Frosty November Morning

“Frost is the greatest artist in our clime -
He paints in nature and describes in rime”
~Thomas Hood (1799-1845)

"Two sounds of autumn are unmistakable,
the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown
along the street or road by a gusty wind,
and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese.
Both are warnings of chill days ahead,
fireside and topcoat weather."
~Hal Borland (1900-1978)

"Ere night, an icy shroud, which morning's rays
Wildly shine upon and slowly melt..."
~Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885)
Autumn Sonnet

"Have you ever noticed a tree standing
naked against the sky,
How beautiful it is?
All its branches are outlined, and in its nakedness
There is a poem, there is a song.
Every leaf is gone and it is waiting for the spring.
When the spring comes, it again fills the tree with
The music of many leaves,
Which in due season fall and are blown away.
And this is the way of life."
~ Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986)

Lyric of Autumn

There is rhythm in the woods, and in the fields,
Nature yields:
And the harvest voices crying,
Blend with Autumn zephyrs sighing;
Tone and color, frost and fire,
Wings the nocturne Nature plays upon her lyre."
~William Stanley Braithwaite (1878-1962)

In November

"In November, the earth is growing quiet.
It is making its bed, a winter bed for flowers and small creatures. The bed is white and silent, and much life can hide beneath its blankets....
In November, the trees are standing all sticks and bones, Without their leaves, how lovely they are, spreading their arms like dancers. They know it is time to be still... ...
In November, at winter's gate, the stars are brittle. The sun is sometimes a friend. And the world has tucked her children in, with a kiss on their heads, till spring..."
~Cynthia Rylant

"How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow."
- Elsie N. Brady, Leaves

(all photos taken last week on a hike at Conestoga Lake)

"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."
- John Clare, November

Autumn Greetings to You!

I am back again! It is difficult to blog without a computer, as ours was in the shop for maintenance and repairs.
It was also a busy week, so the time flew by and here we are approaching the weekend again.
My camera did work though, so I managed to capture some autumn photos of this past week that I thought I would share with you.
For those who left such sweet/wonderful comments while I was away, I wanted to thank you and let you know that I appreciated them!
Next week I am going to do my series on Friesland, part of the Netherlands...if all goes well!
This morning I thought I would share some Thanksgiving photos as well as more of the Autumn countryside here.
On Sunday we had our family/children as well as my mother and brother over for the Thanksgiving meal and some wonderful time visiting outside as the weather was so beautiful.

On Monday we drove to the Niagara area to spend time with our dear friends, H&M, who served us the most wonderful dinner, along with a lovely afternoon enjoying time spent with them and another special family.
This is what greeted us as we pulled into their driveway. I can't believe that the morning glories are still blooming! It was such a contrast to the autumn trees that I had to share it with you. We have had the most amazing autumn with lovely weather and moderate temperatures.

Looking through the picture window in their living room....
A Room with a View!

And this was taken from the car on the drive:

Back home again, the farmers are still cutting for hay....

I love it!

The sheep are so content in their pasture....such a peaceful setting!

Wish you could see just how beautiful the colours are of the trees in the background, but my camera just doesn't do it justice...they are spectacular!

The farmers are also busy harvesting their soybeans and corn...this is such a busy time for them.

Some farmers are stacking their corn like this:
The spiders are also enjoying this weather....the evidence is everywhere!

Even the grocery stores are embracing this glorious season:

Such a bountiful array of produce:

And in the kitchen this past week I was busy baking for a british tea as I was asked to host a workshop for GEMS, a wonderful program for young girls. They are raising money to help build a school for orphaned and underprivileged children in Africa. You can read more about it here.

The menu for my british tea consisted of scones along with clotted cream, strawberry conserves, lemon squares, madeira cake, buttertart squares, cucumber sandwiches, along with my favourite british tea .

Added: You can host your own Traditional English Afternoon Tea with a group of girl friends.

I found some great ideas for you here and a menu idea here. Enjoy!

And the autumn floral centerpieces for my tables, made by my friend M who did such a lovely job! The evening consisted of a beautiful singer, followed by a motivating speaker, refreshments and six great workshops to choose from. Although the evening was too busy to take photos, I am sure that the GEM leaders were pleased with the great turnout of ladies and the results of all of their hard work and effort.

Well-done girls!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone and remember to enjoy the beauty of the earth.

Koffie! Koffie! Lekker Bakkie Koffie!

Today has been a gift for me as the past week was a flurry of activity that doesn't look like it will slow down anytime soon with Thanksgiving around the corner, work and commitments.
I had a puttering sort of relaxing day today at home getting the laundry done, the fridge cleaned out for a major grocery shopping event this evening, and cooking a dutch meal of Nasi Goreng,
a spicy rice/pork dish that is actually Indonesian but the dutch often eat this.
This afternoon I took my lounge chair into the sunshine to enjoy this perfect Fall day with my coffee and some reading material.
I thought that I would share what I just finished reading with you:
"Coffee is a national institution. The most significant classical dutch novel is about coffee. A cup of coffee marks all the goings out and comings in. It is the point around which friendships, funerals, birthdays and office life pivot...." It is the essential ingredient for gezelligheid.
(cosy comfort and warm hospitality)
In the Netherlands, coffee is generally served black and strong,or sometimes with evaporated milk added.
Most cafes serve a biscuit alongside the coffee.
So I ask you, my coffee fans:
How would you like to wake up to the fragrance of coffee
every morning no matter what time it was?
There is a large factory in the town we stayed in, the Joure, that manufactures coffee for distribution world wide.
We were served DE at every home and coffee shop we visited, discovering that coffee is the universal language of hospitality in Friesland. The cup below is a large
landscape structure at the entrance to the town, advertising the Douwe Egberts factory.

Outside the Douwe Egberts Museum in the Joure:

There is also a new phenomenon in homes around the Netherlands with the invention of the Philips Senseo which you can read about in the English version here. They sure know how to make their coffee a pleasant experience!

Koffie met hazelnut torte at an outdoor cafe in Sneek:

Koffie met gebak and slagrom(coffee with cake and whipped cream)
served in the Hema, a large department store:

Koffie met appelgebak and slagrom in Hindelopen:

Koffie/tea met stroop wafels:

Lekker bakkie koffie op de boat (coffee served on the boat)

And today, the weather was just perfect for a cafe au lait in the back yard surrounded by nature's autumn beauty and a few good books:


A dutch song for my coffee friends:

When the Frost is on the Punkin

We awoke to a crisp cool morning with evidence of our first morning frost. As I was walking with my colleague into the library for a meeting, I was reminded of the following poem that was a favourite of my children's when we were studying poetry. Enjoy!

James Whitcomb Riley, America's Children's Poet,

and the poet of the Hoosier people

wherever they may be around the world.

"Riley is, you see, the "Hoosier Poet."

'Hoosier' is not just a name for Indiana folk.

No, it is the name for people who are humble before God and hardworking despite suffering all that life throws at them. They are sympathetic with the plight of others and tolerant beyond measure of race, creed, gender, orientation or social status. Each Hoosier keeps an eye out for trouble but hopes and prays that none hits him or her. The themes of the poetry of the "Hoosier Poet" reflect this kenotic outlook."

WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN
by: James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)
WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then's the times a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here--
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock--
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries--kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below--the clover over-head!--
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;
And your cider-makin' 's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With their mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage, too! ...
I don't know how to tell it--but ef sich a thing could be
As the Angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me--
I'd want to 'commodate 'em--all the whole-indurin' flock--
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!

"When the Frost is on the Punkin"

is reprinted from Complete Works.

James Whitcomb Riley. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1916.

Winslow Homer (1836-1910)
The Pumpkin Patch
Watercolor on paper
1878

Autumn Splendour

Autumn
(Tania Kanae)

I would have to say that
It's my favorite time of year.
The days becoming cooler now,
Fall is finally here.

The leaves are gently falling
And turning awesome shades.
Look around and see the beauty,
That God alone has made.

If you take the time to listen,
You'll hear their laughter ring.
The kid's are rolling in the leaves.
What a happy sound it brings.

This time of year brings thoughtfulness,
On which we can reflect
And time to spend with those we love.
A time to reconnect.

Hold your family close to you,
Autumn's finally here.
So much to be thankful for.
It's my favorite time of year.

It was another glorious day today with blue skies and brilliant Fall colours. My oldest daughter had an afternoon shift, so we took advantage of the morning to take a wonderful hike on a bike/walking trail not far from our home. There was truly an array of Fall colours and each poem I have included shares my sentiments and describes the day to perfection. Enjoy! (click on photos to enlarge for better viewing)

An Autumn Day
(Carmen Lagos Signes)

Pumpkins in the cornfields,
Gold among the brown,
Leaves of rust and scarlet
Trembling slowly down;
Birds that travel southward,
Lovely time to play;
Nothing is as pleasant
As an autumn day!

The Milkweed
(Cecil Cavendish)
The milkweed pods are breaking,
And the bits of silken down
Float off upon the autumn breeze
Across the meadows brown.

Glorious Riot of Colours in the Fall Displays:

Fabulous Fall Display close to my home:

And the inspiration She gave me for my own display:

Autumn is the Time
Vibrant colors,
rustling winds,
amber leaves swept
down from trees,
Long brisk walks,
fireside talk...
Autumn is
a time for these.

Poems found at this great Autumn page.

For more Autumn inspiration, check out The Inspired Room where Melissa is featuring 31 Days of Autumn Bliss. You'll be sure to get loads of great decorating ideas!