Wednesday, October 20, 2021

October Daily 20: Beautiful Things

 


I've been watching the three buds on the cafe au lait dahlia bush. They were slow to appear and seemed to take forever to open. I wondered if they would succumb to frost or all the rain. Today, after a morning of drizzle, I clipped three lovely stems, then looked around for what else I could put with them. Two Falstaff crimson roses, a few pink and aging hydrangeas, and two orange dahlias joined the bunch. 

I treasure this late bouquet almost more than all the flowers picked over the summer for they are likely the last of the season. 


I took Iris for a walk this morning. Usually I bring her to our house for the day, but I had an appointment this afternoon. We went on a little date to the bakery where we split a carrot cupcake and she had a cup of lightly steamed milk, and I had tea. On the way home, she stopped to hug a tree, and marched along in her yellow rainboots.


We have the wrong kind of fig tree for our climate, and we're planning on replacing it in the spring. We get just a few ripe figs in August and tons of green ones that never have time to ripen. Big yellow fig leaves are dropping every day now, and revealed about a dozen small ripe figs. I slit them, baked them with a drizzle of olive oil and maple syrup, then crumbled blue cheese into the middles and baked them a wee bit longer. They made a fine salad. 

Beautiful things to see, do, hear, and taste. What's beautiful in your world lately?

16 comments:

  1. You really have all the good things in nature where you call home. Lorrie! And a granddaughter named Iris to boot! My puppy is named Poppy, and my late sister's dog was Daisy. We all love gardening. She had so many little gardens, all a different theme. Her favorite were pink flowers and she had a pink flower garden bed. I did a small patch of the same to remember her by, and daisies along my shed to honor her. And what a lovely date you had with Iris! Isn't being a grandmother the best?

    Speaking of Middle Eastern food, you commented on my new passion in my post, and thanks for visiting, I made tandoori chicken recently and my husband and I devoured it. Not much of a stretch to prepare but so, so delicious. Have your Persian tenants passed on any recipes? I'll try to share my recipe in my next post. No photos, my food photos are very unappetizing!!

    Happy Fall, my friend!

    Jane ❤️

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  2. Your bouquet is lovely as is Iris in her yellow outfit.

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  3. Your flowers bouquet has beautiful colours. I always wait for the figs to be in the shop and I like them with blue cheese it is so good! We had a terrible storm last night , very strong winds , electricity cuts, no trains ...it is the first Autumn storm, but the colours of the trees are beginning to be beautiful.

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  4. Your flowers bouquet has beautiful colours. I always wait for the figs to be in the shop and I like them with blue cheese it is so good! We had a terrible storm last night , very strong winds , electricity cuts, no trains ...it is the first Autumn storm, but the colours of the trees are beginning to be beautiful.

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  5. Iris is a dear little girl, cute in her yellow coat and boots. What a delight to walk with her. Your dahlia bouquet is beautiful, such soft Autumn tones. And the figs, how I love them, but we cannot grow them in our climate and they are expensive at the shops. I would adore your fig salad!

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  6. Iris looks such a sweet little girl - I love the way she trots along so earnestly, hugs a tree and has such pretty curly hair.

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  7. I loved seeing your granddaughter hugging a tree! Your bouquet is beautiful.

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  8. Anonymous4:35 AM

    Beautiful dahlias , I would be curious to know what kind of fig you will be replanting ? Donna

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    Replies
    1. Hello Donna, The fig that is recommended for our area (Southern Vancouver Island) is a Desert King. They apparently have a large first crop that ripens well.

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    2. Anonymous7:17 AM

      thank you very much , I will be starting a new blank slate garden this year and a fig is in the plan. I may need to find some cafe au lait dahlias too , They are gorgeous . Donna

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  9. What a perfectly beautiful post!

    "Let's go Brandon"
    🍁 🌰 🌻 🍂 🍁 🌰 🌻 🍂 🍁

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  10. Late summer bouquets are always the best. I love the dahlia. So good that you have special time with your granddaughter regularly. At home my acer is the beautiful thing at the moment. Just love the vivid colours. B x

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  11. eye candy . A11 of it!!!

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  12. Lorrie, your granddaughter is precious in her boots and raincoat hugging the tree. That is one to pull out when she is sixteen.
    We had figs when we lived in VA. I always felt it was too cold for them here in WV. We can get to 15 below in the winter. Your salad makes me miss them even more and sounds so yummy! Enjoy it.

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  13. I love that collage … and the fall bouquet and figs!!

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