Today at Iten's Acres: Last Work Detail October 25, 2014

What a gorgeous day for working The Acres. Finished up most all of the "big" projects just in time for Indian Summer. Seventy degrees next week? Ohioing again. Finished up the pot hole bunkers--now I have to wait until spring to see if it was a good idea or not. I'm honestly not terribly worried--my two earlier ones seem to have done well last winter--vortex and all. Redid parts of a couple beds as well. It's all about the iris, of course. We haven't had a frost yet so I still have plenty of blooms. The indefatigable phlox are still busy. Some flowers have decided to go another round--cone flowers in particular. Still have the morning glory--and the annuals. The wandering Jew just bloomed--my favorite blue. Electric. And the monks hood are fabulous. Tall, deep blue, spreading. May their tribe increase. The wild area by now is just green. I still love it. In the evening when the sun is setting, the green throne is a magnificent place. The changing sky. The darkening. The evening breeze. The emergence of the stars. A sliver of moon. The bats busy--flying shadows in the deepening gloom. One of these nights I'll just sleep out there. Let the owls serenade me. A mellow, echoing lullaby.
Had a former student drop by this evening. That was enjoyable. Had a nice chat. Walked The Acres--gave a tour. Two humans do not make a crowd at The Acres. And The Homesteader gave her seal of approval.
I still have small things that need to be done, but they are things I can manage all winter if need be. Ten minutes here. Ten minutes there. Builds the anticipation. The gold fish are still active, so maybe, winter is a little way off. I wonder if gold fish in a pond are part of the FA's dire predictions? Should be.
The Homesteader is delighted with all the plants that have been brought inside for the winter. Pots to climb on. Plants to chew on. Leaves to swat. Occasionally a bug slips in with the foliage. Makes a nice snack--supplements her diet. She has let it be known in no uncertain terms that when the sun is shining on the green chair in the library/bedroom--the seat is hers. I imagine that that must be where she spends her afternoons when I'm off at school making enough money to keep her in cat food.
Weekends at The Acres. Restoration for my old soul. Thank you Lord for the perfect place to be still--even while working. Stillness is a heart and soul thing you know. You can be still before Him anywhere. I can't think of anything more enriching than a life of stillness. We would know Him so much more deeply if we practiced it on a daily basis--on an hourly basis. Practice His presence.

Today at Iten's Acres: Autumn Artisty October 17, 2014

Only had half a day of school today--parent-teacher conferences. So I took the long way home--one of them anyway. An autumn cruise along the backroads of Ohio. I love the winding roads--the windier the better. If only I could paint . . . Beautiful colors everywhere. And I love this time of year for its "openness." Crops are being harvested and as the leaves fall, too, hidden old farm houses, the trees on the far end of the fields, the antique red barns reappear after a summer in seclusion. And the contour of the land is evident again. I walk it in my imagination. In the fields the green monsters send up plumes of chaff as they take a turn on the far side of the acres they are reaping. Some fields already harvested have been plowed for another planting of some crop. Spring and autumn mingle in the landscape. I drive slowly--as you know. Roll down the window. The smells of fall are as invigorating as the living canvas. The aroma of burning in the air. And it smells as if rain is coming. Love that fragrance. Wonder why no one has ever bottled it? It was a good journey for the soul. And then, at home, a few hours of working on The Acres, sitting on the hilltop, walking through the wildness. I was so tempted to just lie down in the grass and sleep away a lazy afternoon. A lovely day for an old man in love with solitude and a life of quiet reflection. Someday, perhaps, Lord willing, I can make my entire life a meditation. He is the God of Wonders; and this afternoon, He allowed me to immerse my body, soul, and spirit in His artistry.

Walking Iten's Acres: October Musings October 12, 2014

Mid-October and the morning walk is chilly--but invigorating.  Lots of beauty still around--phlox everywhere, fall crocus--white, pink, yellow starting to bloom; no lilac yet.  New England aster is pretending that it's Ohio aster--as always.  Heath aster is ubiquitous as well.  The hardy cyclamen and monk's hood are always mid-October beauties--pink and blue wonders.  As the leaves fall, the berries on the dogwood and hawthorn become evident, as well as the crab apples.  Some trees have lost their leaves, the maples are just about in prime time--the ancient red maple at the bend in the driveway is the star. Burning bushes are on fire. Dogwoods are turning. Here and there are scattered late bloomers of other denizens of The Acres--Rose of Sharon, hibiscus, sneezeweed, morning glory, sunflowers--even a banana yellow day lily. The annuals in the container gardens are doing well--especially the dianthus, snapdragon, zinnia, begonia, and geranium.  Some pots in the trees--I suppose since they are more sheltered--are still overflowing with impatiens. Flowering beauty is still present, autumn beauty is coming to the trees, winter beauty can not be far behind. Yes, winter can be beautiful--stark at times, exquisite in the white and black contrasts of snowfall, myriad shades of green on the conifers. I know, it's cold too.
I need, at least, three more good weekends to get everything accomplished that I want to:  two more pot bunker beds, re-do Bed 5, mulch, dig up the gladiolas. (I could really use a couple of weeks off school, but I admit--I would miss the kids too much. Whatever you do, don't tell them. I'll hide it in parentheses.)  Life will never give you all the time you think you need.  Anyway, I hope I can get those things completed before the cold of winter arrives. They are predicting, as I'm sure you know, another frigid winter. Fortunately, The Acres have shown this blooming season that they are a match for whatever comes its way. And, of course, the path to the glories of spring, summer, and fall always pass through winter. The winters in our lives only make the times of beauty more breathtaking, do they not? They make the beauty more resplendent. 

Today at Iten's Acres: Ohioing October 4, 2014

I always look forward to the weekend when I can get outside on The Acres and do some more "work." I still need to put in a couple pot hole bunker flower beds, plant a few bulbs, mulch--that kind of stuff. However, today I have been relegated to providing a seat for Homesteader and watching the weather. Cold rain, sleet, hail, snow have made for a wonderful day to think about working outside. To commemorate the occasion, I am creating a new verb. (I'll even let Meteorologist Jennifer Myers--our Texan weather star borrow it if she wants). The new verb is "Ohio." as in someone asking you "What's the weather like today?" and you say, "It's Ohioing." They'll know exactly what you mean. "Stay inside" will be the response if they truly love you. Excuse me--back to my lap service.

Tonight at Iten's Acres: It Was a Cold and Rainy Night October 3, 2014

A cold rainy night at The Acres. Tomorrow a high in the 50s. The lows tomorrow night--high 30s. God will have His paint brush out. The maples which have turned already may lose some leaves. Others will change this weekend for sure. Fall's colors rain from the limbs. Better start practicing kicking my way through the piles of leaves--a touch of childhood in my journey through The Acres. The beauty of every day life surrounds us. Heaven and the new earth will be glorious. But I confess--I love the beauty of this old one well.