An End of Summer Feeling

A tiny feather floated down zig-zag fashion
and landed on my Gaillardia flower.
It made me think of autumn leaves falling.

This summer has been particularly hot
and we have experienced heat-wave after heat-wave
with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius.
It has been uncomfortable
and I prefer the cooler seasons of autumn and spring.

Luckily the lake is not too far away and I can reach the water
in fifty minutes on foot
or take the metro for fifteen minutes if I prefer.


Which way is the wind blowing?
The weather vane tells me that it's coming from the south-west.

Steam boat rides are always part of summer!

My grandson loves to look at the workings of the boat!
We have a summer tradition of going on a steam boat when he stays with me!

Chrysanthemums are already planted in my window-boxes
I love these striped ones

and the centre of the yellow ones too.

The early morning sunshine streams into my home
and I just love witnessing this peaceful moment.

My coloured marbles love the sunshine too!

The clouds formations remind us that a change of weather is coming

Sunset

and sunrise

The light is changing
an end of summer feeling
storms are on the way.

This is the essence of my summer.


The Colour of August

There is no single colour that represents the month of August
but I get an overall impression of bright and joyful colours
which enchant me wherever I go.

Gorgeous sunflowers like this one above
growing in the grounds of the local Farmer's Market
The details in the flower centre are a sheer work of art!

On my daily walks in and around my neighbourhood
I discovered these beautiful Morning Glory blooms
generously providing lots of pollen for the visiting bees.

These flowers last but one single day
but there are always new buds in preparation.

The lovely cascading petals of this beautiful dahlia
captured by leaning over the fence into someone's garden.

Cone Flowers looking pretty in a nearby park.

Blanket Flowers
(Gaillardia aristata)
Growing for the first time on my balcony
and simply adored by the bees.

One can see the attraction to this gorgeous pollen-filled centre

I will definitely be growing these flowers on my balcony next year
I love bee and butterfly friendly plants!

The Gerbera Daisies
enhance a window box just next to my kitchen

Golden Tutsan flowers
This is a larger flowered variety of Hypericum or St. John's Wort

One thing I notice is that August's palette shows a lot
of yellow, pink, orange and red
but  I found a little blue Chicory flower on one of my morning walks
just to ring the change of all these warm colours!

The apples are looking good already
and I can't wait to eat my first apple of the season!

Seed-pods are starting to develop everywhere.

This month of August
has been very hot and even since July we've had
heat-wave after heat-wave with a few days of respite between each
with storms and a little rain to bring the temperatures down, provisionally.

I have often sought out the shade of leafy trees and early morning walks
before the heat builds up.

Sunsets have been beautiful
even here in town
where I manage to zoom between buildings to frame them
with tall trees which remind me of the countryside.

I can hear many people around me
wanting the summer months to last much longer
as they feel that winter lasts for far too long!
As much as I have enjoyed the profusion of flowers
and wonderful colours during this summer
I just love the arrival of autumn
and the wonderful lighting.

My favourite seasons are spring and autumn.
I love living in a country that experiences all four seasons
and I shall be relieved when the extreme heat
of this summer has dwindled into autumn breezes.

The Open Window - Scene & Story - July 2017


When I see this open window in the old stone house,
it reminds me of the importance of remaining open.
To open myself to new ideas,
to see things from another point of view
and to let the fresh air into my way of being and thinking.

Sometimes,
we need to reflect on how our life journey is unfolding.
Going out walking always helps me see things more objectively.

Every morning when I get up and a new day greets me,
I open the windows in my home
to feel the peace of the early morning and go on my balcony
to look up at the sky.
In the warm season,
I say good morning to all my flowers.

I say to myself
that whatever this day brings,
I will do my best to accept the events as they come to me,
not fighting the unexpectedness of how life happens,
but looking at things with new eyes 
and adapting to how they actually are
and not how I had imagined them to be.

An open window allows me to connect to life around me
and to live each new day with open-heartedness and acceptance.

***

Joining Sarah at Paisley Rainboots and Lee at Sea Blue Lens
for the monthly Scene and Story.


Between Sunrise and Sunset

The fisherman chooses the best spot to witness the sunrise
I love this moment full of suspense and waiting when the colours
start to fill the sky and create gorgeous reflections in the lake.

Here comes the sun
Spreading a golden glow everywhere.

Pulling back to see the lovely clouds in the sky.

After the sunrise, the lakeside flowers come into their own
Rejoicing all who pass them by.

Another Hibiscus
in more delicate tones

Rudbeckia
Sunshine flowers

A cloudy sunset 

The swan family makes its way home

The water's surface takes on new colours and patterns

and little boats return to port.