A Month To Give Thanks ...

Here we are at the beginning of another month - the penultimate  month of the year. (I know - I can't believe it either!).  When I was young, I used to love Anne of Green Gables, and there is a lovely quote in that book ....”It was November, the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-song in the pines”.  To me, it is also the month to remind us to be thankful for the many positive things happening in our lives.  We do not have Thanksgiving here in England, but I really wish we did.  I suppose the nearest thing we have over here is the Harvest Festival, which is, of course, a celebration of the food grown on the land. We have given thanks for successful harvests since Pagan times.  

In fact, although we do not celebrate Thanksgiving over here, it was the early English settlers who first brought the idea of harvest thanksgiving to North America., when the first celebration took place in 1621. 

The November flower is, apparently, the chrysanthemum, which would explain why the Americans love their displays of colourful ‘mums’ at this time of the year.  This past week here in heavenly Devon, the weather has been just perfect for Autumn walks.  I have been out almost every day, savouring the wonderful sights and colours which surround the countryside at the moment. The golden and red leaves still hanging on the trees, and the smell of woodsmoke and bonfires in the air.  We also seem to get wonderful sunsets at this time of the year.  Here are a few photos taken this week ....

'Older' Followers of my Blog will know that I have family who live in Ibiza. After not seeing them for two years because of the Pandemic, I was finally able to visit them a couple of weeks ago, and I give thanks for that. Here are a few photos of that beautiful Island. 

On that note, I will say cheerio - hoping that all is well in your little corner of the world. 💕

Autumn Gently Creeps In ....

Today is the Autumn Equinox -  I came across this quote by Oscar Wilde this week, and I thought it was very appropriate right now ...

We have had a couple of gorgeous weeks here in ye merry olde England, with clear blue skies, and amazing sunsets. Is anyone else looking forward to Autumn 🍂, the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness? I quite like to be all warm and cosy in the evenings, with the lamps switched on and scented candles flickering away. It can be quite a romantic time of the year if you think about it. Yes, even if you are on your own.  Play some of your favourite music or settle down and watch a favourite, soppy film.  One of my favourites is Beaches with Bette Midler, about female friendship. I'm usually crying buckets by the end!

Talking about Autumn....these two pics taken in my garden last year sum up the season very well, I think. There's always this wonderful light in Autumn, when everything  seems so crisp and clear. 

Going back to the Oscar Wilde quotation at the beginning of this Post,  there is another one of his that is a favourite of mine, and I actually have it on a little plaque here in the home ...

Most of my long term bloggy friends, know how much I love quotations, and I'm always looking out for new ones. Pinterest is a wonderful source for doing this. Sometimes you read a quote, and you just think, 'yes', that's exactly it!  

I'm sure most of us love taking photos, be it of our family, times spent with friends, our gardens, places we have visited, or just anything that takes our eye.  This quote fits the bill exactly, for we truly are capturing a moment in time and, of course, these days most of us carry our phones with us, so there is no excuse to miss a magic moment!

I'm hoping for a lovely, dry Autumn so that I can get out on some walks here in heavenly Devon, and really appreciate the beauty of the upcoming Season, with all the amazing colour yet to come. Isn't nature wonderful?! 

Well my friends, I'll leave you again for now with another little quote, and these are my wishes for you today.  Take care. 

Any images today that are not my own, are courtesy of Pinterest.com

And All At Once, Summer Collapsed Into Fall.

Hi everyone. That’s a lovely saying, isn’t it?  This past week, I’ve been spending a few days in Ibiza with daughter number 1, where the temperatures are still in the high 80’s.

I landed  at my local airport, and was almost blown off the flight steps as I disembarked from the aeroplane!  Apparently, the U.K. was being battered by Storm Ali in my absence.  

A lady was killed in Cornwall, when a caravan blew over the cliff 😳. Wow!  

As I sit here writing this on Saturday evening, I’ve got the first fire of the season going in the wood burner, so it’s lovely and cosy. 

It was dark by 7.45 pm, so Autumn 🍂 is really on its way, although we’re supposed to be having some warmer, sunny days next week, when I hope to get out walking with daughter number 2.

I feel so blessed to have my two daughters, who are really good company.  Although one of them lives in Ibiza at the moment, fortunately the other one lives less than five minutes away 😊.  

So then, only another week and we will be into the month of October - the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.  I’m looking forward to the new season, I must admit. 

Cooking a lovely roast dinner once again, chicken or slow cooked lamb. It’s been such a hot Summer over here, that it was all about light bites really. But who doesn’t love a good old roast? 

Summer, you’ve been wonderful, but it’s time to move on from sandals and crops, to boots and warmer clothing. 

So then, I’ll leave you once again, hoping that you are all keeping well and looking after yourselves.