November

all pics my own

By now most of the leaves have given up the fight and let go of their branches.  Although they are no longer a fiery orange, the muted blanket of tan, burgundy, and coral pink leaves looks quite beautiful under my maple tree.  With multiple heat sources humming throughout the house, I cringe at the thought of the upcoming winter season.  I can handle nights in the thirties and days in the fifties.  It's when night and day have no distinguishable temperature difference that makes me desperate.

My mood matches the season.  It always does in the fall.  So many things to say and no words to say them.  Thoughts and emotions and memories swirl in my head like the leaves on the ground.  Then they seem to settle in my heart and get wet and heavy.  There they lie, like leaves in the gutter, waiting to be dug out and dealt with.  But who knows when that will happen, or even how it will happen.  Sometimes I will single out one of those thoughts, emotions, or memories like a particularly intriguing yellow leaf that begs closer inspection.  I'll hold it up to the light and examine its veins and spots, smile at its beauty and melancholy and then drop it back into the pile in my heart.

 Things are always changing around here.  Life is in constant flux.  Sometimes I wish things would slow down.  Sometimes I wish they would hurry up.  I think too much about things that I have no control over.  I busy myself with the things that I do seem to have a tiny semblance of control over.  And I pray that my heart finds rest somewhere in between those two places.

This is the pensive nature of this month.  My month.  November.

Seasons

from here.

I read the other day that the Chinese have five seasons.  Aside from the regular four, they also count the end of summer as it's very own season.  That suits me just fine, being that the transition from late summer to early fall is my favorite time of the year. 

I wax poetic about it annually, citing the way the light changes and the dip in the temperature that makes wearing a hoodie the norm again.  Late summer seems to have caught us by surprise here in the mountains this year.  The local weather channel reported that there has only been one weekend without rain in our area since April!  I haven't been swimming, nor have I even donned a bathing suit this year.  And I can hardly even remember what the beach looks or feels like.  I haven't seen the ocean in almost five years. 

The last few years of my life have been a mess.  The world seems to be just like this summers weather; dreary with little chance of sunshine.  But I know that's just the pessimist in me talking.  I know the transition is coming.  I know there will be sunshine and beach trips and hopes and dreams fulfilled.  I know there is good in this life.  And so, I will keep trying.  I will soak up any late summer sun that is left.  I will smile at the cool breezes and the turning leaves.  And just like China, I will count this time of year as a season in itself.  Just like nature, I will consider it an invitation to turn inward for the coming winter and cultivate my soul for the time when it will bloom again. 

~

Friday Fantasy

A random fantasy for Friday/Saturday.
I have adored this guy's look from the moment I ran across the top pic many moons ago.  I don't even remember where it came from.  But I still dig it.

I found the watch on Pinterest last week and I think it's one of the coolest things I have ever seen.  A wooden watch.  I am a watch person.  And this watch is begging to be on my wrist.

And how great is that last shot?  Hot apple cider and pumpkin spice doughnuts.  (at least, that's what I'm pretending it is.)  There are always masses of amazing things over on Modern Hepburn, where this pic came from. 

I hope you have a fabulous weekend.
Hugs and Warmth to You.
~Jo~

P.S. This post was scheduled to be posted on Friday....but blogger failed to follow through.  Happy Saturday all. 

~Hello~

from here.

Ten days since I last blogged.  Gees.

I've been busy.  Thankfully.  I've also been trying some alternative routes to healing my body.  Don't even get me started on doctors and the connection between the government and the health care system as a whole.  I'm tired of doctors.  

The fall weather has been beautiful around here.  Warm days.  Chilly nights.  It makes me want to go hiking and spend some Q.T. with nature.  Instead, I have been spending more quality time on my couch with my big fuzzy blanket. 

Something really odd for me.....I have been fantasizing about a tiny cabin, way back in the woods, with a wood stove and a cozy bed and big windows to watch the snow falling outside.  What the hell is wrong with me?  Some bacon, eggs, hash-browns and a mug of hot chocolate for later.  I'm totally feeling it.  I'm not sure who I am anymore!  Haha. 

I hope you have had a beautiful weekend.  And here's to the coming week.  Let's get to it!

xoxo ~ Jo

Friday Fantasy

from here and here. 

Happy Weekend. 
xoxo  Jo

Fall Forward

from here.

I have to tell you, I'm really looking forward to Fall this year. 

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you should know that I have a soft spot in my heart for fall.  With all the changes that have been going on in my life lately, I feel like the coming season is going to be my chance to really shine.  Something good is gonna happen, I just know it.  

I always feel more like my true self in autumn.  And now, being at this particular place in my life, without a husband or significant other, I believe God is giving me the chance to let all my personality and quirkiness come to light and illuminate the path to my future. 

No holding back.  I'm running out of time to live my life.  And standing on the sidelines and watching my life go by without me, my friends, is just not an option.  Here's to new beginnings and everlasting hope. 

Hugs and Sunshine, my dolls.  Massive hugs and sunshine. 
~Jo~

Hometown Tourists

The Hubs and I spent our Saturday pretending to be tourists in our own backyard. There are so many pretty places to see where we live. So many sights. So many hikes. So many waterfalls and vistas and mountaintops. We all take field trips to these places when we are small, but it's easy to forget about them when we are actually old enough to appreciate them. We take it for granted and overlook the things that tourists flock to see every year.

We drove to Mt. Mitchell, which is the highest peak east of the Mississippi, via the Blue Ridge Parkway. While there, we hiked a loop that smelled so strongly of spruce trees that we sniffed and grinned the entire time. After stopping at every overlook on our way back, we decided to hike down to Crabtree Falls. A nice long hike on very rocky trails. I would like to thank whoever it was who blazed these trails and built stone staircases and retainer walls and bridges and benches. And I'd like to thank God for making the things that are worth the effort to see.

So if I get behind you on the road during tourist season and you are driving ridiculously slow, I will probably cuss you a bit under my breath. But truly, I can't blame you one bit. My big backyard of the Blue Ridge Mountains is one spectacular sight to see.



*all photos are my own.

It's Almost......

October, people! It's right around the corner.
And I'm feeling very much like this pooch. I want nothing more than to curl up on my couch and take a nice, cozy nap.

Autumn always brings about a major push/pull in my emotions and energy level. I find myself wanting to sit and relax and enjoy every little thing. But, at the same time, I can't seem to calm myself long enough to do so. I laid out of work this past Friday, hoping to have some alone time at home. Instead, I worked ten times harder than I normally do at "work". I dug up what seemed like a ton of hosta and daylilies and cut a huge section of forsythia down to the nub. It was a hell of a job. Those forsythia were as big as ornamental trees! It took a set of hedge clippers and a hacksaw. ..... Then, on Sunday, I did a major overhaul of my living room. Rearranged furniture. Cleaned. Weeded out the unwanted items. I've been going non-stop. And it all caught up with me this morning, when I couldn't hardly give myself a good enough reason for getting out of the bed.

This is a problem, folks. And, apparently, I am not the only one who noticed. My Yoga Journal magazine came in the mail the other day and there is an article inside about the benefits of doing a fall detox. It's the perfect time to slow yourself down from the fast pace of summer and get yourself in order mentally. Not only that, but it's also the perfect time to reinforce your immune system and be prepared to fight off the inevitable viruses of winter. I'm seriously thinking about dedicating a week and following their sage advice. You can check it out for yourself right here. { I should also add that this is not the kind of detox that normally pops into peoples heads at the mention of the word. }

September is usually one of my very favorite months of the year. I can't believe that it's almost over already. This has not been a normal September for me. Maybe taking some time to slow down and take care of myself will help me enjoy the remainder of my favorite season. ~

On a completely unrelated note: I piled all of the plants that I dug up beside the road and put up a sign that declared them "FREE" to whomever wanted to pick them up. A friend of mine told me that this method would not work because people have some sort of thing about freebies. And, to be honest with you, I agreed. But I tried it anyway. And guess what! It worked. Within a few days, every single one of those plants (and trust me, there was a massive pile) were taken. So.....to my friend of little faith. You were wrong. ;)


*pic from here.

Soul Sharing

I've been thinking, lately, about fall and why I seem to love it so much.

For someone who shivers her way through the colder half of the year, it would seem unfitting that I adore autumn. But I do. And more specifically, I adore the pivotal moment where late summer melds into fall.

So, while driving down the road the other day {windows still down, warm breeze kissing my cheek} I noticed the first few golden leaves along the roadside and it hit me. I love this time of year because it feels like a big, deep, relaxing sigh. On one side of the road was summer; all twisted vines, thriving weeds, hot and sticky and fighting for space. On the other side of the road was fall; spacious branches, babbling streams, open skies and leaves that had finally finished their duty and were able to just let go.

I have always loved this time of year. There is something that feels right about it for me. Everything feels like less of a fight. Traffic slows down a bit. Hair and makeup are much easier to maintain. Fewer schedule demands. More time at home. And, for some reason, I feel more creative and introspective. Don't get me wrong, my cold blooded body loves the heat of summer. But my heart and my soul will always feel at home in the fall.


*photo from Dress, Design, Decor

Perfection

If there has ever been an ensemble that defined fashion perfection to me, this is it.


There's nothing else to say. Well, maybe go check out the entire Preen collection. The rest speaks for itself.

Woo Hoo for Fashion!

I have never been one for over-the-top fashion looks. I have never even remotely liked clothing that brings to mind the Victorian era. Certain prints and fits just make me squeamish. Blech!

But the very moment that I laid eyes on pieces from the Fall/Winter 2010 Collection from Balmain, I felt my heart go pitter patter. These looks, I totally go for.

The top one is my favorite look of the collection. There is so much shine, deep colors and perfect fits. I mean, seriously, when was the last time you saw brocade look that good? Never, right? Somehow, Balmain has taken prints and fabrics that have historically looked "stuffy" and "gilded" and given them the perfect mix of femme and edge.

I'm sure that this is one of those love it or hate it collections. I, for one, absolutely love it. (And you must check out the dresses. Wow.)

What do you think? Would you wear this look?

You can check out the entire collection on the Balmain website.

Welcome

As some of you have already figured out, today is my birthday. And right now I am sitting at my mom's, full from a most fabulous birthday meal and uploading pics to the computer. My hubby is off doing Army stuff that he can't get out of. And so I am here with you, sharing a few photos.

These are from a few weeks ago. The leaves fell really quick this year. Not much time to enjoy them. This is the maple in my front yard.

When I get home in the evenings my living room is already getting dark. The yellow leaves outside seemed to illuminate the window like a lantern. So pretty.

This is the dessert table from the baby shower I hosted Monday. We had two big pots of soup for dinner and then cake and cookies. I put the flower arrangements together with flowers from the grocery store and leaves and greenery from my backyard.

I moved the flowers to the hall after the shower. They look right at home on my linen dresser. The frames above showcase a favorite gift from my grandmother. She bought these "paper dolls" at a flea market. There are a whole pile of them, but I could only frame a few. They were folded inside one of those huge Uncle Sam war posters. They are actually hand cut out of catalogs! Some have been colored. Some have arms missing. They were obviously well loved. My Nanny knew that I would love them, too. Click on the pic to see them a little larger.

Hope you enjoyed my little show and tell. Love to you all. Have a great weekend.

XOXO ~Jo~