This and That, - Here and There.

September 4th, 2015

A week ago today I was busy stuffing all I could into ONE bag, - carry on luggage to make our quick flying trip to the City (Edmonton) as easy as possible in busy airports.  A sweet and generous DIL volunteered to shepherd me to my sister's Memorial.  A celebration of her life and a wonderful chance to see her children, grandchildren and great grands gathered together in one spot - an opportunity not to be sneezed at!!!

We flew out of Kelowna Saturday, at noon.  All week the valley had been engulfed in smoke from wildfires blazing on both sides of the border, but as we left a welcome rain promised to make some difference in the atmosphere.  We flew above the clouds, but still the mountains were hidden from our view, and we landed in smoke from prairie fires.

Settled in to an overnight motel and had dinner at The Olive Garden, - delicious, and after, a good evening visit with Jeff and Anna (grandson and wife...)  Woke to clear skies and breakfasted at a restaurant that specializes in marvelous hearty morning meals and then off to indulge in memories of my sister's long and creative life, and to remember her, not only with my own memories, but also with those of her dear children and their offspring.

It was a quick trip - we said our farewells and caught the 5.15 flight back to Kelowna.  Home by 7 p.m. and Callie met me at the door with her 'where have you been' meow.

Well, it took a while to recover from all that activity, - talking and walking - and my knees complained loudly, but September arriving at the same time was a splendid pick-me-up!  When the children were home and September saw them back at school nobody was more eager or energetic than I to take advantage of all the fall activity.  I longed to go back to school with them, and for a while I did.  A student once more taking every last English Lit and Philosophy class I could!

September still affects me the same way.  I am anxious to make lists, to read new books.  But mostly right now I have an obsessive yen to 'de-clutter'!  I have a granddaughter who is expecting her third child in six weeks or so, and she is busy 'nesting', but I think as one grows older there is a longing for simplicity and the realization that one must divest themselves of a lot of the things that have accumulated over the years.

Fall and lovely cool weather have arrived early, as did spring.  The months seem to have adjusted themselves, and probably we will have an early winter.  Hopefully with lots of snow in the mountains to relieve the drought conditions we have suffered from this year.

Blue skies and clear air tempted me out to the garden.

The Autumn crocus surprised me in the side bed, and though the roses are finished (will they bloom again in October as they have before?) and the phlox is looking quite disheveled, the barn flowers and the yellow daisies and rudbeckia cast a wonderful golden glow in the crisp air.  

A few leaves are turning on the Elder tree, and there are other indications that autumn is about to

make changes in the garden palette.

 The sedum is starting to turn pink, and the Chinese Lantern are a lovely gift at each stop that the Chinese Railway made in the back garden!

In the orchards they are picking apples three weeks early

Charles loved the fall, as I do, and I remember the back road trips we used to make, and treaure the pictures we took of the seasons turning gently - the grasses drying sweetly into that lovely naples yellow, so that the hills glowed and eventually the trees donned their most spectacular colours to say farewell.