Friday, September 14, 2018

Between the Seasons




"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks"  John Muir


Indecisive September hovers between summer and autumn. Indecision about what to wear every day reflects the fluctuations in temperature. No socks and a light top one day, sweaters and closed in shoes the next.



"The air is crowded with birds, 
beautiful, tender, intelligent birds
for whom life is a song." George Henry Lewes

On my walk yesterday I stopped to watch this little bird gorging herself on Mountain Ash berries. She knows she needs to eat now to build up energy reserves for the weather to come.


Acorns litter the path under the sprawling branches of Garry Oaks. 


In my garden, blithe roses put out bud after bud, happy, I think for cooler temperatures and more moisture. Winchester Cathedral showing off just now, and I see that another white rose, Bolero, is getting ready to shine soon.


Our menus also reflect the waffling season. In the morning I think that a warming meal would be appropriate for dinner, but by late afternoon, a salad is more appealing. 

On a rainy day this week I roasted a chicken. There were plenty of leftovers for packed lunches, and this salad. Also in the fridge was a container of roasted butternut squash. I found some dried figs in the pantry to sliver and warm with the squash, then cooked a few bacon strips until crispy. A bed of lettuce topped with perfectly ripe and sweet Bartlett pear slices rounded out the plate for a most satisfying meal. A drizzle of mustard vinaigrette finished it all off. Yum!
  
Today is the end of the first full week of school. I am slowly getting back into familiar routines both there and at home. My students are wonderful, and eager to learn. This semester I have two classes of Spanish - beginning and third year (Grades 9 and 11). Teaching part time is enough for me. 

How about you? Do you find September is a time to reestablish routines that may have been relaxed during summer? 

22 comments:

  1. Retired so my life is not lived much by the clock or the calendar. Glad that your students are eager to learn. You still take beautiful pictures! 😉

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  2. It must be fun to teach beginning Spanish. I'm still in Paris and I could live here but part of me wants to get on with the routines.

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  3. I love seeing the photos of things found in nature. I have missed walking in the woods here in NC. We are here to help family with some things so it's more of a working vacation. And so far I've been too tired to do anything else! Enjoy your weekend!

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  4. Lorrie, that salad is calling my name! Yum! That little bird does look like she is enjoying her berries! The best to you as you start your weekend after the first full week of school. I always loved Spanish class!

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  5. Absolutely beautiful pictures, Lorrie. I love September-it means crisp mornings, warmed up afternoons and cool nights. By October first we are usually pretty cold here with a few warm days thrown in as teasers. Sept means soup and tweeds and fires in the evening.
    Hope you have a wonderful weekend- xo Diana

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  6. Beautiful pictures (and words). I always love John Muir quotes! Yes, September is the time to get back into routine.

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  7. Part-time sounds so much more manageable. Glad you have that option. You described September well...the in between. Happy weekend to you!

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  8. Since taking early retirement I often wonder who I found the time to go to work. Beautiful photos. Your meal sounds delicious, I love to add fruit to a meal, the addition of the pear sounds wonderful.

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  9. Lovely recipe ideas Thankyou Lorrie. This time of year is so lovely for enjoying nature. Glad your term has started well. Have a good weekend. B x

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  10. The salad looks so good. I'm anxious for fall to arrive here. Meanwhile the hurricane rain is at least giving us a change from the hot, dry, sunny days. As long as we don't get too much rain, but it's predicted that we will.

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  11. Your salad looks wonderful. I now have roasted squash on the brain. :)
    Here in Vermont, at this lower elevation, the seasonal transition is being kind. The weather has been beautiful.

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  12. That little bird looks quite content to be surrounded by all those berries! This weekend we are still enjoying summer weather which is fine with me. It's been a cooler week though and next week will cool down quite a bit so it will be time to make chilli or a good stew. Your salad looks delicious! I love chicken and squash as well as figs. September is definitely a transitional month for me. This is when I really get busy in the kitchen and I have Christmas on my mind as well. Since we will have some family home this year I look forward to all the preparations. Christmas is always more fun with family around. Enjoy your weekend, Lorrie!

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  13. Dear Lorrie,
    Love the ingredients in your salad. I wish that they weren't so much work...but then that is what makes them so special.
    I love acorns. I love everything about them. The color, the shape, even their cute little caps. I love to see them in a bowl. I have been known to gild them for holiday decorations...no doubt, not everyone's cup of tea. .

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  14. Oh that salad look amazing! I will be so glad to see a little more evidence of fall. Lovely photos and I love the first quote, especially...great post! Your new blog design looks really nice. I keep saying I am going to do that too!

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  15. Love the look of that salad, so impromptu but delicious too. I'm another so called retiree and the days go by without too much clock watching here. Today we went to the beach for our walk it's good to be back in the autumnal routine.

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  16. Nice images, Lorrie. After a couple of days of cool weather, the temperatures climbed back up to the high 30s so it's still feeling summery over here.

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  17. September is hot and horrible here, but at least we are not getting hit by a hurricane so for that I am thankful.

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  18. Yum, yum, yum - that salad is making my mouth water!!! Our September visitors meant a different sort of routine for us - rising early to prep breakfast and tidy the house. These last couple of days, it has been nice to return to a sort of 'normal', although there has been guest room cleaning and other catch-up tasks to do … when I am not working outside in the glorious fall weather!

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  19. That little bird looks so sweet sitting there, I'm sure she enjoyed the Mountain Ash berries.

    Your plate of food looks delicious … something I'd enjoy :)

    We are enjoying September days, walking and enjoying natures lovely scenery.

    All the best Jan

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  20. Anonymous3:49 AM

    Lorrie, getting back into your class routine was made easier between the nourishment from that salald plate and what you took in on your walk...:)JP

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  21. That's one gorgeous salad bowl!

    I do wish I'd had someone like you for Spanish in high school. After two years of As in Latin I thought Spanish would be a breeze. I was wrong.

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