In the middle of my hours spent with the leaves, a rake, and a tarp, I thought I saw something.
A yellow flower. On closer examination, a yellow day lily. What??
The particular plant hasn’t bloomed in about 2 – 3 months.
Mother Nature is playing with me. An early frost, dead plants, and then this.
It looks like there might be at least another blossom waiting to open.
What a treat! Especially in the middle of raking an endless amount of maple, black walnut, and giant catalpa leaves. I must have filled the tarp up 9 or 10 times. Then Don came home later in the day and filled a few more tarps. The leaves were deposited on the edge of the woods, where they will decompose and nourish the soil.
Tired, of course. But we got a lot done.
This is what the clematis looks like late in the season. Beautiful, don’t you think? Like little feathers swirling in a circle.
Later in the day, the UPS truck pulled up with a box for me. I have a separate twitter feed for Just Let Me Finish This Page and I follow a lot of writers and publishers. One day a few weeks ago, I really can’t remember when, Random House tweeted that they were having a contest in conjunction with the publishing of Ruth Reichl’s newest book, My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life.
Reichl was the Restaurant Critic for the New York Times for a number of years before moving on to the Editorship of Gourmet magazine. When Gourmet suddenly folded, she found herself trying to deal with an enormous sense of loss. She coped by going into her kitchen and doing what she loves – cooking. The book chronicles that year and offers up all sorts of recipes, as well.
Well, I quickly entered the contest, then promptly forgot about it until I received an email the other day telling me I was one of the winners.
Goodness! I received a copy of the book – can’t wait to read it – and six tins of a special edition Ruth Reichl Apple Crisp tea by The Republic of Tea, and three mini cocottes (damn that autocorrect – it spelled it as coquette – it’s cocotte as in casserole) from Le Creuset.
Wow! I rarely win contests, so this was a wonderful surprise. I’ll be having some Apple Crisp tea this afternoon. A big thank you to Random House!
Happy Thursday.
Love the clematis photo – gorgeous! What a great surprise you rec eived in the mail. I just finished reading Ruth Reichl’s “Delicious” and really enjoyed that. I keep checking my library for “My Kitchen Year” but it is not there…yet…I’ll be curious to read your review. And I love teas from The Republic of Tea. Enjoy!
And I’ll have to read Delicious, as well. I’m really looking forward to My Kitchen Year, Vera.
What a lovely prize! After all the leaf raking, I think a cup of tea and a good read are in order. I was walking past the planters in front of our office yesterday and spied a very pretty purple and yellow pansy among the dead twigs and leaves. Odd, as I don’t recall planting any pansies this past summer. Perhaps it’s nature’s way of saying slow down and savour the small things.
Isn’t that pansy a delightful surprise? Unexpected beauty, in the midst of the inevitable decay that comes in the fall.
I forgot to mention I noticed a listing on eBay this morning for three of the Disney egg cups. I think you have two of them already, but it may be worth a look. (I didn’t have time to check the condition as I had to hurry up and get to work.)
Hope your day is relaxing after yesterday.
I saw that listing, Barbara, and you’re right – I do have two of them, so I didn’t bid. I guess I’ll bid if there are no other takers…
Wow! That little yellow lily was a sign, don’t you think? Good things are around every corner. Enjoy the book, the tea, the leaves, the fall … and be sure to tell us what you make in the little dishes.
I might make her recipe for Apple Crisp – sounds like a perfect recipe for fall.
What a great win! Love the dish, it fits right in your cottage beautifully. I agree with you Mother Nature does have a sense of humor. Enjoy your cup of tea later this afternoon with a good book of course. Doris
I will, Doris. The little coqottes are so sweet and the green is perfect.
How lovely to receive such a wonderful package. I would be smiling all day. I’m coveting the mini coquettes. :)
They’re pretty adorable, Karen!
Wow, that was nice to see you won the contest! Bet the tea was good. The little pots are nice, too. Congratulations! Susan
Haven’t had the tea yet, Susan. Maybe this afternoon!
I would imagine that lily flower…looks like a Stella d’ora…was quite the surprise! And then to be a contest winner…doesn’t get much better than that. Enjoy your tea! ;)
It is a Stella d’oro, Donnamae. But a tiny little flower on this one! It was such a fun surprise.
That clematis! :O I love it! I’ve never seen anything like it.
Amazing, isn’t it?
Congratulations to Don. I do plan to get the CD. I listened to WIOX on Saturday. What a great station. So, what do you do when you come to the end of a super great novel? I always hate it when I finish a wonderful story.
Have you ever thought to purchase a blower. My daughter had purchased one and I sure wonder why I never had one. It will blow all the leaves in a pile. The the best part is you add another attachment and it picks up the leaves and grinds them into mulch. It has a bag it goes into. I believe hers was 39.00.
Wishing for a lot of good fall days.
I’ve thought about it, but they’re pretty noisy…Who knows, someday we may buy one.
Thanks so much for listening on Saturday!
You had surprises all day!
I did. And they were good ones!
Someone KNEW you needed that flower! There are mysteries and miracles every day.
I was noticing that very thing on my Clematis last week. Those are beautiful, I think!! I can’t remember noticing that before this year!
Winner, winner!! Apple Crisp for dinner!! yay!!
Apple Crisp sounds pretty delicious right about now, Chris! I’m going to check out Reichl’s recipe and make some.
What a tiny delicate flower…It’s popped it’s little head up to tell you..”Take it easy Claudia…I’m not done yet!”..lol..Most of what I win online is for my cats…toys..food samples and treats…I have been lucky enough to win a few books from you a while back..I did enjoy them…That is a great prize package you won…those little coquettes are just adorable…enjoy!
Hopefully, you’ll win some more books in the future, Nancy!
A big ol’ congratulations on all of the above! The flowers are a nice surprise along with UPS!
The flower made me very happy. A message from Mother Nature – she knows how much I needed that!
What a great day Claudia…..the surprise flower and then the UPS delivery! I do believe you had a wink from above! Even the mini coquettes from Le Creuset look to be in one of your favorite colors….I’d call that a double wink. ;) ;)
That color is sort of perfect, wouldn’t you say?
Congratulations on winning the giveaway! I know you will enjoy it. Fall is definitely here but it’s in the high 80s here today. Crazy Oklahoma weather.
Judy
It’s in the seventies here, Judy. But it’s going to drop twenty degrees by tomorrow.
Pretty surprise in the yard! I love to find drying flowers and how they are pretty in a different way! What a fun win!! Gosh I love the sound of the tea and the book! My copy of Don’s CD has been shipped!! Yay!
hugs,
Linda
Hope you like it, Linda!
Oooh, jealous of YOU, Claudia. I’d love to have won Ruth Reichl’s book and other goodies too. Please let us know whether you recommend it. I’m fairly sure you will, because I always enjoyed reading Ruth’s articles wherever I saw them. I love to cook and have been known to buy some cookbooks just to read, especially when I respect the author, as I absolutely do in this case. And good for that stalwart little day lily! Shakespeare was right – “Though she be but little, she is fierce…” Have a great day.
And not only is this a cookbook, but the story of her journey that pivotal year. I’m really looking forward to it!
Once in awhile, one of our daylilies will surprise us with a late bloom, too…such a sweet gift of color! What a lovely giveaway win! Must have been fun opening the package!
It was. And I wasn’t the only winner, though I have no idea how many were randomly chosen.
I can’t wait to hear what you think about the book. I need some recipes to save me. Enjoy the fall.
Wow, what a score…not only the book, but the fine-brand mini casseroles and all that tea! Lucky you! Your reward for all that labor in the yard. I continue to be amazed by your level of activity…walking all over the streets of New York and then raking so many leaves; phew, you must be in incredible shape, Claudia. Go ahead and have a cupcake or a doughnut; you work ’em off!
I mowed the lawn yesterday, Vicki! And there was a lot of it to mow!
I read and enjoyed Delicious several months ago. Can’t wait to see the new book! I won a prize on another blog earlier this week. Waiting on the package to see what treasures I will get. Isn’t winning fun? Oh, just started My Sister’s Grave, on your recommendation!
It IS fun, Deb! I so hope you like My Sister’s Grave. I’m sure you will!
Those cocottes are too cute! Congratulations, lucky you. :-)
Thank you, Regula!