The Mountain Thymes

 With two approaching cold fronts coming, I brought most of my potted plants inside Sunday evening. Monday and this morning were in the high thirties.  That's cold to me but it's nice for sleeping.  Thursday morning will be close to thirty on the mountain and in the sixties during the day.  It's been a lovely October.  Leaf colors are not as vivid as previous years but still enjoyable. It's been raining so I figured it was a good time to sit and type. After complaining and whining, driving my friends crazy about the microwave  issues, I just went to Lowe's last Friday and bought another one to replace this one that Cliff and James installed only four and a half years ago.  The mother board had been replaced during the first year but stopped working about a year later.  I kept paying for repairs.  Charlie told me it would be better at this point to buy a new one.  I bought the same style GE but in stainless steel.   I'm so happy...

Today is Cliff's birthday.  Mark called this afternoon to see how I was doing and we had a lovely talk.  He sounds good.  Sometimes I get concerned about him but he's really doing okay. We both found things to laugh about.  He's had rainy days for the past two weeks from the tropical systems.  It's terribly humid and there is standing water everywhere.   The temperature here this morning at six o'clock was forty-six degrees with thick mountain fog.  I went to the Murphy farmers market around nine and bought Swiss chard and the last of their green beans.  Only a few more weeks of these markets. The fog finally burned off around 10:30 when the temperature shot up to high sixties.  The rest of the day was wonderful.  This has been the nicest October in the eighteen years I've lived here.   Last Sunday my last hummingbird perched on the front feeder and when she didn't show up Monday or Tuesday, I figured she had left for Cent...

 My goodness....This feels like the longest day in years.  When Cliff and I were working we used to get up around five or five-thirty to start getting ready for work...feed the cats, pack our lunches, shower, and whatever else working people used to do.  This morning I woke at 5:10 and didn't go back to sleep because I promised a dear friend I would pick her up in Blairsville where she was dropping off her Kia Soul at 7:30 to be cleaned and detailed.  I showered, did my ten-minute yoga routine, made my oatmeal with chopped dates porridge, brushed teeth, took morning vitamins, got dressed and headed out the door by seven-forty.  Felt like I should be going to work.  Thank goodness I wasn't!  Traffic was heavy as all the "worker bees" were heading to their job sites.  I picked up Susan at Weavers Detail & Car Wash  and she navigated me to her house up in the mountain and into the woods.  Cliff responded to emergencies in Susan's neck-o...

 I just made a hot cup of Mandarin Mint tea and told myself to stay put at the computer for at least fifteen minutes before jumping up to start another task.  The mountain fog has finally burned off (10:20) and sunshine is making its way through the forest.  Temperature was 53 when I got up at 5:30, is 68 now and predicted to reach about 80 in town so maybe high 70's on the mountain.  I still have three hummingbirds battling at four feeders.  It's very entertaining to watch their behavior this time of year before they head back to Central America.  There is more of a slow dancing type movement in their flight as they approach each other.  Their wings and tails fan out as they stay in rhythm face to face.  I sit on the porch mid-afternoon and watch this.  I've even had all three sit at the feeder at one time and sip nectar before bothering each other.     Then there's this male who has claimed the swing.  He sits waiting fo...

 Two cool weather fronts came through since the weekend bringing drier air and relief from the heat.  This morning's temperature was 53 when I got up at 6. I got to walk Konehete Park before going to yoga at the gym.  Gardens are winding down.  Always a welcomed sight as I get tired of fussing and watering by this point.  I've pulled up tomato plants and whatever else looked like it was suffering. Most areas need weed whacking again.  Monday I tackled the back tall weeds near the garden.  Most mornings forest leaves are dripping from the early mountain fog.   Grass and weeds don't dry well until afternoon.  I went through both batteries before quitting late morning so my arms and clothes were covered with wet grass shards but it felt good to get that under control.  And............   I got to use my new outside shower for the first time.  There is still work to be done.  Ricky will pressure clean the platform for me t...

 It's a dark dreary overcast day with only a 16% chance of rain predicted.  The weather station says it's raining cats and dogs.  And it's correct! Back in my classroom days in Florida, when it felt like this with dark clouds and the sound of rain on the roof, I used to think how I would love to be sitting with a warm cup of tea and a good book instead of managing a classroom full of energetic students.  I had been out on the porch when the this 16% chance of rain opened up and it brought the classroom image back to my memory. So I'm making my cup of tea to return to the porch and enjoy the peaceful rain.  In the last twenty minutes the weather station registered 0.54 inches and still raining and the wind has picked up. The temperature dropped from 79 to 70 degrees. My choice of teas for this dark feeling day is "Rosy Mood" with Damiana & Butterfly Pea Flowers, an uplifting tea that supports a good mood.  The tea bag even looks happy.  Since I drin...