Change of season...

 Today is the official first day of fall, though the season has made its coming felt in the past weeks. The foliage is beginning to change. Not the in-your-face bright oranges and yellows yet, but some russet tones here and there if you take time to look. The days have been sunny and warm, but the air blowing in the still-open window at night is downright crisp. 

We've had lots of company staying with us on and off since June. Our dear friend Angel left today after a lovely visit. We first met her and her family when they moved in across the street from us in Memphis many years ago. Their oldest daughter was four at the time. This year, two of her all-grown-up daughters were here for a day or so while their mom was visiting, adding to the fun. We had some good times cooking meals together, catching up, and chatting endlessly. 

We cooked lobster at least twice, enjoyed fires outside, and the Maine vibe was strong. I hardly took any pictures, shame on me. 

I did manage to capture Field's carrying last night's lobster in for the feast. It was too chilly to enjoy our traditional picnic table perch for this messy meal, as you can see by the steam coming up off the crustaceans. They may be the last ones we cook until next spring. 

Last spring, as she often does, our kind neighbor Penny gifted me three dahlia tubers. Because we had construction going on for much of the early summer, with workers tromping around in the flower beds, I never put the poor things in the ground until early July. Then we had a very dry summer, and I barely watered my gardens because I worried about our well. Still, they grew beautifully, and now, when we are all holding our collective breaths waiting for the first frost, I am rewarded by some lovely blooms. 

This variety, according to Penny, is Fenna Baaijh. There are other buds ready to open, and I hope they make it. 

I bought a pumpkin so big I had to struggle to lift it, and getting it out of the tiny cart at the farmstand and into the back of my truck was a trick. A nice woman getting into her car next to me offered to help lift the smooth, heavy thing up and in. I noted her bumper sticker said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." She was living up to that slogan, and I was grateful for her kindness. 

Over the weekend, I tackled cleaning our pantry. I am so thankful for the small, yet functional, room we use for storage. Its narrow space is filled with a huge chest freezer, an extra refrigerator, and three metal shelves that hold bins of toys for grandchildren, beans, rice, canned food, and all the kitchen tools that I don't want taking up prime real estate on my countertops (the electric griddle, Instant pot, waffle iron and such) and all the glasses and dishes I use for entertaining. It tends to collect clutter, and this time of year, wandering mice like to check the place out to see if it might be good winter digs. I like to make it seem inhospitable to them, so I spent several hours emptying every shelf, wiping down every single item, and vacuuming, mopping, and waxing the floor. I filled a huge bin with items to donate and threw away outdated food, broken items, and random junk that had found its way in there. Angel helped me at the end when I was running out of steam, and having her energy and input made everything seem more fun. Then we went out to enjoy some time on her paddleboard and my kayak to celebrate a job well done. While I was on the water, a Bald Eagle circled overhead, then dove into the lake for a fish not far from me. What a treat to see! 

I started this morning by pulling every significant piece of furniture away from any windows and taking down all of our curtains. The window washers were on the calendar for their annual visit, a much-anticipated fall event. The curtains all went for a spin in the washing machine, and I watched in awe as the team wiped away a year of pollen, dust, dirt, grime, and spider webs (SO many spider webs!) from the many (40?) windows. The quality of light changed as they worked, and it made me happy to know that as the days get shorter, we will at least have every bit of available light shining unfettered through the glass. This afternoon, I'll have the chore of re-hanging all the curtains, but I know everything will look so fresh and bright when that chore is completed. 

I bid farewell to summer and its guests, and greet autumn by polishing the brass and copper, cleaning and organizing, and getting ready for the cool, then cold days to come.