Falling Out Of Summer

Extreme heat and humidity, bumper crops of weeds,
tomatoes that went nowhere, grapes that are feeding
the local deer . . . then, an earthquake and
a hurricane-turned-tropical-storm . . . .

for the first time I can remember,

I am more than ready to say Scram! to Summer, 

and Hello, Sailor! to Fall.

  

Borrowing from an old post, about a year ago, and linking to Sunday Favorites and Seasonal Sundays.

Links are below!

**********************************************

If I were an adult-ed art teacher, and I looked at the palette that Mother Nature had picked out for her Autumn scenes, I'd probably tell her to tone it down.  "It's a bit much, dear," I'd say.  "How about fewer brilliant oranges and reds?  Maybe a touch of the neutral here and there, give the eye a rest?"

Thank goodness I am not Mother Nature's art teacher.

She's bold, our Mother Nature, and she ain't afraid of gaudy.
(In fact, I suspect she wears too much jewelry, loves purple,
and teases her hair, but that's material for another post.)

Anyway, Mother Nature sure bids Summer goodbye with sizzle.

*************************************************************************

  In the dining room at That Old House,
the table is set for two, for an early Autumn supper.

The expected oranges and golds and reds and yellows are all there;
even some brown to represent the leaves falling outside.

But to give Summer it's due -- after all, it is in the 80s today --
there's the soft blue of summer's water and sky.

There wouldn't be those brilliant hues of Autumn
without, first, the clear blues and greens of Summer.

$1 Aqua blue plates from Dollar Tree,
$1 painted pottery bowls (they have touches of blue-green in their leaves) from the defunct Cost Cutters drugstore chain,
thrift store handblown wineglasses in watery blue,
Dollar Tree tea light birds,
very vintage plaid linen napkins,
my century-old Georgian silverplate flatware,
and my Mom's old pewter S&P shakers,
plus a bargain bin brown poly tablecloth,
an old bittersweet faux wreath, a ceramic pumpkin, some faux fruit, and an old black iron candleholder.

And that's it!

A table that mixes the bright and gaudy colors of Fall with the soft blues of Summer.

Just what I need right now, as I'm not completely ready to let go of those lazy days.

Have a lovely Sunday! -- Cass

*******************************************

Good News!  My sister and her husband went out to the family beach house this weekend -- and report that all is well following Irene.  The water did breach the bulkhead and surround the house, but didn't get high enough to reach inside.  Except for a couple of slightly off-kilter shingles, and shrubbery and trees burned brown by the wind-driven salt, no damage. We are lucky, and grateful.

Today will be my 5th day of joining with other church members, making and delivering bagged lunches to flooded-out residents in affected neighborhoods who are beginning the long cleanup; we average 400 lunches a day.  On Saturday, Howard and Anne were my "runners," as they will be today, and we made it into a couple of areas previously un-reachable by car, driving through thick mud and dodging the bigger puddles.  It takes awhile for the smell of a flood to leave your nostrils, and the mosquitoes are just beginning to come out in fierce force.  Anyone know a good non toxic mosquito repellant?  If so, let us know!  :-)

Link Parties!

It's Sunday Favorites at Happy To Design.  Click here!

At The Tablescaper, it's Seasonal Sunday.  Click here!