Focus on the Stars

 "And all at once, summer collapsed into fall." Oscar Wilde

This past week my "live-in gardener" and I drove north to the top end of Washington State. As we drove north I was looking for fall/autumn. I saw many trees along the way that were beginning to turn golden and some glimmers of red too. This part of the world has many evergreen trees; so the golden and reds are mixed in with the green. The weather was still sunny, not at all like fall/autumn. I continued watching along the adventure to see my sister-in-law and sipping a little tea.

The tea sipping happened in Seattle at the Northwest Tea Festival. There were a few hugs too for all the tea friends I saw there. I had some lovely puerh and oolong teas, which I shared with friends.

Along the road, the clouds told us that rain would be coming and along with the rain, fall would arrive.

This is Mt. Rainier with the cloud capping the top.

There is a lot of water in this part of the world. Here we were just taking off from Bainbridge Island to head across the water to Seattle. In no time at all we had arrived.

The views are plentiful. The water, cloud sightings, and trees touch my soul.

One of the little villages, Port Gamble, has this beautiful garden. I hadn't seen their re-do; so it was fun to see what they had done.

At the back were dahlias in bloom. They indeed brightened my day.

And across the road was more water.

This dock is on a military base at Port Townsend. It is a Marine Life Study Center.

Nearby we saw many deer wandering through town.

And we walked on one of my favorite little beaches to look for sea glass and rocks. My "live-in-gardener" couldn't resist a few pieces of driftwood to add to his bonsai collection decor.

And the view from my sister-in-law's home always delights my soul.

While watching from her windows I saw many birds, including an eagle, then also sea birds and river porpoise.

Nature always adds glimmers of joy to my heart.

I did find fall/autumn too; in the clouds and in the color of some trees.

Then the cooling of the weather and the drizzle of today said "here I am, I am here" as I pull out the socks from my drawer and the sweaters and hoodies from my closet I know the fall has arrived.

Has fall/autumn arrived in your part of the world?

Sending love,

Marilyn

Focus on the Stars

 

“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche (Thanks Corey)

Welcome Fall Equinox

Here we are on the first day of fall where night and day are equal in length for a very short time. We are headed into the dark nights with less light in our day. It is even more imperative that we notice the small glimmers of light. Hold on to the glimmers, celebrate them, and never let the darkness get you down.

Last evening I attended a fund raiser for a local organization called Growing Gardens. It was a celebration of growth and helping others. My "live in gardener" and I sat at a table of all Hispanics. It was fun to hear their involvement in the organization and their joy of gardening and honoring each other. Even though we didn't understand their conversation, they were kind to include us from time to time in conversation.

The watermelon bouquet was all edible, from the garden.

The cucumber/honeydew melon, kombucha was made of things from the garden.

Earlier in the day I attended a tea tasting.

That also was a joy, a sparkle in my day.

The green leaves were much of the tea we tasted.

It also came from someone's tea garden.

My friend, Ana, pouring the tea as we sat around the table in a friend's greenhouse.

And there were small flames and sparkles on Saturday night, where my church had a gathering on a farm to just celebrate being together as we enter fall.

As the sun goes down over the orchard in the country, I noticed the colors of the sky and they sparkled.

And the light of the fire made my heart happy.

Simply, I just keep noticing and sharing with you. May our spirits stay happy, sending love to each other in the dark night and chaos. We can be those "dancing stars" in the dark night.

Notice what you Notice!

Sending love,

Marilyn

My Apple Pie Story

 Pie baking brings me joy and others seem to like it too.

When I started baking pies I would put a butterfly cut in the crust. It is still my signature on each pie I bake.

The only time I bake a pie is for a special event, a potluck, or guests coming over; so when I realized I had apples in the refrigerator that desperately needed baked, I baked a pie for my "live-in gardener" and me. In all my years I don't think I have ever made a pie just for us.

My pie baking story starts a very long time ago, actually when I was a little girl. Because my grandfather and uncles all had apple orchards, my mother and aunts baked apple pies. Each one of them thought they made the best apple pie. It became a small competition. If they were alive today they would still say "I make the best apple pie". 

Well several of my cousins and I took up the mantle of apple pie baking. We each think our apple pie is the best one now. One of my cousins, that I am close to, thinks she makes the best apple pie. Her brother lives about 2 hours from me; so when I go to visit him I take pie. His comment is, "don't tell my sister, but you make the best apple pie". Ha! That is the prize, right there.

So for breakfast with my tea this morning, I had apple pie. It was the best apple pie I have ever had. It was made extra special because the apples came from my sister's apple trees. They are Gravenstein apples. It is a heirloom apple that not many people know about. They are amazing in pies and applesauce too. Now I feel like these apples came straight from my grandfather because my sister lives on a couple acres of the property that once was my grandpa's apple orchard. So family history is baked into my apple pie.

Teatime this morning was a piece of apple pie.

My pie recipes all come from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, the 1960's era book. It's the book that taught me to cook and bake, a wedding gift from long ago.

The secret for me of making a good crust is a gentle hand, ice water, and a slightly warmed Crisco. It works every time.

Apple pie to celebrate the beginning of Autumn/Fall is a delight worth celebrating.

Do you have a family story wrapped up in something you bake or cook?

Sending love,

Marilyn

Autumn and Hope

 

 

Thoughts by Jacqueline Bouvier (Kennedy) in 1943

I love the Autumn,

And yet I cannot say

All the thoughts and things

That make one feel this way.

 

I love walking on the angry shore,

To watch the angry sea;

Where summer people were before,

But now there's only me.

 

I love wood fires at night

That have a ruddy glow

I stare at the flames

And think of long ago. 

I love the feeling down inside me

That says to run away

To come and be a gypsy

And laugh the gypsy way.

The tangy taste of apples,

The snowy mist at morn,

The wanderlust inside you

When you hear the huntsman's horn.

Nostalgia-that's the Autumn,

Dreaming through September

Just a million lovely things

I always will remember.

 

To me, this sounds a bit melancholy. "I always will remember." Through different seasons of my life I have said "pay attention" for this will be a memory some day. Each adventure I have taken, a memory now resides.

In these dark times, the memories, noticing small things of beauty, will get me by.

Yes, I am sad today. Sad for my country, sad to let those things of beauty go. But hope comes in the morning and I must still have hope and notice what I notice of beauty and delight. 

Sending love,

Marilyn

Bloedel Reserve

 Recently on my small adventure north we spent an afternoon walking and savoring a lovely autumn day at Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

I will try to post the rest of the trip in several posts this week.

Bloedel is just gorgeous. It was an estate set aside for the public to enjoy. From beautiful trees, flowers, a reflective pool, beautifully groomed trails, water ways, and the estate home.

 Golden leaves were just beginning to appear.

This was the entrance to the Japanese Teahouse. The teahouse is primarily set up for day retreats, no tea was being served.

I always love spotting flowers in bloom.

And unique trees too.

I actually have visited here on several occasions, but always look forward to each time I stop by. It is so peaceful and worth the visit. But then nature calls to my heart and at each opportunity I must go.

 

Sending love,

Marilyn

Words of Kindness and Joy

 Dragonflies delight my soul when spotted at Lan Su Chinese Gardens.

 

“In the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, we find a gentle reminder to appreciate the small moments in life and to find joy in life’s simple pleasures.”

 by Shree Shambav

 

Always a butterfly appears on my pies. It was a joy to bake this Gravenstein apple pie for a harvest gathering.

 

And then to walk in a fruit tree orchard.

And to end the celebration of the Autumn Equinox by sitting by the fire.

Happy Autumn Equinox, dear friends!

Sending love,

Marilyn