This day at the end of August

Its a blogging kind of morning. I can really feel a freshness in the air this morning which is sad but welcome. Last year at this time I dreaded the seasonal change, dreaded the on-coming winter months, went round in a funk about it all for weeks. This year, not so much. I am excited for Fall, for the beautiful trees, for Aces fluffy coat, for Halloween, soups, pie, roast dinners and all things pumpkin.

I am excited for the first snow fall, for Christmas tree hunting, for decorating the house, for mince pies and Winter Carnival keurig cups. For our late winter trip down to Florida.

Shortly I am going to put out the first load of laundry from the pile I have to get through today, get dressed, walk the dogs, come back and make Sunday brunch and then get ready for this afternoons neighbourhood pot luck. Paul will vacuum the house as that's his thing and then clean up the kitchen no doubt after brunch. We have fallen into such routines of who does what in this house that its very comforting.

We have a new lodger on the property, hes a Groundhog who spends his time when not living under the woodpile, sunbathing on the lawn. Hes very cute and we are just trying to figure out if he can stay or if hes a hazard to our newly installed, cost an arm and a leg, drainage system. I do hope he can as apparently they like dandelions and I can use all the help I can get fighting those.

(Picture shows him sat on the palette in front of the logs, almost camouflaged)

This evening I have a riding lesson booked. So looking forward to it. I love Sundays.

Some photos below of some of August:

Ace in his fly ears

 

 

 Girls lunch at Boston Pizza

 Pool days

 Work on a Friday

 Dogs chilling

School supplies shopping

sounds

I have come to realize how intolerant of some noise I have become, always other peoples noises granted but I have to literally hang onto my temper sometimes. It includes the sounds of eating, cant bare it. The sounds of whistling, other people tapping into their keyboards when in a meeting, its so hard to tune that out.
The sounds of fans or water left on. The sound of the ceiling fan if its set on full speed, its loud and I can envisage it flying off and decapitating me or something similar. I cant sleep until the speed is changed.
The sound of some little dude with his killer exhaust that breaks the sound barrier in your ear drums as he revs his engine past you. Whats the point?

Other sounds I simply adore - the pool pump, crickets, the trees in the breeze. The rain drumming on the roof, windows, side of the house. The beagle down the road that joins in when the fire truck rushes past with its lights and sirens going. The long drawn out train whistle (even at 5am). The silence of the house when no one is here. The sound of the waves crashing on Martinique beach.
I think I will always need to live in a house that's surrounded by trees. I will always need a vacation rental home near the beach.

Staycation is coming up

This Friday at end of working day is the start of our 10 day "staycation". Its going to be a little different than planned as we have visitors arriving on Sunday to join us for a week of it but I am still hoping to be able to recharge my batteries.


I plan to:

• Go to bed whenever I like, time needs to have no part of this Staycation.
• Visit beaches and lakes - especially Grand Lake.
• Hang around the pool
• Refinish the new freebie desk and also the table in the front room
• Watch my children enjoy their lives
• Spend time with our visitors
• Eat out a couple of times

August

What I love about August

•  The sense that summer is marching on, its been hot forever and ever by now
•  The darker mornings. When I walk the dogs at 6.30am it feels darker, it feels good, warm yet dark. Very different to the light bright mornings of July.
• Almost hankering for Fall. Odd I know, I love summer but, and this is obviously why I live here, I love the season changing.
• The river floats. The rivers and lakes are so warm that a river float is a joy.
• Talking of lakes, a day down by Grand Lake. When no ones around or at most very few people. I don't care for crowds anymore.
• Molson Canadian cider - pear or stonefruit. My new alcoholic "find" this year
• Evenings at the barn. As the sky darkens earlier I get the comforting, familiar, homey sense of horses getting ready for the night.
• The thought, the anticipation of everything pumpkin spice coming my way - mustn't wish it too soon, winters are too long here.
• The ceiling fans going at night when the windows are open and the crickets are humming in the trees

Summer - July in photos

Summer is marching on in a haze of hot and sticky nights and I of course adore it.
We have been to the beach - we went to Melmerby which is one of my favourites although frankly its hard to choose here, they are all beautiful. We swam in the sea its so shallow and calm there (oh and warm), hung out at the pool as its finally hit 80F, sat round the fire with spider weenies and smores - I discovered pear cider. Hung out at our friends cottage on the lake - that was an incredibly beautiful and restful weekend. We went to see a movie in the park, it was ET so I was beside myself, there's something incredible about watching a movie like that while the sky darkens around you and the breeze picks up in the trees.
I changed my front room into its summer "outfit" finally, I so love this house, theres just something about it. Although its not a ranch with a wrap around porch and it doesn't have a water view (two original items on my "must have" house shopping list) it feels good. Its in the best subdivision we could wish for. Its so wonderful in this house.


Below are some photos to get you caught up, in no particular order:

Our beach day - Paul and Chloe

Our beach day - moi

My summer living room. So glad it looks this way again,. Before I know it summer will be over

Alpine in the lake on the cottage weekend, he was in doggy heaven

Our typical Sunday morning walk. The dogs love this enormous puddle. I do too but right now there are many and I mean many deer flies around. I took out my phone to take this and about 10 landed on the screen. Ugh.

Lily at the beach, shes always collecting shells and stones that she simply has to keep.

Misty's usual spot on the couch, I think she approves of its summer look.

 Paul and Dukie at the cottage admiring the drop off the deck.

A trip on the boat to visit the neighbours for drinks.

The view of the living room I get from my favourite spot at the kitchen table. This house makes me very happy.

Coming back from our visit to the neighbours.

The view form the deck at the cottage - bliss