Dear Reader:
Every summer, it seems as temperatures break new heat records around the country, we start lamenting the excessive heat and begging for autumn to arrive earlier and earlier.
Autumn, in the South, however, is pretty sneaky. We know it is here because football season has started…but otherwise, the summer sun fights back fall with a tenacious grip of humidifying rays of sunshine. Guaranteed to keep us breathless and perspiring far longer into September that needed or wanted.
We only get quick glimpses of turning leaves and falling pine needles and branches to know fall is lurking close by. If we are really lucky a cool breeze blows in on us… sitting on the front porch or back deck that reminds us that fall will come…it will defeat summer in the end.
In another two weeks summer will really start to crumble and we will experience lengthening shadows and longer evenings…with cooler winds afloat. Fall will arrive quietly, Fall will arrive silently…but, you have my word, it will come.
I am not just an admirer of fall but also of our wonderful town magazine Azalea…
I learn something new about Summerville every time I read it….in fact a lot of somethings...
And I love the name of the magazine because Summerville and the lowcountry are all about azaleas….when I was leaving Mandy’s last evening she has fall azaleas blooming perfectly beautifully right now.
In this latest edition of Azalea Magazine… my favorite story was, actually, a poem…reserved for the last page of the publication from The Village Poet (Ellen E. Hyatt) with the wonderful title Autumn People.
Certain lines touched the flow and rhythm of the season perfectly for me….so I won’t copy the poem in its entirety… but just give you a few lines here and there….to tempt you to go pick up this magazine if you haven’t already.
Autumn People
(Excerpts)
When the loud, brazen sun is put in her place-
low on the horizon-so she’s not coming at them,
Autumn People know life is breathable again...
Autumn People circle the fire, a beacon
tender with light and warmth
Later indoors, Autumn People sit un-
fussed around a table with an apple pie hub.
One empty chair reminds of winter’s approach.
But for now, on the stove top, is the making,
perfect caramel sauce…..
Autumn People know to keep things
simple, smooth, easy as pie.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Anne helped me look for a good color for the workers to paint the doors on the house… now that the theme color of the house is different shades of brown.
We finally decided on a color that was advertised for having a “bronze” hue to it….when it arrived, even the painters looked doubtful….but I bravely told them to put it on…I was sure it would turn darker with time and it did.
The color, I suppose, does sorta have a “bronze” effect…but for me…it looks like a deep, rich, creamy caramel sauce…the kind described in the poem…perfect for fall caramel apples.
And the most wonderful apple pie I ever had…was made by Mollie who left it for the participants in the Race for the Cure from our team…she and Walsh were out of town. I still remember it…because of the special ribbon for the occasion!
So until tomorrow…I used to think pink and orange clashed…but life has taught me now that October wouldn’t be October without some pink ribbons in it to remind me how precious each autumn, each season, is.
Pink and orange is who I am now and that is fine with me.
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
* One important announcement…if you would like to donate but would rather send a check than go the electronic route….here is the new address….the headquarters moved this year.
*Make the check out to Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure
(on the bottom left of your check you can either write the name of our team (Legally Pink) or an individual on the team or both if you can squeeze it all in!) Either way we will receive it…) Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!
Mail to:
Susan G. Komen Lowcountry – 50 Folly Road Charleston, SC 29407
Electronic donation:
*Yesterday I made a last minute trip over to John and Mandy’s to keep Eva Cate…one of the ‘going back to school bug blues’ got her…fever and lethargy…were the main culprits. (I got lucky…it could have been the stomach bug.)
She was pretty lethargic most of the morning and slept most of the afternoon…but think the fever broke when she got up…we finally got a little food in her and by the time I left… Eva Cate was back to being Eva Cate.
Now it was John’s time to be sick…unfortunately… his stomach was involved…so Mandy and I put both children in strollers and took a walk to give John some solitude and quiet. Eva Cate and I looked for twigs and leaves to make fairy dwellings.
Jakie is fit as a fiddle….happy and squealing…he is getting so close to standing alone…but he still prefers the GI JOE military crawl over getting on his knees.
