Apple Trees, Posies, Billy!

Shiny jewels grace the produce section of my grocery store. I grew up in apple land (Washington State) but often the apples are even better here . . . maybe because those Washingtonians ship their first fruits out of state. Honey Crisp apples taste WONDERFUL! I miss Spokane, Washington. We often visited Green Bluff with the kids. Riding on a little farmer bus, we buzzed out to the orchards and picked our box - so fresh, so crisp, so juicy. Apple season ROCKS!

Thanks to the Internet, we CAN visit the orchard even if we wish to remember blossom time!

Okay, well anyway - after that gush about apples . . . BILL is HOME! After a long drive from school to the airport, we hurried home for dinner. Bryan and Jeff were waiting for us and Brad is here now. All the boys are about. Scott (the eternal good sport) went "Samantha Rose shopping" AGAIN with Jenny so we actually didn't get to see THAT boy, but usually I see the girls around more. It's fun to listen to the boys. Bill has already hung out his washing! He wastes no time, but he DID sleep for nine hours on the plan from Sydney, so he's not too jet lagged . . . YET!

The sky, the evening cool, the quiet. So lovely, so welcoming, and YIKES - it's time to light my candle!

So, for reading tonight I browsed through some friendly blogs and also leafed through Sunset magazine and Better Homes and Gardens. They think it's fall but we don't see changing colors yet! Everything is all green and full - take a look at our green grass! It hasn't slowed down much.

Hello, dear little finch! Thanks for perching on my peak!

Yahoo! He's back from his trip around the world! It's a long way to Uganda and South Africa! It's quite a trip from Africa to Singapore and then on to Australia! I'm so glad he's home!
Real quick, I have to tell you how awesome the eighth graders have been. On Tuesday, I staged a big verbal fight between the Sharks and the Jets (West Side Story) and then again for the Romeo and Juliet readers (the Montagues and the Capulets) and let the kids stir up a little "mean" toward their rival. So, they came in and sat where they wanted and then I made them stay there for the "back and forth" just to prove the point that hate is contagious! I had some second thoughts when they were getting all angry, but the next day they smiled on in and behaved like angels! I was shocked! I thought they'd still be loud and excited, but they understood and now are a million times more interested in the stories. They all wanted to act today - they are so bold! So, I've had extra energy for them!
Now the bubble bath is beckoning - I'll take my candlelight there. First another cuppa and a tiny lemon cake. I send you a HUGE HUG and if I could, I'd whisper this in your ear, "Remember what Doris Day said? Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty." Thank you so much for visiting me!