Hello and goodbye to October...

I took this photo at the end of September, when I finally had to admit summer was essentially over in the Deep South.  We have had a warm fall, but it was time to take up that summer rug and say goodbye to summer on the porch.

 The condo trees are finally getting some color.  I love the dappled sunlight in the late afternoon.

The last time I posted, I was heading to my favorite hideaway in the Nantahala Forest.  This breathtaking scene made me stop in my tracks one morning.  It's where I can relax and just breathe.

This was supposed to be my October post.  Yesterday, as I was writing October 31 for the hundredth time that day, I realized that October just ripped by.  My favorite Anne of Green Gables quote: “I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”  Me, too.

Drama queen, happy tune and so thoughtful

Having a belated birthday dinner with some friends yielded some very nice gifts, an "Espresso" orchid (hope it lives!) and a bottle of Middle Sister wine.  I'm a middle sister, as is friend Janice, so it's OK to be called a "drama queen."  :)  I think. 

 The plants are hanging in there - the temps have been mostly above 32 degrees, so I'm thrilled they are surviving the winter and will be able to grace the front porch in the spring.  I loved the cardinal who visited the feeder and whistled a happy tune.

A friend who has been very ill left this belated birthday gift of kitchen candle and birthday cake chocolate bar at my front door on Valentine's Day.  So thoughtful!  It had been a long day of work, and then volunteer work.  I was very weary and this perked me right up.

And - I finally got to this book, but actually listened to the audio version in the car during the last few days, finishing yesterday.  It was worth it to hear Reese Witherspoon's lovely voice reading it, but I still wish this book had stayed dormant.  I need to go back and read To Kill a Mockingbird again in order to shake this one off.  So I guess the good thing about it is - I finally got to it.  :)

Hope you have a great weekend, my friends!