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You are here: Home / Don / Autumnal Light

Autumnal Light

September 21, 2015 at 8:40 am by Claudia

9-21 late summer hydrangea

I’ve been exploring the autumnal light that comes in very late afternoon. It’s bright and golden with that sort of autumn tinge that tells me the seasons are changing.

Yesterday, as if a switch was suddenly flipped, the temperature dropped to the low seventies and last night the temps were in the fifties. Hello, Autumn!

The garden beds are flashing a flower here and there, but basically, they’re getting ready to go to sleep. Henry/Henrietta has been spotted chowing down more than a few times a day. I suppose he/she is getting ready for hibernation.

The doves came back to the birdbath last night.

9-21 late summer zinnias

Our dear friend, Adrian, came to visit us yesterday and stayed with us last night. Adrian (who coincidentally has the same last name as Don) has been friends with Don for over 40 years and with me for over twenty. He’s such a great guy – an actor, like Don. In fact, I’ve coached him out at the Old Globe. He’s been filming a movie about Ernest Hemingway over the past few years in which he plays Hemingway. After a long and sometimes stressful period of filming and not filming and waiting to start again (they filmed at Hemingway’s home in Cuba) the final editing has been finished and Papa  had a screening at a film festival in Boston on Thursday. We’re so excited for him! It will premiere in Havana. Fingers crossed for all that is good for our friend.

9-21 zinnia and fly

I’m halfway through Come Rain or Come Shine  by Jan Karon. It’s a lovely and gentle read. I believe it will be officially released tomorrow. A review on Just Let Me Finish This Page tomorrow.

Don’s new CD, Ready for the Radio, has been mastered and will now be duplicated, printed and packaged. Whoo hoo! It is really, really well done. Both Don and Dan have poured their considerable talents into this recording and I can’t wait until I can hold it in my hands.

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: Don, flowers, friends, friendship, garden 25 Comments

Comments

  1. Doris says

    September 21, 2015 at 9:00 am

    Almost sweatshirt weather here in CT. Time for me to start cleaning my garden. Take care, Doris

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 9:05 am

      I might pull a few weeds, but I usually wait to clean up the garden until spring – I like providing a haven for birds and other critters. Good luck with your cleaning, Doris!

      Reply
  2. Barbara W. says

    September 21, 2015 at 9:04 am

    Lovely photos – definitely my favourite time of year. You would have a heyday with your camera in old Havana with its beautiful old buildings. Yesterday I attended the once-a-year mini show for our part of the world. I saw some mini Fiesta pottery that reminded me very much of your real-life pottery.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 9:06 am

      Oh, I bet that pottery was beautiful! A little envious here!

      The photos I’ve seen of old Havana are simply gorgeous. All the wonderful colors and the beautiful architecture – sigh.

      Reply
      • Barbara W. says

        September 21, 2015 at 11:13 am

        On a recent holiday, my daughter took a series of black and white photographs in and around Havana – they look exactly like vintage photos from the fifties. I always take a sketchbook and pens on holiday – it gave me a bit of jolt when I found out that Hemingway used the same brand of notebook!

        Reply
        • Claudia says

          September 21, 2015 at 1:06 pm

          You’re in good company, Barbara!

          Reply
  3. Linda @ A La Carte says

    September 21, 2015 at 9:10 am

    What a gentle post this morning. The photos and rhythm of your words are soothing me as I start another long week. I want to get some photos of my recently purchased Mums as they are making me smile as I see them through my front window! Off to start my day.
    hugs,
    Linda

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 9:18 am

      Mums are the perfect fall touch. I’m glad you’re smiling as you catch sight of them through that window!

      Reply
  4. Vicki @ lifeinmyemptynest says

    September 21, 2015 at 10:30 am

    I’ve become fascinated by Hemingway in the past few years. That’s amazing they were able to film in Cuba. His house in Key West is so interesting to visit!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 10:53 am

      And they filmed long before it was permissible for most people to travel to Havana.

      Reply
  5. Wendy TC says

    September 21, 2015 at 11:03 am

    We’re having a heat wave in the SF Bay Area. I started sleep last night without covers and woke up this morning, without covers. Was in the high 80’s to 100’s yesterday and expected to be today too. My poor drought-stricken plants!

    Congrats to the two D’s on the CD. I’m looking forward to the new Karon book.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 1:05 pm

      I just finished it, Wendy. It’s wonderful.

      Reply
  6. Donnamae says

    September 21, 2015 at 11:11 am

    The light is changing! Everything is looking clear and crisp too…humidity has left the state. Excited for Don….can’t wait to hear the cd! ;)

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 1:05 pm

      A big hurrah for no humidity!

      Reply
  7. Chris K in Wisconsin says

    September 21, 2015 at 11:52 am

    It definitely does have a Fall touch in our days and nights, and, as Donnamae said, the humidity has left us. Supposed to be a glorious week and weekend with daily temps in the 70’s. Who could ask for much more than that for late September?
    My husband’s brother (81) and his wife traveled to Havana this past March. They said it was amazing. My daughter and her 3 best friends are planning a trip in 2016. Great that the doors are opening.
    Sounds like you must be feeling better. How exciting for the Dons!! :-)

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 1:07 pm

      I’d love to go to Havana. I’m feeling better, for sure, but am still plagued by coughing jags in the middle of the night. I’ll be glad when that’s over!

      Reply
  8. Janet in Rochester says

    September 21, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    Best of luck to Don with the CD, and to Adrian with the film! And to Henry/Henrietta as he/she bulks up for a long Winter’s rest! I agree with Donnamae too – I love the way the light changes in Autumn to illuminate all the new colors as they come along. I can’t say I’ve ever really noticed this change in Summer or Winter, but it’s really prominent to me in Spring and Fall. Then, once I see my first pumpkin on a doorstep or at a roadside stand, it’ll really be Fall…

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 1:08 pm

      I think I’m aware of all the seasonal light changes…maybe because I’m constantly photographing things. This particular change is simply beautiful.

      Reply
  9. Sue Silva says

    September 21, 2015 at 2:57 pm

    Fall is my favourite season. Has Don ever worked with Jane Fonda?
    S
    xo

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 3:02 pm

      No, he hasn’t, Sue.

      Reply
  10. Nancy Blue Moon says

    September 21, 2015 at 6:05 pm

    It’s been rather chilly here today..Best of luck to Adrian…sounds like a film I would enjoy..and best of luck to Don & Dan with the new CD…I know I would enjoy hearing it!

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 21, 2015 at 6:20 pm

      Thanks so much, Nancy!

      Reply
  11. Vicki says

    September 21, 2015 at 7:08 pm

    How exciting for Don.

    Glad you are enjoying the senses-alive autumn coming ’round. Wish I could say the same for myself but we are in our usual 90s here in what used to be a nice place called Southern California.

    You know, I have bought several Jan Karon books and I see them right there, sitting on my shelf…and I’ve never read one of them (yet). I do that. I don’t want to say a hoarder but I’m something of a gatherer. I gather stuff up…for later. Books are one of them. And then later becomes too many years.

    Reply
    • Claudia says

      September 22, 2015 at 10:13 am

      Read them, Vicki! In order.

      When our friend was visiting – he lives in L.A. – the one thing he couldn’t get over was the green of the landscape.

      Reply
      • Vicki says

        September 23, 2015 at 4:33 am

        Yup. The trendy slogan at the moment in Southern California, as regards our endless drought and heat…and water restriction (town to town…neighborhood after neighborhood with dead lawns, cemeteries with dead lawns, county buildings with dead lawns, schools with dead lawns: “Brown is the new green.”

        Reply
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I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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