Autumn Views

 After a Dinner Out

A trot through St. Gallen with visiting son:

At the chocolate shop, these are Chestnuts and maple leaves made of chocolate: 

At the end of the day, a colorful sky

The Result

 Fall Color Page

On Sundays I try to bring a little something to church for granddaughter Mieka. She and Oma like to make things. Yesterday I took a drawing and some punched leaves. She colored during Bible study and added leaves today. 

Behold how cheerfully colorful.

This makes Oma happy. 

Blessed Sunday

 Rain and Rainbows

While we did not get our Sunday hike, we did have a last worship service with our pastor and rainbows 🌈 on our return drive (for a brother in the hospital, as I told him). 

Fall Coloring Pictures

 To Send

When I write a letter - some of us still do that old-fashioned thing - I often include a little activity for some of my people. Sometimes it is a collection of punched shapes with instructions on what to do with them. Sometimes it is a small, spontaneous coloring page. Like these recent ones for fall -

And today’s was this, with punched leaves to add for a colorful border. 

Harvest Season

 End of Garden

Most of the garden produce - what little we had this year - is eaten, in, or done. That doesn’t include pumpkins, which need more time. We are hoping the first frost holds off. We didn’t plant much this year, and the weather in the spring was not conducive to the setting of fruits on trees, so harvest was minimal. Add to that being gone at the end of summer, and some things, like beans, didn’t get all harvested. Next year we hope to do better.

But our son had a lovely grape crop and gave us a quantity, so after we ate a sizable portion, I made jelly from the rest. And shared it. 

Hello October

 October? Where? 

Every morning is total fog.

But eventually it burns off, and sometimes the sun comes out to filter through my autumn decorations. 

Enjoy your October.

Autumn in the Rain

 Wet and Drippy

The garden season is almost done. In a couple of weeks, I need to get my flower pots in the greenhouse (before I head to the States again, for a family wedding this time). Sunshine is rare, and clouds predominate. Drip, drip, drop, little September showers….

The snapdragons have been chipper in every weather.

Oma’s little Fox is still grinning, nonetheless. I have rescued many of her garden decorations, before her house is gone.

Soggy Lobelia, but also ever-bloomers.

We might not want to sit on the bench and read today. 

These neon geraniums are still blooming bravely. They are protected by the house and still get what light there is. The lavender below them bloomed nicely earlier in the year. 

A wisteria tendril drips on the unwary.

Goodbye, September. 

Take What You Get

 While You Can

Yesterday we went to church. For us, that is not a given. Normally, we meet at a home. This church is borrowed. The pastor is leaving very soon (compelled, not by choice, not our choice). And our group is small. But, we give thanks for what we occasionally get. Yesterday, the congregation of the church at which we met had a thanksgiving service (in Swiss German, of course) - before our service (in English) -  so the decorations were profusely autumnal. 

After the service, we all walk a half hour or so (or drive) to a restaurant for a fellowship dinner. The trees are just starting to hint of fall colors. The walnuts are dropping, the corn fields along the path are harvested, and Maria was giving lessons on medicinal herbs along the way.

Happy Fall

 In Total Fog

The sun is gone, the warmth is gone, the summer is gone. It’s raining. Hello Autumn. 

🍂 

But, we get to put out new decorations. Maybe soon…. next week. Busy days. Sister Ruth is here after finishing her Camino in Portugal and Spain. She wants to go again, soon. Highly recommended. 

Back Again

 And Back to Busy

We are back in Switzerland. Unpacked and some putting away. Then we had this night sky to tuck us in for some much needed sleep.