Daily Treasures- Autumn Cometh

Fall has arrived again my friends. God has begun painting the leaves in brilliant colors and the pumpkin flavored noms are infiltrating the store shelves, well they've been doing that for a while now haven't they? I love this time of year, there's a magic to the air that no other time of the year holds. Other perks include the fact my favorite constellation, Orion, returns to our skies this time of year. It's like welcoming back an old friend after his long journey each year.

 

The other day I was working outside when I get under my favorite poplar tree. The breezes started blowing causing leaves from the poplar and surrounding trees to rain down in golden splendor. I stopped long enough to take in this miraculous moment and catch some leaves as I do each year.

Nature is quite the magician if I do say so myself. I was walking down the drive to the mail box and before me seemingly suspended of it's own accord was a little yellow leaf swinging and dancing in the air. I just stood mesmerized by this act of simple, yet astounding magic.

I find that I'm frequently inspired to write about this season. Something about the views, smells, and feel of it is creative juice of a special blend. Last year I decided to bottle Fall's scent even if it was just in word:

Parfum d’automne*

If Autumn could be perfumed

What would be it's olfactory?

It'd be the scent of chopped wood

That clings to Daddy's shirt after working on winter wood

The aroma of sun dried leaves that crackle beneath your feet

The fragrance of Marigolds that scent a Fall night

The unique smell of an Autumn breeze

That blows cool over the hills

Ratting the trees

Demanding leaves to play with

To finish it off healthy sprinkles of pumpkin spice and cinnamon

That engulfs our nose and taste

That is what a bottle of Autumn should smell like

I also enjoy the store finds this time of year. I generally have two wish lists during the season. One for the items that would be my décor for Halloween/Fall, and the items that I want to add to my regular year round décor. What can I say I love some creepy mixed with the many other things I throw up in my space. I got things up like a Dollar Tree Gargoyle I bought ages ago when we were still attending the Halloween Festival in Brevard, NC, and this Dracula Rubber Ducky the folks gave me. Heck I have one of those changing haunted portraits from last years Dollar General Halloween line I keep up. You can find her in the second picture of The Spooky Vegan's post, the lady on the top row. I don't know what it was about this portrait, but it was destined for my wall. When I first saw it I though it was cool cause it was A. a changing haunted portrait , which I've always wanted, B. She transforms into a vampire my favorite horror monster, C. Her normal state was just such a lovely portrait that I'd have hung even if it didn't change. I didn't buy her that first day, I didn't want to make a knee jerk splurge purchase. But after I left the store I couldn't get the piece out of my head, I even had christened her Lucillia, either that first time in the store or the days following. So I of course returned, and after a pulse quickening search through the male portrait stack I found Lucilla, and since then she's hung above my computer watching me work, procrastinate, and stuff my face. My general rule with shopping for not essentials is if you can wait on purchasing it wait, and if it's still something that stirs in your heart and mind days or even a year later get it, but in the cases of thrift stores and day sales best to just act, but have self control.

Ok my friends have a good weekend, enjoy God's beauty around you, and may He always Bless You!
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer
And from his slumber on my bed the Vampire >vv< Kitty

 

*I used a language translator to attempt to get the French for perfume of Autumn or Autumn's perfume, if you speak French let me know if that's right. I just thought the title needed to be in French.*

Time and Other Fleeting Things

They say "The best things in life are free", but I think it would be more true if it was said "The best things in life are free and fleeting." This is the mindset I'd planned to write with when I first was going to write this last month. Time has been fleeting, so much that like The Art of Doing Stuff did a few weeks ago and Running in a Skirt does this will have to be a massive dump of the last couple months. I have been a flake on many things this season, this blog being one of them. So with "free and fleeting things" in mind I'll try to stay on theme as I do an account of some of the things that have happened the last couple months.

Max Patch

 

Well in the latter part of July we took a trip to Max Patch, North Carolina. We hadn't been since 2015 maybe. For those who've never been, Max Patch and the surrounding area is a beautiful rural land. There's places to fish, hike, horseback ride camp, even some letterboxes and geocaches. We packed a lunch and took a nice ride there, despite having the daylights jarred out of me once we hit the gravel. For those that don't know I enjoy car rides sometimes I think it's the best part of an outing.

We usually stop by Max Patch Pond were certain times of the year you can see the tadpoles in various fleeting stages on their way to adulthood.

I also love seeing the butterflies gathering by the water, such beautiful and short lived creatures...

...and flora.

It was nice hanging with the folks in a laid back setting ,looking at nature, checking out the local music stations, visiting where my Grandpa lived. Enjoying the little moments.


Asheville Anime Regional Convention

I really don't know how to add this to the theme it wasn't free and it happens every year, but the memories made are fleeting and can't be repeated? It was a fun time and a beautiful day.

 

I ran into this self published author I'd met at the final GeeKOut last year, Amanda Churi. She came in tow with her fiancé this year. Who dazzled me with so sleight of hand, even though I've studied up on the subject. I ended up purchasing her first book, which she publish as her senior English project. It was after reading the book that I realized she'd probably given some of her fiancés' attributes and name to one of the main characters. So for that moment I met him, it was like when one meets an actor who portrays a character you like, it's the closet you'll come to meeting that fictional character. Despite being a large book a finished it rather quick, as I'm prone to do to good stories. I may have to buy the second one.

Welcome to the Wild
One of the things I enjoy about living where I do is the abundant wildlife that can be found in our yard. We have deer that roam and munch on our fruits, we have one that we have been watching for the last couple years who we call flip tail cause of it's over fondness to tail flipping. We also have turkeys that come around every year. This year a turkey has been roaming with her chicks. You can't help put smile seeing the little things following Momma around. We also had a turkey decide to roost in one of the trees behind the barn each even. It was enjoyable to see it up there when I'd go to the feeding:

 

Sadly this joy was short lived for it decided to stop roosting right before the eclipse, actual a lot of the animals vamoosed right around the eclipse for a time. But the deer and Momma Turkey returned. Actually in that same tree a few weeks ago the Momma flew up into it, then growing chicks followed suit each seemed to be trying to out do it's sibling till the tree was full. I couldn't help to think of that Peanuts Thanksgiving Special and Sally trying to get a Turkey Tree. I guess I found it. The little family it still around, but I haven't seen them much if at all since that tree display.

Eclipsed

 

One fleeting cosmic event we enjoyed in August here in the States was the total solar eclipse. It was something I'd been looking forward to for months. Thankfully my sister was able to hook us up with proper eye wear amidst all that eye wear drama. I even was inspired to do a bit of art after hearing our local country station Kiss Country talk about the Cherokee having an eclipse event. They also mentioned who they believed a frog was eating the sun... Being descended of Cherokee, at least that's what those who studied my family tree have told me, I found this fascinating. I mean I look at all these other cultures who had ideas of ferocious beasts devouring the sun, and my ancestors thought it was a frog... I'm just wondering how this belief began. Anyway not long after hearing this, maybe even the same morning, this image came to mind of a frog with the sun in his belly. I'm not the best drawer, but who else is gonna do your vision, so I gave it a try. I entitled it Nvdo Walosi Ugisgo. It's one of the Cherokee phrases for eclipse I learned from Your Grandmother's Cherokee. I'm kinda pleased with it.

On the day of the event itself we watched all the coverage and toasted as we watched the moon eat the sun, mostly. I think my Dad figured we were in the 99.6 range if not more. It was enough to transform the world into some strange realm where you couldn't help but think about those lizard men you saw on Facebook. My sister and family got the epic eclipse pics. I did manage some cool shots, you can tell strange things is going on.

Watching all the big eclipse parties on the tube you kinda wish you went to one, but at the same time it was nice to share in this special moment just with some of the special people in your life, plus not far to collapse in my bed, my sleep was so screwed up around that time. I'm also inspired to do more creative work surrounding the eclipse something comparing how my ancestors handled it to how we do now.

Still Together All These Years

Earlier this month my Mom and Pop celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary. I'm sure as it probably does for most time as flow by, but I'm glad their marriage withstood it's test. We went for a family celebration at a local restaurant. I'd actually been there the night before with Fangirl, so double the burger pleasure.

This is me abandoning adulthood to play Tetris with the Tetris Tot they've apparently decided to start serving.
Well that is the chronicles of time that has soared passed me. My prayers go to those of you effected by the hurricane, wildfires, and earthquakes. I pray the Lord keeps your all safe. God bless you friends!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer