J Friends

Rain is gently pattering our roof, the smell of grass field burning lingers in the air. It’s a day suspended between the long warm summer and crisp autumn. After several days in the high nineties earlier this week today feels good and right. It’s autumn’s turn to shine.

But first, one lingering glance back at the brief campout the last week of August when the nights are already noticeably shorter,  the cold settling heavy in the early morning darkness.

It was a much needed break with a small creek nearby and swimming pond in the bowl of a tree farm. The owners, T & J are letting what were once intended to be Christmas trees grow as sustainable timber. T selectively harvests the trees as they grow with the long term goal of a healthy forest that will produce trees and income for generations, if future owners have the same attitude he has, “manage the forest to be viable for the next 400 years.”

They allow neighbors to ride their horses along the maintenance roads sectioning the different woodlots. Jeanne took me for a walk Saturday morning, she wanted to share a “secret” path they’d made through the trees. The entrance is quite small, they hope the horse people don’t discover these foot trails.

Quietly meandering along the shadowed trail, pressed in by trees, I experienced a deep sense of serenity. The silent tree guarded path transported us far from everyday life.

Turning a corner we saw a green banner flung across the trail ahead.

Mmm, a blackberry draped path.

Yesterday as clouds drifted in with the hint of rain scenting the air we turned our attention to gathering ripe tomatoes from the garden, and moving newly delivered firewood into the wood shed Ed built early this summer. First I had to take clippers to the blackberry brambles that had exploded from the ground to hold the tomatoes hostage. They will pop up everywhere the second your back is turned. A wall of brambles is threatening to overtake a back section of our home. At least blackberries give a delicious return for their invasion.

It was a perfect day for outdoor work, and for using the food dryer for all the ripe roma tomatoes. Some of the dried ones will go into a quart jar and covered with extra virgin, cold press olive oil, the rest will be stored in a cool dark place in ziplock bags.

The living room/kitchen remodel is basically finished except for a few finishing details. Pictures will be posted soon. On Tuesday a dear friend is coming over to help me put some wall paper boarder in the kitchen. Earlier this week Jane came over to give me something she made.

A folding, carrying knitting basket! She cut and assembled the wood frame and sewed and quilted the fabric – all without a pattern. I feel so honored by this gift of her hands and time.

A couple weeks ago I was surprised to find a package in the mail, the book

Just what I needed! Especially last weekend when I suddenly was struck, totally out of the blue, by a severe sore throat and achy, slightly feverish body. This light, engaging book was savored with joy. Ah, a huge thanks to yet another J friend. 🙂