Perfect Weekend for Soccer

This weekend was our soccer club's annual Lighthouse Tournament.  It is the one weekend every fall that we anticipate spending most of our time at the soccer park and do not plan on getting much done around the homestead.  As expected the weekend was a blur.  The weather is always a wild card and in years past more often than not we have shivered in blustery temperatures and rain.  This year was gorgeous with our warmest day yesterday topping out at close to 80!  It was such a treat!    The boys did a fantastic job winning three games and qualifying for the final.  Though they did not win the final game it was a hard earned and well deserved second place.

This may have been our last hurrah of summer like warmth.  Our week promises cooling temperatures, wind and our first possibilities of frost.  That is just fine though, the true feeling of fall comes from gorgeous shows of light, the trees putting on their show before allowing their leaves to be sent soaring in the gusts, and having hot spiced cider on the stove.  

#100HappyDays :: Day 93

August has arrived and even just a few days in you know it.  It has its own feel; a combination of lazy hazy days and the hustle and bustle of finishing up summer while simultaneously preparing for the school year.  The days have begun to grow shorter and the light is taking on that special golden hue that I so love this time of year.  As we walk the property there is just a certain feel to everything, the locusts hum and the garden is producing.  It feels as if everything has hit its stride, instinctively knowing that change is coming and every moment should be enjoyed before the season is out.  I love the feel of late summer.  Maybe because we head off on a much anticipated vacation, or it is the time when we eat the freshest and put up most of the garden produce for the winter, or maybe it is just because it is the final build up to my favorite time of year, the fall.  Regardless, an August day with its fluctuations between busy and relaxed make for many happy moments.

Work and Relaxation

With slightly warmer temps and no rain in the forecast, our weekend is looking to be bathed in golden autumn sun.  After a hectic, unexpected, exhausting week, this weekend is welcomed with open arms.  I am hoping for a mixture of work and relaxation as we put the outdoors of the farm to bed.

We cleared the front porch this afternoon, vacuumed the runners and nestled them into the attic until next year.  It looks so bare and unexpectedly spacious, yet rather inviting in this beautiful soft light, a perfect spot to sit and read for a while.  See?  Work an relaxation.

What are your weekend plans?  Whatever they are, be sure you get out and enjoy the weather.  My mantra with the kids has been, get out there and enjoy it, there are not many more days like this left!

::check out julie's post on architecture, great minds think alike, and were obviously awed by the cityscape of our times in New York!

Red Sky & Silver Linings

Last night was a rather long and restless night. This morning, due to a meeting, I had to leave in the dark, but that had its rewards. I was able to watch the red fire light up the sky as I drove to work. Today a red sky in the morning did not pan out to be a warning.  

Now with the day coming to a close, another spectacle dancing above a corn field as I headed to pick up Sidney from practice.   I am now ready to hunker down with the family for the evening.  The silver lining; fall light never disappoints.

Those Days

One of those days.  When schedules seem far too busy, work things do not go so well, and frustrations cloud your mood.  Those days, when the running seems just too much.  Those days, when you want to cut corners on dinner, but ultimately do not.  Then while on the road your breath catches and you are so glad that you have your camera close at hand.  Funny, how it is on one of those days that a moment touches you, diffuses you and allows you to exhale.

That Light

Last night as I went out to put the animals down and take a last leisurely walk around the garden I was struck by that light.  The light typically symbolic to me of the coming fall.  It is hard to believe that it feels like we are approaching that time of year already.  Maybe it was how long and hard our winter was, or how cool the summer has been, or the fact that school starts in a mere 3 weeks or maybe that our handful of warm days end abruptly in crisp air.

It is dark much earlier and the last hour or so of light is golden and coming from a much lower angle. Can you see the glitter-like shimmer in the tree on the left?  That was no camera trick, simply how the light looked last night.  I am not complaining in the least.  I would not mind the next four months consisting of these beautiful evenings after days that sun kiss the garden leading toward a long harvest.

Reset

What should you do when you glimpse at the calendar for the week and your to do list and panic just a little?   Stop everything, glance out of the window and savor the fall light.  This can be done any time of day right now with gorgeous results, and functions as an immediate reset.

"Smile, breathe and go slowly."

Thich Nhat Hanh

Random 5 Friday

1.  Man this time change has thrown me for a loop!  I am thrilled that we have sunrise before 7 am but dark at 4:30 has me wanting to seek my pillow by 8pm! 

2.   With lots of wind and rain this week, we are headed into a weekend of massive leaf clean up and composting.  At least it is supposed to be beautiful out this weekend....our first chance of snow is as early as Tuesday!

3.  B started a master swim class with a friend last week, it has me feeling like I need to get myself back to the gym...maybe will help with added energy during the darker days of winter.

4.  This week, also inspired by the thoughts of being indoors more, I began to do a re-arrange and re-organize.  What is old is new again as I moved around pictures and knick knacks to give the house a fresh feel.

5.  Don't you just love this fall light?  I am so taken by the sunrise warming the ice crystals from last nights frost.

Linking up with Nancy at A Rural Journal

Random 5 Friday

1.  Grey & Gold::  After months and months of very little rain to speak of, every storm coming through seeming just to skirt around our community, we had two days of grey drizzly weather.  No real volumes to speak of, but a steady drizzle that left wet heavy leaves dripping and falling.  Last night, the sun broke through the clouds just prior to sunset to give us the most dramatic light.  Perfect for taking our evening walk and planning the next steps to our fall finishing in the garden.

2.  Dehydrating::  Maybe it was all of the rain this week, but I have been on a huge dehydrating kick, as I mentioned here.  This morning I put the last of  ripe hillbilly tomatoes in.

3.  Tastebuds::  One of my nearest and dearest friends and member of our close knit tastebuds dinner club had her baby yesterday.  We are all so excited!  Maybe it is because my babies are tweens/ almost teens now, or because this group of people is our family here with ours being so far away, but it has been especially exciting waiting for this baby to come into the fold.    Welcome Charlotte Quinn and a heartfelt congratulations Daniela and Scott!! xo

4.  Sickies::  It has been one of those weeks.  Charles came home from school Monday not feeling well, a cold, no biggie, but the bigger concern the sharp right side abdominal pain and low grade fever.  The kid never complains about anything and this was a big deal for him.  By Wednesday things were subsiding, though we are still watching him closely as he had the low grade fever again last night.  This morning Sidney seems to be falling with the cold.  It has been a horrible allergy season here, yet I am afraid that what I had hoped were continued allergies for myself may be something else.  Between that and the fact that I am care-giving sickies, I am afraid that I won't be able to visit dearest Charlotte in the hospital as not to expose her to anything...this makes me very sad  :(

5.   Farm Chores::  Last Sunday after soccer we brought out the cover for the cold frame, reinforced it and reinstalled it over our budding greens.  Just in time it seems as we had our first light frost in the forecast for that night.  We are hoping for a break in the drizzly weather so things can dry out some and we can get outside and do some more winter prep this weekend.

Happy Friday!

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Fall Wedding With a Tiny Footprint

Yesterday was a big day around the farm.  We had offered the space as the venue for a wedding.  After lots of running around and prep,  it turned out to be a beautiful day with loads of sunshine, soft breezes, fall colors, and a light rain that began as the party ended.  These are just a few of the almost 200 photos that I took yesterday.

The ceremony was in mid-afternoon, and the light was perfect.  We keep some areas of our lawn longer than others to promote more native grasses.  B had mowed an entrance aisle, and exit aisle to our big red maple, where the chairs were situated in a semi-circle around the tree.

Once the ceremony was complete, everyone filed out into a mingle area just in front of the house for cocktails and appetizers.  All of the furniture was rented from a vintage shop.  Each of the guests received a favor of a blue mason jar with their baby picture attached to it.  They just needed to find their jar, and it served as their drinking glass for the evening, which they then took home.  All of the food was sourced locally and prepared by an area chef.  The lovely bouquets, centerpieces, and arrangements had wildflowers from an area florist and all of the greenery was picked on the farm.

There were game areas all over the yard where people could mingle and play until the dinner bell rang and we proceeded into the tent for dinner and dancing.  There was a photo guest book where each guest could write the bride and groom a message on a chalkboard and have there picture taken as a remembrance.

The night with lit mason jars floating from the trees was balmy and the rain held off until the very end of the evening.  With the exception of beer bottles, there was virtually no waste.  The napkins were all cloth and the dishes china.  As we walked around this morning, there was almost no indication that the yard had been full of people just hours before; except for hay bales scattered sporadically around that served as seating for guests at play. 

Wordless Wednesday ~ Sappy

Random 5 Friday

 1.  After a three year hiatus, this year we brought back the Hillbilly Tomatoes.  Still by far our favorite, and they are just getting ripe.  Our crazy season has left us with late and only moderately producing plants, so I think that we may just end up with about a dozen quarts.  I may hit up the farmers market to supplement so we can put more away.

2.  You never know what you are going to find while walking around the farm.  This little snapping turtle that B found this morning in the garden, was a bit out of place, and is swimming inside for the moment...at least until the kids can take a peak at it.

3.  Aren't firsts wonderful?  After many years searching and scrimping by without, we are now the proud owners of our first and forever tractor for the homestead!  Sorry for the blur in the picture, but the first driving lesson went fabulously, and Charles was burning rubber!

4.  This time of year is my absolute favorite and as we head into the equinox this weekend, I am decking the house with the beautiful feelings of fall.  As I picked Charles up at soccer on Wednesday, the sun was as large as I have ever seen it while it was setting.  The fall light is just magical, wouldn't you agree?

5.  Today was crazy hair day at school.  Whatcha think??

Linking up with:

 

Happiness Is....

......being able to capture a shot in the two minutes that the early fall light looks like this in my kitchen.

Surrender

What a difference a week makes.  The trees are becoming more bare by the day, yet the shedding of their leaves has its own beauty.  After a busy weekend with our clubs soccer tournament, complete with drenching rain both days, the puddles left behind in today's sunshine reflect the contrast between two falls.  The one of light and color, and the one of a grey cold rain, giving you the excuse to huddle under a blanket indoors (or on the soccer field depending on your situation :)  Both of these falls are saturated in their own hypnotic colors inspired by the suns new lower angle.

Suddenly all of the hostas have finished for the season.  It happened overnight, and not just to us. While out today I noticed everywhere the brilliant yellows of hosta leaves that have lain down for the season.

We are still eating predominantly from our garden harvests.  As we finish our fresh produce and have all but completed our canning,  I am spending lots of time researching new hearty soup recipes and baking up a storm.  This growing season has been so successful, and we are ready to finish buttoning up the garden and tending to the few remaining beds that will produce through November.  Even as I turn my energies indoors,  I am eager to watch and care for the cold weather greens as they mature so that we can enjoy them, a last fresh taste before we surrender to the seasons end.

Exhale

Bit by bit, day by day, the fall light returns.

Nothing stops me in my tracks better than having my breath taken away by this light.  Thankfully, it happens almost daily beginning now until we reach the darker days of winter.  It is natures little reminder to me to stop, take a deep breath, exhale and enjoy each moment.