Ready for Fall While Looking Back at Summer

Well, here we are off on our

autumn adventures!

Though I am always up for adventures,

I am slow to let go of what came before.

 Do you enjoy looking back 

and savoring days gone by?

Like holding onto that good taste of something

that you just want to last forever?

And did I say slow?

I like to think of myself as living in

the moment...

Being present.

This is something that I have had 

to work at.  

My shutter painted mustard yellow. YAY for paint!

I'm a planner and I'm in love with life.

But I felt that I was missing so much

by trying to do too much and always

thinking ahead or of something else.

VERY distracted.

My daughter and 6 of my grandkiddos. Love them all to pieces.

 That's Escudilla mountain in the background.

My life is so very full of rich family times, just living, projects and change. Right now, I'm 

going through some big changes that I hope to

be able to share about later.

It's been a time filled with many emotions 

and physically exhausting. 

But I'm trusting God and He is

ALWAYS good.

These are just some of my memories that

I captured and a few photos of some of the beauty

of my summer. I hope that you don't mind if  I'm not up to speed with fall.

I wish I could keep up like other folks. I have

tried but it just doesn't work for me.

 I have many more garden pictures to share later.

The magic and calming of music that flows through my days and fills my heart is

a gift to me that I unwrapped as a very young child. It's melodies and harmonies have

filled so many cracks and crevices in my soul 

and changed my life forever. And now that goodness overflows and with God's

blessing, is touching the lives of others.

I am so grateful!

JOY... 

BLISS...

DELIGHT... 

EXUBERANCE...

GLADNESS...

HAPPINESS...

and sisterly LOVE!!!

with a dash of ornery ;)

Simply 

MAGICAL ~

I cannot resist faded petals. I have a collection of geranium 

flowerlets that I've been gathering all summer to be put in a jar.

Fading beauty is a part of life. Aging is a natural process that reveals a beauty all it's own. 

Being able to embrace it all as we pass through each season is a sign of a life richly lived. 

My geranium after wintering in my 

kitchen bay window.

It doubled in size this summer.

I had to cut it back to bring it back 

inside. I love their scent!

Jeff and I play with the group Bush Valley Rounders and the two

 of us have our own two person band called BackRoads. 

We were delighted to have our first summer ever booked from June to September.

We played nearly 30 times. It was a little daunting at times but we did it!

And we're so grateful for all of the support!

On the nights when we play music, the couples get out on the patio under the nights and dance. The merriment of the music rolls out across the valley to meet the mountain carrying the sounds to the elk, deer, foxes, bears, wildcats and coyotes.

 Making our yard and gypsy camp come alive

with flowers and plants is something that I look forward to every year. The refreshing that it 

brings to our spirits is a reward for 

the hours of energy, commitment and time 

devoted to it. During the hottest part of the

morning, I sometimes take a break under the pines

and spend a little time reading and resting.

Three cheers for going on 

a little different kind of adventure!!!

Annnndd.... 

for family togetherness.

lots of clapping! ;)

Cormorants

This week, we will pack to leave for Ohio.

I hope to be hanging around on the blog and coming to say hello.

Now I must go taste the peanut butter pie

that Jeff brought me last evening.

Darbi's in Pinetop, Az...

I lost count of their restaurant awards!

And they have theee best pie on the mountain.

Have a lovely weekend. Please tell me of your

fall outings and adventures.

Thank you for being here!

Hugs and blessings,

Tamara xo

Follow Me Down the Wild Path... Magical, Gypsy Camp and Gardens ~ PHOTOS GALORE!

Hello and welcome.

What a lovely day it is and I'm excited to get started with it!

Do you feel like that when you wake up?

SO much goodness awaits the day that you can hardly wait to

get on with it? Sometimes, I tremble with anticipation.

Truly.

Tonight we play music and it's always a joy to see our friends

 there and to share in some 

warm conversation. Bringing

happiness to those that come to dance and

 listen makes me happy, too!

I have plans today to have a gathering of herbs and flowers to dry.

I have found a lovely, old ladder to hang them from.

I'll share later :)

*********

And now, away we go down the path to one of my favorite places 

in my world. I have said so many times that I would live here if I could!

It's rough and wild.

Not a formal place at all but

it's full of adventure, magic

and BEAUTY~

A place where miracles happen.

 Wild animals visit

 and baby birds live here.

Bunnies hop across the paths.  

Elk and deer come 

to eat the pumpkins in the fall.

Little snakes and mantis' live in

the tall grasses.

And we do a lot of living here~

 I hope you enjoy your visit.

You might find Brutus nestled into the Catnip.

 There are two little gypsy princesses that 

come to visit often. It's 

one of their favorite places to explore.

 You can hear their  
laughter and merriment ringing 
through the trees.

It's such a work in progress~

as am I.

I wish to love more, be more kind and patient 

Keep thankfulness ever before me.

I want to bring more:

 Beauty to the world.

Inspiration

Creativity.

Honesty.

Authenticity.

And LOVE...

most of all.

{It seems to me that we can never

give up longing and wishing 

while we are thoroughly alive.

There are certain things that

we feel to be beautiful and good

and we must hunger after them.}

~George Eliot~

Long afternoons resting in the cool of the pines~

 Peeking into the faery world

as she tends her little garden.

  A quiet place to listen to our hearts...

I'm going to make everything around me 

BEAUTIFUL~

That will be my life.

Elise De Wolfe

 And a place to read...

To get lost in another world and to 

know people that we never met~

 It was SUCH a wonder watching this little one's egg...

It's a fledgling Mourning Dove.

What a little miracle to watch an egg bring life 

to this beautiful bird!

The Mama bird was ever so patient watching 

over her charge as we disturbed her careful work 

so many times.

We tried to stay clear but 

sometimes we'd forget.

If you look in the center, you can make out a nest. 

It's literally made from a hand full of sticks!

You can see right through the bottom of the nest.

And there was one egg. 

When it hatched out, we were able to watch it grow!

 And when it was time to fly the nest,

 it was a moment filled with awe and 

gratitude for me. I found the little one flitting around 

in the catnip. I was able to scoop up the bird and take it to 

a safer place far removed from the cats.

I checked the next morning and the sweet thing

 was still safe and sound tucked away on

 it's little branch in the tree. 

I love these experiences; they make life so rich.

Isn't life amazing filled with so much wonder?

NEVER LOSE YOUR WONDER, 

and keep ever-searching for the magic,

DEAR ONE~

I gather these treasures whenever I can. 

I store them in jars to enjoy their

beauty when it's cold and gray~

Even the dried petals are so special pretty to me.

I have several jars from different kinds of flowers.

 Brutus...

You'll find him in the oddest places!

It was NOT easy for him to get up there.

 My quirky and cute garden cat.

So much love~

I love the weeding, watering and moving

 among these garden places.

It brings such peace and has taught me so much!

I was NOT a patient gardener when I started years ago.

Oh my! Not at all.

 Morning light dancing in the Gypsy garden.

All good things are wild and free.

Henry David Thoreau

A rare appearance by Sir... 

or Burly.

A quiet, serious one.

 Fresh basil...

It's aroma is heavenly.

The Gypsy Camp protector...

 she is always ready. 

 Yes ...

and every now and then you see a 

GYPSY resting near the fire... 

 And you can hear her strumming 

on her guitar or mandolin and singing ;) 

 To what mysterious place is this bridge leading?

Somebody is coming back from an adventure...

If only he could tell us what's on the other side!!

I suppose someday, we'll have to see for ourselves ;)

 Let your dreams soar! 

The sky is waiting for you.

(Gypsy cat photo bomb! haha!)

 A tiny bee working it's magic

in such a beautiful place!

Gypsy jewel colours!

 Found and gathered treasures.

What do you like to gather?

Really.. 

what delights your heart?

There are so many things to delight us..

aren't there?

Like the giggles of children...

A hug from a loved one...

Celebrating the accomplishments of others...

A lovely sunset...

A good book...

A daring adventure?

Whatever it is, I hope you find something

delightful in your day!

 This lovely, vintage pink pansy 

is going to be pressed

 so it's beauty will be preserved 

for a long time to come~

 Is your hope renewed when you see a rainbow?

Night is falling on our

  Gypsy Camp world.

and it's time for dinner...

We made HOBO DINNERS.

Have you ever had them?

They are SO fun for kids and easy to make.

That will be my next post.

Sometimes I come here in the evenings with my journal.

Here is a link to a short video to watch 

Django Rhinehart's early years.

You can listen to him playing his

 Gypsy Jazz.

I do so appreciate you coming by.

I'm so thankful for each of you that 

take the time to visit.

HUGS~

I hope I didn't bore you too much with all my photos

and stories of my enchanted Gypsy Camp and Garden.

Now it's time to start fall festivities! 

I have already added some fun things around outside and in.

Happy Fall! 

I'm not sure what the weather will hold for us this fall.

We had a freeze warning tonight and that's very early.

That's mountain living.

So my yard and Gypsy Camp gardens are spotted with

little ghost-like coverings.

 OH my!

I'm hoping to get a few more weeks 

of enjoyment from it all.

Wishing you lots of loveliness and peace.

And always, always thinking of and praying

for those that need our help and support.

Tamara

XO

linking up 

Dishing it and Digging It

 Won't you join me?