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.