldn’t do it.  When I was younger, I would stay up all night to devour a good book.  Now it seems like no matter how good the book or how exciting the story, I can’t do it.  My eyes cross, my eyelids give up fighting gravity, and the next thing I know, I’m jolting awake as the book falls from my hands.

It was a good book.  It’s the kind of book I think should be turned into a movie.  Epic is an appropriate word for it.  Adventurous, thrilling, and yes, long.  663 pages long.  Simmons’ descriptions are so good that there were moments when I felt as if I were climbing Mt. Everest with the characters in the book.  Some might find all the climbing details, especially when it comes to the equipment, tedious, but I found it fascinating.  If I wasn’t afraid of heights, I’d be a mountain climber.  That sounds weird, doesn’t it?  I used to want to climb mountains until I had a big fall from high up that helped me acquire my fear of heights.  It’s not the going up that bothers me.  It’s the coming down.  And sooner or later, you have to come down.

A path in the meadow

I started reading An Imaginative Experience by Mary Wesley last night.  It’s a short book, and I should be finished with it within a few days.  That’s really all I can say about it since I’m only a couple of pages in.

Fall colors peeping out in the meadow

If we were having coffee or some other beverage, I would tell you that our get-together with M’s colleagues went well.  Everyone had a good time (or at least said they had a good time, and I have no reason to doubt them).  I think about 20-25 people out of the 40 invited showed up.  We had veggie and cheese trays from a local grocery store, but I also made some more substantial food for those who wished to do more than snack.  Well.  It turns out everyone wanted to do more than snack.  The vegetarian chili (sweet potato, black bean, and chipotle chili) was gone before the last few stragglers showed up.  I made enough to fill a large crock pot and thought we would be freezing leftovers for us to eat for lunches or dinners. I was wrong.  The chili was quite popular.  So was the marinated cabbage salad (a highfalutin way of saying “coleslaw”).  The cheese and veggie trays ended up going to work with M yesterday so they wouldn’t go to waste.  It’s more than we could eat.  We did keep a little behind so if you’re feeling a little peckish or just want to snack, feel free to help yourself.

An early morning gathering at the lagoon

During the party, I took a couple of tours of people for a walk on the Woodland Trail and to the dock.  The dock was a good place to be on Thursday.  It was breezy, but not cold, with just enough clouds overhead to make the sky interesting.  It was wonderful to finally be able to share some of the beauty of the ranch with more folks.  I’d like to have more gatherings here in the future.  It might be fun to have a once-a-month soup night during the winter months, but I’ll have to give it some thought.  We have had so much going on throughout the summer, and it will be nice to have a little time to ourselves with no visits or travels on the immediate horizon.

Equinox moon

If we were having coffee or some other beverage, I would tell you that on the days the sky hasn’t been completely overcast this week, we’ve had some gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.  I would also tell you that I am hoping to see the eclipse tomorrow night.  Do you have plans to watch it?  They are calling it a Super Blood Moon.  It’s also the Harvest Moon.  The elongated area of disturbed weather (heavy cloud cover and rain) might prohibit us from seeing it.  Fingers crossed that the sky clears in time for the show.

Equinox sunset

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I recently had another look at my 15 Things list.  Once the mosquitoes die down (or die out for the season), there are three things left on the list that I will do:

1. Spend a night, or at least part of a night, outdoors watching the stars.
2. Spend a day, or half a day at least, sitting in the woods, waiting to see what comes along.
3. Spend a day, or half a day at least, sitting on the dock, waiting to see what comes along.

Once I’ve done those three things, I will consider the list as complete as it is possible for me to complete it this year.  Some of the items couldn’t be checked off because life interfered with my plans.  I have saved these three things for the autumn months because it is my favorite time of year to be outdoors.

Sunrise clouds on Thursday

If we were having coffee or some other beverage, I would tell you that I have probably taken enough of your time.  If you would like to stay a little longer, we can take a walk in the meadows provided it isn’t pouring down rain.  You might have noticed on your way in that the Bare Meadow Which Is No Longer Bare has become a sea of yellow.  Several varieties of goldenrod are blooming.  It is beautiful.  Mother Nature has a way of painting autumn colors across the landscape that is unparalleled.

Connected

Thank you so much for visiting with me today.  Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Autumn light in the woods

This post is in response to Part Time Monster’s #WeekendCoffeeShare.  Put the kettle on, start the coffee maker, open a bottle of wine, or whatever your preference is, and join us.  I’d love to hear all about what you were up to this week.

Perched. (Izzy on her cat tree this morning.)