Morning Walk, Missed the Mist

I walked Brio around the conservation area this morning and discovered they've blazed new walking trails through the woods. Unfortunately, a lot of trees were felled to make way, but I admit it's nice having a new alternative for places to walk. Once you've been up to the ball park, over to the orchard, and around the lake, you've basically seen everything in the village, the gravel roads being too hard on Brio's feet. So now there's a new, lovely, winding way through the pines and walnut trees to explore. Though I suspect in summer, I'll have to wear a beekeeper's suit to fend off the mosquitoes under the pines!

The geese were starting to collect on the lake, gliding along the milky surface with the morning mist rising around them. I took Brio home and hurried back with a camera to take some shots, and though the geese were still there, the mist had burned away in the rising sun.  

Autumn coming

The trees are starting to turn salmon and crimson, just around the edges, as if Bob Ross has dabbed a little extra paint with a 3" brush. The intense heat has faded to a pleasant body temperature, so you don't get kicked in the face every time you open the door. Birds that have been solitary all summer have started to congregate, turning entire trees into noisy movement. The spiders are doing their best to infiltrate the church, and I keep finding tiny filaments of web in places I swear I just swept, I promise. The school buses grind past in both directions. Kids wait on the side of the road, backpacks on, kicking at the dirt, looking glum. The moms, meanwhile, gather on the street corners with their coffee mugs, their chat and laughter bouncing in the brightening air.

I love everything about fall, especially the food. The hickory nuts clicking into my bucket. That cidery smell of apples (I got ten pounds of Ginger Golds from Warwick Orchards to dehydrate). My sorghum is going through a little extra drying time in the dehydrator. The cherry tomatoes are spilling in fast. The kale's coming back for a second round in the garden. Jars of grape juice line the storage room shelves, shining like jewels. My only regret this year is that I couldn't find any decent crabapples to make jelly.

Autumn brings with it thoughts of books, blankets, apply betty, and hot chocolate. There's something about preparing for the winter that brings me sheer joy. I want to be Tasha Tudor when I grow up.

Photo taken from the internet. Apologies I can't attribute it to the photographer.

Amazing Neighbours

I arrived at the church this week all set to mow it. And found the cute little clover field had been overrun with grass and weeds knee high or taller. My dinky little battery-operated mower made a valiant effort but ran out of juice within ten minutes. My lovely neighbour came to the rescue with his ride'em lawnmower and saved me from having to hack it down with a scythe. I tell you, the kindness of people in small towns knocks your socks off. 

Great organ music

My husband is working in the sanctuary and has this cranked up on the speakers. The acoustics in the church are pretty amazing. And this is a talented young organist.

I Vow to Thee My Country (Holst) (youtube.com)

More Floor Refinishing

 Before:

During:

After: (still two coats of sealant to go)

Update on the Microclover Lawn

It's filling out nicely and looking pretty even. Very happy with the results!

Refinishing the Floor Part Two

 Thank you to Scott and to Brian and James, father-son team from ABC Flooring, for a fast, mess-free job so far! We've decided the plain oil finish, keeping the natural colour of the wood, is the way to go. Looking so much cleaner and brighter now. It is in really good shape and has a lovely grain.

There are two more sandings after this one, followed by three coats of clear-coat with a day between each. Definitely glad we left this one to the professionals.