Oh, Claudia, ye of little faith, this morning glory that you were sure was a dud, all leaves and no flowers, has bloomed prolifically. Today’s count: at least 30. What an amazing surprise from Mother Nature. Every morning I wake up and peek out the bedroom window to see how many flowers have opened. While everything else is dying back, these beauties are more than making up for it.
Another bee diving into the center of the flower.
Well. Don is supposed to fly to New Orleans tomorrow and, as you must know by now, a hurricane is headed there tonight and tomorrow morning.
Hmmm.
Many of the actors are now flying on Monday instead of Sunday. Don and a group of actors who need to be there at the start of the tech rehearsals for the show (which start on Monday) are another story. Last I heard, one of the producers was thinking of flying them down later in the day tomorrow on her private jet (!!!) But it’s all up in the air now.
Never dull, is it?
I’m checking in on the weather but staying away from the Weather Channel hype, because they drive me crazy. Does anyone watch the show where they have a set that looks like a bar? I think it’s Weather Underground. Really? You need a set that looks like you’re hanging out in your basement?
Just show us the maps and give us the weather. Don and I laugh every time we see that set.
I did end up driving north and I bought a few things at my favorite natural foods store and at Home Goods (I’ll show you tomorrow.) But I’m still a bit tired after Wednesday and I forgot my vow at this time of year: Don’t drive anywhere other than the grocery store on a Friday or a Saturday or a Sunday. It’s Fall. Leaf Peepers are everywhere. Our local farmsteads are packed with visitors sampling the cider and the cider donuts and picking pumpkins. The amount of traffic is, to say the least, annoying.
I made the mistake of thinking that a couple of hours between 12 and 2 or so would be pre-the weekend craziness.
It wasn’t.
So I’m staying home and doing some work in the house, but mostly reading and enjoying my little bolthole.
Did I show you the dishtowel I found in Manhattan last weekend? I posted it on IG but if you missed it, here it is. It’s perfect.
Happy Saturday.
Another hurricane? I missed knowing about this one. I will be keeping an eye on it now and praying for safe travels for the cast.
I thoroughly agree with the dish towel! Some days, my cats are the only two creatures I don’t want to shake sense into!
Happy weekend reading!
Thank you, Debbie! Yes, this hurricane is a bit worrisome!
Any hurricane is bad but I thought yesterday they said it was a Cat 1, certainly not flying weather but not destructive? Although it can’t ever be good with that ‘bowl’ the city of NOLA sits in, in terms of filling up with water. Funny-weird, I was thinking yesterday, “Well, Claudia will miss it; she’s not there til the 19th” (on my radar because I think I was reading your post and it was then fresh in my mind, in terms of your details)…but I completely forgot about Don, as in him coming/going/being there! Indeed a wrinkle for him; no fun to think you’re going toward a hurricane (or being IN one) rather than away from one. Yikes.
I’ve gotta remember when I ever finally get to the Northeast to see fall colors, that I pick and choose my times. We often speak of her here, but Susan Branch has a post up about a recent jaunt to Maine and I definitely noticed her photo of the line of cars leaving somewhere (tourists) after the weekend up there, I can’t remember if it was over a bridge or on the way to a ferry but it rang home to me that Fall trips up in your neck ‘o the woods can cause traffic jams much like SoCalif with our poppy fields in Spring. I remember when I lived in Santa Barbara and how in summer there’s this big event called “Fiesta” (‘Old Spanish Days’) which overtakes the city in August with dance, music, food, a parade…and tourists. We ‘locals’, after the first few times of enjoying it ourselves, would simply leave town thereafter, or just stay ‘in’, avoiding getting out if possible; the place would just be locked up with cars (and people) to where it was difficult to do any kind of normal business like go to the bank, post office or pharmacy or gas station; just forget it!
I think the hurricane forecast changes by the hour. I haven’t checked it since this morning, so I don’t know what it is. The entire show has a schedule, a timetable, of tech rehearsals and previews, so any delays at all are trouble.
Bolthole. That was a new one on me. Thanks for expanding my vocabulary!
I just love that dish towel—the color, the illustrations, the sentiment—everything about it!
Yes, the morning glories were mostly late this year, but worth every day of the wait. Mine are surely blooming away without me.
I know! When I saw it, it was a no-brainer! I had to have it.
Maybe one of your neighbors could take some photos and text them to you?
Your morning glories are brightening up my days also!! So pretty. We will get some rain and wind from the hurricane but that’s about it. I’m sure they will get Don to NOLA somehow. Our leaves change a bit later here but we also have leaf peepers in the mountains. Stay home and read and putter! I’m reading like crazy right now! Hugs!
It’s a luxury, to be sure, to just stay home and read! I’m very happy doing just that.
I’d never heard the term “Leaf Peepers” until I visited my brother and his wife when they lived in Connecticut about 16 years ago. It still tickles my funny bone to hear it. Here in southeastern Wisconsin the hot September is, sadly, delaying the leaves from changing color. Sad, because I’m worried they’ll suddenly turn brown and fall without all the gorgeous yellows and oranges happening. The shades of blue in the morning glory pics you’ve been posting are just stunning. Safe travels to Don.
Well, that’s sort of what’s happening here as well. There’s some color but not a whole lot yet. Our maple leaves just got brown ant that’s it. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next two weeks.
safe travels to don and everyone else. what a hurricane season it’s been. :(
glad for you to get to new orleans soon, too! so much to explore and enjoy there … the music, history, architecture, flowers, the river and lake ponchartrain, city park, louis armstrong park/congo square, the people, food (not impossible to find vegan/ vegetarian items), the weather (most of the time) …
and in the meantime, enjoy your treats, morning glories and being home!
awaiting the opening of an outdoor pop-up antiques/arts/crafts show here (their set-up was delayed by lots of much-needed rain yesterday) and time with family. :)
kathy in iowa
Crazy hurricane season and the timing for this one is not the best – not that it’s ever good!
Thanks, Kathy!
ps: love the new towel (and photos of your charming home)!
kathy in iowa
Thank you!
I hate being in traffic too…so I’m avoiding San Francisco this weekend, where the hardly strictly bluegrass festival is on this weekend. Worrying with you for Don et al getting to and being in New Orleans with hurricane season still upon us.
Yes, I’m trusting that his one will be out of there when they finally leave for New Orleans and that no more hurricanes are on the horizon.
URGH….we have our leaf peepers here in the NC mountains as well, and I always forget and think I’m going to just ‘run to the store’. And then I find myself in the slow parade of cars winding through our little town and jerking quickly back into their lanes as they drift towards startling maples and pumpkins. I feel like I would personally mail people pumpkins and cider if they would avoid us for a couple of hours to let us get our errands done.
Hope Don stays safe and dry. I know you will be on pins and needles until you hear something good from him on the other side of all of this.
Peace–
Leslie P.
Some of our local roads which are heavily traveled are bumper to bumper on the weekends, with people backing their cars out right out on to the road, stopping all traffic. You would hear me cursing if you were in the car with me.
I’m going to try to keep myself busy tomorrow or I’ll be too focused on Don getting to New Orleans.
Your flowers are so pretty. Safe travels for you and Don. And the towel is charming, but what is IG?
Have wonderfiul weekend.
Instagram!
Never thought about Don and the hurricane! Enjoy your day in your bolthole? We are traveling state in search of leaves and adventure with friends! ;)
Bolthole is a word I read all the time! Might be British. I love it.
Hope everything works out fro Don and his cast mates. This is a bad year for hurricanes.
Marilyn
It sure is, Marilyn!
It’s homecoming weekend here, and the town is filling up with football fans, so we have our share of traffic, too. Staying in and doing some housework seemed to be prudent.
Yes, I agree! I’m home today – all day!
My daughter and I will be in Amherst visiting colleges in a couple of weeks. I was so excited to think I will get to see fall colors, but I didn’t think about traffic! We live in southern California so maybe the traffic will seem light to us?
Well, Southern California traffic is crazy, so I bet it will seem light to you! Have fun! It’s really beautiful there.
O. Thank you!
xoxo
Praying for safe passage for Don and the whole entourage. Hurricanes are scary because you never know WHAT they are going to do. I am praying that New Orleans doesn’t get a direct hit. Yes- I know the weather channel you are talking about but I don’t think we get it here anymore.
Bless you and your upcoming week, Claudia! xo Diana
It seems that New Orleans was spared, which is good news! Don will be headed down there today. Have a great week, Diana!
We don’t need to travel to see beautiful leaves…we are surrounded by mountains here…it is so wonderful to see!…Best of luck to Don!
Same here! We are blessed!
My girlfriend from New Orleans said the curfew was lifted when it seemed the storm would hit more towards the Gulf Coast. I haven’t watched the news yet today to see what’s happening. I keep watering my potted plants even when it seems like they are dead. I’m always surprised with something that pops back up. :) I do hate traffic which is why I don’t go out much here at night. So much road construction going on too which makes everything so much worse.
I almost never give up on potted plants – at least, it takes a lot for me to do that – because they often revive themselves. And sometimes they grow dormant.
Yes, I had friends who were down in New Orleans for a wedding and the bride and groom had to scrap their main venue, got married instead on the stage of a theater and will hold their reception today instead of yesterday!