quiescence

In nature, there is a time for everything.

There is a time to sprout and grow.

There is a time to flourish and flow.

There is a time to slow down.

And there is a time to rest.

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There is also a time of reflection...a time to reflect on all for which I am grateful.  Cat at The Whimsical Gardener has created the Thanksgiving 30-day Challenge.

sunrises

mornings in the garden

beauty of blooms

surprises that make me smile

special visits

magical sights

nature walks

quiet moments

sunsets

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Like nature, I am in the midst of slowing down. Although there are a few chores left to do in the garden, there soon will be nothing left to do in the garden until spring. With the chores in the garden decreasing,  the joys and festivities of the holidays will keep me very busy with family visits, cooking, baking, short holiday trips, and celebrating this special time of year. I hope to find some time to rest as well. And so with all of that, I will be taking a blog-cation until January.

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.
Ovid

Blogging has offered a very interesting time of discovery and exploration. I have met so many wonderful bloggers and gardeners. And I will miss the interaction that comes with blogging on a regular basis during these weeks until the new year.

To all the readers of The Sage Butterfly, I wish you pleasant holiday feasts and happy moments. I hope during these fun and hectic times of celebration, you will also find some time to rest.

See you in the new year of 2012!
©Michelle A. Potter

The Garden of Loral Acres

In late September, I visited my mother and stepfather and took a few photos of their piece of heaven.

Long ago when my mother and stepfather moved to this piece of land, they created a name for the property that combined parts of their names, Loral Acres. Living here for over 30 years, they have made many changes from creating perennial beds and vegetable gardens to selling off pieces of the land to reduce the workload to creating new vegetable and herb gardens.

Okra blooms abound...

My mother loves flowers, and plants them all around the house.

Her Oakleaf hydrangea is very large with a plethora of blooms. Even in their dried state, they offer a lace-textured complement to the leaves.

The pyracanthas flank the side of the house with lots and lots of berries.

Ice plants are in pots and other containers.

At one point during their residence on this land, they had a very small chapel built on the property. A cypress vine climbs the side of the door.

A screened-in porch sits among the trees as a secluded place to read or nap.

The property is filled with blooms and special spots.

One evening while I was visiting, the sky gave us the most interesting and beautiful display.

Loral Acres is a very quiet and peaceful place, where no cars or trains can be heard. In the distance, there is the sound of mooing cows, crowing roosters, and singing songbirds. I can see why my mother loves this place.

©Michelle A. Potter

Autumn Amble - W4W Ephemeral

I often take a walk for exercise, fresh air, and clearing the mind. In the basement is a treadmill for those rainy days, but nothing can really compare to walking outside. I take different routes to refresh my senses and to get a glimpse of various nature scenes as they grow and change through the year. It is impossible not to notice all the color at this time of year--the reds and golds and the shadowy light of the low-lying sun.

As I walk through these leaf-filled paths and under the glimmering leaves, I try to savor these images for they are temporary and soon will be gone. Here, autumn has just passed its peak. Now, the leaves will begin to fade to brown and beige and fill the forest floor. Autumn and its artistry will soon be a memory. I am joining Donna at Garden Walk Garden Talk for Word for Wednesday - Ephemeral. Autumn is an ephemeral event.


Ephemeral - brief, episodic, fleeting, transient, impermanent


Although I enjoy living in an area where the seasons cycle through the year, it is always bittersweet to see a season end. Perhaps that is the charm--the seasons leave us wanting more and so we never tire of them.

Another attribute of the seasons is they are never really the same. Each year's autumn may be cooler or warmer than the previous year's autumn-- or more or less colorful. Plants and trees change and grow and therefore are different each autumn than the previous autumn. So, much of what I may see this autumn may be very much altered next autumn.

Much of the time I walk alone so I can completely focus on what I am seeing, smelling, and hearing.

Sometimes it is nice to walk with some like-minded friend who may notice something I did not.

I realize we have weeks to go before the end of autumn, but the array of hues will not be here for long. So, I say goodbye to autumn until next year. Thank you for the exquisite display of colors, textures, and magical sunlight. Thank you for the cool breezes that feel refreshing after a hot summer. I am much obliged to you, Mother Nature, for the opportunity to experience this season of resplendence. Late autumn has its splendor as well, so I say farewell to the undeniable radiance for which autumn is most recognizable.

As I come to the end of my stroll through the pigment of autumn, I stop and relish as much of it as I can...until next year.

©Michelle A. Potter

A Stroll Through Mary's Garden

 
A garden is unique to each gardener's personality, reflecting an air of that unexplained something from which the gardener obtains his or her ideas. Even the more natural, untended gardens have an unmatched allure. Touring other gardens is always so interesting to me. Not only do I get ideas for my own garden, but seeing someone's personality reflected in their creative decisions in the garden provides unequaled insight into the gardener as a person. And although I can appreciate almost any garden, it would be ultimately impossible for me to implement every single good idea I find. So, I pause, behold, and enjoy.

My friend, Mary, has a lovely garden. With many trees in her yard, she has numerous shaded planting beds. This offers a challenge that Mary has solved beautifully with shrubs and shade plants. Her garden is lush, full, and colorful. Some of the many alluring features of Mary's garden are:

the many ornamental garden decor items that sit perfectly in various spots around the garden

the way in which she combines plants for the most beautiful presentation

the shady areas where she has thoughtfully placed plants for interest and coverage

the planting beds and plants that only add to the charm of her garden and home

the charming touches and spots scattered here and there

the colorful and textural blooms and glimpses of wildlife

the very neat compost pile

the fig tree that produces delectable and juicy figs

the new addition, a beautiful pond

©Michelle A. Potter