If we were having coffee: Waiting for Hermine

Yesterday evening’s sky.

I wish that I could put up yesterday’s evening sky for all posterity, could preserve a night of love, the sound of a mountain stream, a realization as it sets my mind afire, a dance, a day of harmony, ten thousand glorious days of clouds that will instead vanish and never be seen again, line them up in jars where they might be admired in the interim and tasted again as needed.

~Rebecca Solnit, The Faraway Nearby

Yesterday morning’s sky.

If we were having coffee, tea, water, or some other beverage, we would be meeting early today because an unexpected guest will be arriving tonight.  Early in the week, our weather forecast for the Labor Day weekend was beautiful.  Sunny, cooler, drier days.  Then Hermine developed down in the Gulf of Mexico and she has decided to head our way.  The weather prognosticators are saying the rain and wind will start sometime tonight and continue through tomorrow and Sunday.  There are already bands of rain from the storm approaching Norfolk, Virginia, which is just a few hours south of here.

Bands of clouds this morning.

It’s great to see you again!  Come on in and make yourself at home.  The weather is gorgeous right now so let’s take our drinks and snacks out to the porch where we can enjoy the cool breeze and watch as the high, thin bands of clouds race by.  The hummingbirds will likely be chattering at us, too, and we’ll probably see a few goldfinches and cardinals feeding at the sunflowers.

On the garden fence.

How are you?  What have you been up to lately?  Have you traveled anywhere or seen anything new?  Have you taken any classes or workshops or in some way learned a new trick or two?  Have you gone on any good hikes or walks?  How is the weather in your neck of the world?  Have you read any good books or watched any good films?

After yesterday morning’s rain showers.

I am currently reading Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.  I’ve had the book on my bookshelf for about a year or so.  I saw an advert for the Tim Burton movie based on the book and thought it was high time I read the book.  I am thoroughly enjoying it so far.  As for films, we recently watched Suffragette.  I thought it was good.  I was reminded of another movie we saw a few years ago about the suffragette movement and the force feeding of women who were arrested and on a hunger strike.  I can’t remember the name of it and a search isn’t turning up what I think it was.  Perhaps it was Iron Jawed Women, but the title isn’t ringing any bells for me.

Three.

If we were having coffee, you may have noticed that I haven’t been around much since our last coffee chat.  It’s been a busy week.  I went on a quick trip to be with family (including Little Wookie) on Sunday and Monday.  Since returning I’ve been trying to get caught up on everything that has been neglected pretty much since the beginning of July when I went to Ohio.  I’m also getting ready for the Great Fall Cleaning Event.  I didn’t really do the spring cleaning this year so it seems like a good idea to put some energy and zeal behind the fall cleaning.

Ruffled.

The busy-ness will probably continue throughout the rest of the month because there is another short trip coming up and when I return my niece will be coming to stay and help out for a week.  She was looking for some extra money and I was looking for someone to help out with my garden so it should be a perfect pairing.  If we get the garden cleaned up and ready for winter, I might reconsider expanding it.  For now, I’m leaving the weeds in hopes they will help support the flowers during Hermine’s rainy, windy visit.

Presence.

If we were having coffee or tea or something else to drink, I would tell you that storms make me nervous during the best of times.  But you probably already know that.  Hermine’s upcoming visit wasn’t really bothering me much until I had a look at the weather website that likes to make all weather look alarming and dire.  Our weather folks have been remarkably (and unusually) calm and have said that the main threat will be heavy rain (1-4 inches) and wind gusts up to 45 mph on the eastern side of the pennisula (where the beaches are located).  They’re also expecting storm surges, rip tides, big waves, and some beach erosion.  It shouldn’t be as bad here on the western side.

Glowing from within.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I was finally able to take a walk in the woods yesterday.  I haven’t been out there for over a month due to the swarms of biting insects.  The breeze and cooler temperatures have swept them aside for now.  Two trees have toppled over.  I’m not sure when that would have happened.  Perhaps during the storms that occurred near the end of July while I was away.  We haven’t had much in the way of wind and rain since that time.

There is a lot of red in the scrounger’s garden this year.

If we were having coffee, tea, or something else, I would tell you that the goldenrod at the edge of the meadow is beginning to bloom, the sweet gum tree leaves are beginning to turn yellow and red, and some of the marsh grasses are taking on their fall red color.  The pathways through the meadows haven’t been mowed in months so it’s hard to say what’s going on out there.  M has contacted the man who mowed the front meadow, and he’ll be coming around sometime this fall or winter to mow the side meadow.  The front meadow, which I referred to as the Bare Meadow after it was mowed, is so overgrown again that we’ll probably have to mow it again next year.  It amazes me how fast things grow around here.

Goldenrod and Partridge Peas.

If we were having coffee, it would be time for me to turn this over to you.  I will have to get back outside soon to take down the laundry I hung out to dry, and to make sure all the hatches are battened down.  M took care of most of the preparations yesterday evening so we should be good, but it doesn’t hurt to have another look around.  Someone remind me to take down the hummingbird feeders.  They’re glass and it’s probably best to put them somewhere safe from the wind.  Or at least put them on the ground until Hermine moves on.

Black-eyed Susans in the meadow.

Thank you so much for stopping by for another coffee chat.  I always enjoy your visits.  I doubt we’ll see much of a sunset this evening.  It’s scheduled for 7:30 PM.  As of this writing, they’re predicting most of the heavy rain and gusty winds won’t arrive until about 5:00 AM tomorrow so maybe I’ll head down to the Point just to see what’s going on and enjoy the cooler weather while it lasts.  You’re welcome to join me if you like.

Turning red.

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Quietly waiting.

This post is in response to Part Time Monster’s #WeekendCoffeeShare.  Thank you to Diana for hosting it.  Also, a big congratulations for the #WeekendCoffeeShare being featured on WordPress’s Daily Post.  So glad to see it being shared among the rest of the community!  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.

Getting breezy by the pond.