Sunday, October 31, 2010

Tick. Tock.

The clock on my desk keeps ticking in earnest.

It proudly displays the time... and also the date. As I stare at this gadget I'm quite befuddled on how to proceed. Throw the clock away? It's obviously broken. Ticking through the last months of this year at far too quick a pace.

Orchids ~ all smiles ~ they get to blossom indoors. 
Outside is a whole 'nother story.

It cannot possibly be November 1st. Can it? (Please, don't answer that.) 'Cause I'm not even half way done with my autumn chores.

Surprise snows buried all sorts of tacky garden art.

Winter came in the pesky way it does sometimes ~ too early. Chopping an entire month off gardening. And, horseback riding. And, pretty much everything else this autumn lover loves to do.

Peering out my kitchen window onto the uninvited guest: gloomy weather joined me for morning coffee far too often this month.

Surprise snows, followed by sudden melts. Bad Dog and I slip-slide along the hiking trails like little piglets wallowing in the mud.

During the blur that 'twas the month of October I was gifted with these gorgeous Iris ~ in honor of my birthday. Inching ever closer to the 5th decade, I am now... officially...

... older than I was the last time I had a birthday. :)

I hope y'all had a marvelous weekend.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday, Kate. Hope you have plenty of warm sunny skies in the next year.

Carolyn ♥ said...

Great post Kate. The title was very fitting and your ending gave me a smile.

Wendy said...

wow, that is a gorgeous landscape out your window! Happy birthday too!

Carol said...

Time does seem to be flying by too fast Kate! Beautiful photos! Gorgeous landscapes and lovely iris bouquet. I hope you had a great birthday celebration in the blur that October was. Many Happy Returns! I am wishing for a warm spell before winter truly settles in . . . I wishing it your way. ;>)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Tufa;
I finally got in gear and gathered up the hollyhock seeds. I'll pop over to see if you'd still like some. ;)

Thx, Meredehuit;
Is it as gloomy in the valley? I was sad to see an icy rain for the trick or treaters.

Thx, Wendy;
It's a prettier landscape when it's summer green vs. winter white. :>D

Hi, Carol;
I'll take any warm weather you can conjure up! I know there are some neglected garden tools hiding out underneath that snow!

Deb Mc. said...

Happy belated birthday!
Don't worry about 50 - just think of all the living you've done, and have yet to discover!
I've been 50 a whole year-and-a-bit and the only thing I noticed was that I 'really' need my glasses to read.

Might you have a few spare hollyhock seeds I could sprinkle on my roadside hillside? I may be able to obtain some dark burgundy ones from my neighbor in trade.

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday! Those gloomy clouds sure made for a gorgeous photo--the first picture is definitely frame-worthy. :)

sweetbay said...

The first picture is just spectacular -- so golden in the foreground and forboding in the background.

Happy Birthday! Sorry that autumn was so short in your neck of the woods!

Rose said...

I don't envy you the early snow, Kate, but oh my goodness, what a beautiful view you have outside your window! Time does have a way of slipping by too quickly ... I don't know about you, but I still think of myself as in my 20's:)

D said...

Hello dear Kate, and happy November 1. We on the other hand have had rain, rain, and more rain with the exception of yesterday which was gorgeous and gave us an opportunity to pick the last of the tomatoes (all green) and clean the beds. Now what? ;) Have a wonderful week.
PS: love the photo, view of the mountains against that sienna floor... rich color.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Deb, my dear.....
......you are welcome to buckets and buckets of hollyhock seeds. And, I'll let you in on a little secret. I've been tossing holly seeds around the Park City trails while I'm riding I'm horse. I know they grow wild here, so wouldn't that be a hoot to be trotting past hollyhocks next summer??? Please e me your address.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thx, Kim...
......very sweet of you to say. I woke to sunshine this mornin' (finally) so I'm grinning from ear to ear.

Hi, Sweetbay --
Yeah, I never get tired of peering out that window. It's cool to see the storms coming from so far away. What's really weird is most of those storms never reach me. They beat up the mountains and then run out of steam. I end up with a drizzle of rain.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

"Repeat after me, Wendy!" (he meant you and me, Rose :)
.....Let's never grow up!"

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Di;
Well you could always invite me over for fried green tomatoes. I don't actually like them but I so rarely get to eat fried foods these days that I would totally go for it. Beggars can't be choosers! Plus, with your culinary skills...

And, on the subject. I nuked one of your fab muffins earlier this morning. I make them in big batches, now.

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Happy Monday to one and all!

Amy said...

Happy birthday Kate! You're still a baby; well, it's all relative. My husband says, "You're as young as you feel!"

That first photos is stunning in it's goldness, and the view from your window is breathtaking - you can feel the storm coming. I like the snow on the garden ornament too - all your photos are fantastic!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Amy!
I love that line of thinking. I might 'look' old, but I sure don't feel it! ;-)

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I'm feeling similarly shecked that it's already November, though I love all seasons. My niece has had snow in CO already, too. We had our second hard frost this morning.

joey said...

Gloomy or not, love the view from your kitchen window, Kate ... the view alone should sustain you :) Happy birthday young friend!

Laurrie said...

I would like to peer out your kitchen window and see that view. It's spectacular, even when looking at an uninvited winter guest roiling the clouds. Since you don't mind uninvited guests, I'll be by for coffee in the a.m. ... just to enjoy that incredible scene.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hey, Monica!
I need your assistance on the lamest of things. Heading over to your blog to ask your advice...

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Joey;
That view does sustain me. I use those mountains as my winter weather indicator. Watching the snow creep lower and lower down the hills gives me fair warning when 'winter' will officially come to call at my elevation. ;>)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Laurrie!
I shall cook up a pot of cowboy coffee and await your arrival. We dorks probably have lots in common! ;)

jan said...

happy birthday (a bit late!) Remember fifty is the new 49+1!