Pretty Plants

 My neighbor and friend Reve has a lovely little pear tree.  I think the fruit is like a jewel.  They are tiny and they taste delicious.  Pears are my favorite.  

 She shared from more of her garden bounty.  We'll eat the squash tonight.  

 Because I know plants do good things for the house air, I am going to indulge in more house plants (I haven't had any for ages).  This is a tropical plant.  Don't you love the colors?

 And OH!  Thank you, Lord!  It's mum time!  Small pots are very reasonable at the grocery store, so I'm putting some in where the summer flowers have faded.  Pansies, too.

 I'm so thankful for this little "pack-n-play" that we bought when our first granddaughter came into our world.  I still love the blue gingham and the cradle hood.  Miss Plum Cake still sleeps in it when she naps here.  She snuggles right down even though it's on the small side.  James will sleep in it, too.  He is so attached to his gentle mommy right now.  It's beautiful to see.  The way they smile at each other is pure love.  

 My mom's shawl is coming along.  I knit more when Jenny's girls are here on Thursdays.  I think it's because I sit in the family room with them and I reach for my knitting.  Didn't old- time nannies knit while they watched their charges?  Yay!

 Here's the cute book in which I found the cat pattern.  I have a feeling we'd all really like Lucinda Guy!

 I do like my out-of-date family room.  I mean to take the old wallpaper borders off and freshen up the white paint.  I wonder if I'll actually do that.  Hmmmm.

 So our August is almost ready to bid us farewell.  She's been so kind to us here in Colorado.  We've had cool evenings and soft rains.  September is my favorite month (my birthday!  Ha!) and I am hoping she is gentle as well.  I so appreciate Susan Branch.  She is a VERY NICE artist and blogger.  She is so humble and tries very hard to connect with her readers.  She's so inspirational.  Sharon Lovejoy is also a very personal author.  She is a busy writer, too. Her garden wisdom is epic and her heart for others shines through. I love people who tend to those they've found favor with.  Don't you?

 I'm glad my Gladys Taber collection still sits on the shelf.  Her cheerfulness is soothing.  She loved people, too.  She was goodness personified.

 My other neighbor had this thistle sack hanging from the spruce trees and the finches are crazy about it!  Now I have one, too! They cling to the net with their toes.  It's adorable!

 Thank you, God.  For zinnias.

 All of the annuals are full and prosperous just now.  

Some buggy thing is eating my basil, but it's still going strong. Can you see the lavender in the back?  
My coughing muscle has been bothering me (this virus lasts forever and quite a few of us have it) so I am going to lay low AGAIN today.  I've run out of interesting Netflix to watch.  Any suggestions?  
I hear lawn mowers chugging along and I smell decongesting smells coming from the oil diffuser.  
I think it's a good day to make some beautiful chocolate chip cookies.  I'll share.
Good day to you.  May God be with you.

Bliss

 I forgot to show you this from-the-air photo I took of Seattle.  Busy city, huh?

 Yes, one must fly into the Sea-Tac airport in order to get to my homeland.  The Skagit Valley is SO green and pretty, isn't it?

 I drew my girl Kelli, me, my mom, and my sweet sis on the letter I sent to my mother.  I still had my ponytail.

More high country beauty from last week's adventures!

 

 Oh!  There's James!  He's smiling at you!

 The sunflowers around our house are really showing off this year.  I'm so glad!

 When we came outside after dinner the other night, we saw this!  

I actually finished Sam's requested knitting project!  (applause!) It turned out so much cuter than I thought it would!  

 

 And a little more bragging (please bear with me) because I made pickles for the first time since high school home economics (my favorite class, of course!)

And last some jewel-like crab apples that grow in our neighborhood.
Have I mentioned how joyful I am am that I can be home all day, every day?  Bliss!

Communion

 We were up in the high country retreating.  It was an annual meeting for people who work with Bill and I tagged along.  The views exhilarated everyone even though the altitude takes some getting used to. 

 The coolest part for me was communion at the close of the three-day meeting.  Juan Carlos from Ecuador led us.  Instead of wine, we had some strong tea-like beverage in a sipper-type tin cup.  Instead of bread, we partook of a tortilla.  Juan Carlos said, "Jesus said to do this in remembrance.  Please share something you remember about Jesus." Well, of course I became quite weepy.  I shared that I remember that He is the Shepherd.  I couldn't say more than that because I felt so overcome with emotion.  What I was thinking was, "I am so glad that I, a silly sheep, belong to the Good Shepherd."  I think it was the most memorable communion service of my life.   

 This year, because I am not at school all day, I am savoring the garden.  I picked cucumbers and made pickles!  The sunflowers are reaching for the sky.  I'll have time to pull out dead stuff.  

 Look what happened.  A leaf fell.  Fall is coming and don't we like to call it the season of cozy and bloggers' best time of year?  (Mags reminded me of this) and MK can't wait either (she reminded me of my season of cozy phrase)! This year I'm going to savor the end of summer because I can, but I can't lie - I am VERY eager for fall.  I plan on walking and biking in the crisp fall air.  I shall drink a goodly amount of tea throughout the day.  We have a few trips planned, but overall I look forward to a quiet year of regrouping and waiting for direction.  I know He will direct me, my Good Shepherd.

Samantha and I took a monkey-like selfie last Sunday.  Aw, my warm little grands.

More Valley Beauty

 While I was in Washington, I went to my sister-in-laws farm stand.  She and a friend bake shortcake (they are scrumptious and sweet and look like scones) and sell berries all summer long. It's a darling little oasis.

 I tasted a little pie, too.  Heavenly!

 They make fresh strawberry milkshakes.  Slurp!

 The stand is surrounded by fields of corn.  The valley hosts such bounty.  I love my homeland.

 Then we went to my other brother's lake rental.  He's going to sell it, so it was empty.  We liked poking around.  

 Do you have a lake nearby?  We have reservoirs, not lakes (sad for this Washington lady).  Even so, I should call a friend and acquaint myself with the closest body of water.  There are trails and many nature views.  Back to the lake . . . 

Here's a nice old tree near the lake shore.  
Does it remind you of Joyce Kilmer's poem?  I'll leave you with it, good poem-lover.  Bye!

Trees

BY JOYCE KILMER

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.