FALL TOUCHES AT THE COTTAGE

Here are a few fall touches

 at our cottage home. 

 It is impossible

not to have a glare on that print

because it is such a dark color - even with

no lights on it reflects other things in

the room.

I also look forward to the upcoming

Christmas decorating but for right

now we love Thanksgiving which

is November 28th!

Some older green Waverly

fabric was found online:

I did have some of my own real

bittersweet in the garden and then

also, a (fake) garland for the porch

entrance from Kent's:

A LATE WARM DAY IN OCTOBER FOR "Tea In The Garden"

I follow our local weather with a  

10 day extended forecast and I noticed

that today there might be weather in

the 60's so I got everything ready in hopes

 of doing one more "Tea In The Garden" -

taking advantage of the late afternoon

weather.

I was surprised to find some flowers 
still in the garden - at least enough
 for this bouquet.

I recently noticed this Game Series Spode
 set was used in the humble hearth kitchen
 of the Drew family (Tim and Margie) 
who were tenant farmers as part of Downton Abbey.

Some people dread cold weather but

I do appreciate the 4 completely different

seasons here in Missouri.  This week our
temperatures are going into the 40's.

I chose some fall tea wares to

enjoy today!

I have my Downton Abbey cookbook out and looked for a recipe for Potato Leek Soup although I wouldn't do it cold as suggested by Arsene Avignon, the Sous Chef at the Ritz.

Remember during the class with Alfred he asked the students what the name was changed to and Alfred did not know the answer (Vichyssoise).

Our butterfly bushes were loaded with action today.  They have continued to bloom because I deadheaded them all summer.

I hope you have a lovely week ahead.

FINISHING A LAST GARDEN PROJECT

So out in my front yard I had one area where

I had not finished digging out the lawn and

 putting in the rest of the flower garden.  I
look at these photos and can't believe it took
me several days of digging this out.  Now we
need 30 more of those cement decorative
blocks to put around the edges and bark.

I extended this area away from the pussy willow. 
It was only 40 degrees outside
today so
I am glad to
get this done.

Of course now
I must go get the cement border pieces and
the mulch.  The real work was picking out
the BERMUDA grass the neighbor planted 
which has come into our yard.  That grass
is horrible and I don't like it!

Isn't it easy to put things off?  I sat on 

myself this week as I find every year now

physical things become harder.  So, it was

do it now as next year it will just be harder.

I am thrilled to get this digging done. I could

have never done it if I hadn't been walking

an hour each day for the last year.

I left the center open so my husband can
drive his mower through easily.

Three weeks ago a naughty man drove up

in the truck and parked in front of

our house at 4:33 am. In the dark, he stole

 my grey wheel barrel which I now realize

 I should not of left outside the garage.

  The neighbors video camera across the street

 caught him from  several angles but then -

 there must be a million trucks like his in

 this town. So we had to buy new wheel barrel 
which is easier to push really with two wheels.

By the front door walk: 

I have 2 butterfly bushes still blooming
only because I deadheaded them this summer.

Perhaps you have been in the

 midst of some

fall garden preparations too.

THE DOWAGER'S GARDEN

Like some of you, my husband and I

have been rewatching the television

series of Downton Abbey.  I found one

of my favorite spots in Season Four which

happens to be the Dowager Countess

 beautiful garden.

  I saw on line where the house is in real

 life "Byfleet Manor" in Surrey and is for 
sale or at least was for $6.12 million.

I took these pictures with my camera but they

are of my television set as of last night!

I was very sorry the scenes took but a couple minutes and this lovely garden 

was not really shown that much.

  I would have loved to see more.  Too bad Isobel Crawley didn't ask a few questions and let Violet 

expound on her knowledge!

We do see some lovely flowers just the same!

I wish they had sat down on that

 bench for tea!

Then there was the sweet young man who wanted a job helping the garden - thank goodness!  

Well, at least we know that

 the Dowager liked:

Alliums, delphiniums, hydrangeas,

poppies and what else do you see?

A BOUQUET BEFORE THE COLD

Like many of you we will be getting some

colder weather here this weekend so I 

decided to go ahead and pick some blue

hydrangeas near the fish pond.

I will be sad to see my zinnias come to a

stop too because they just got really big

and lovely.

Are you ready for winter?  I

think I would like to keep fall

around longer!