tick, tock, tick, tock

 A little celebration repast to commemorate the last day of summer, alas...

Of course not by the calendar, but August 31st has always been the last day of summer for me as long as I can remember, & September 1st has always been the first day of Fall, autumnal equinox or no autumnal equinox (which will actually be September 23!) That's how my brain computes it & that's how it will always be world without end! But today! today, one final day, in my brain calendar, is the last. day. of. summer.

"It was June, & the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold  over the grassy hillside."

"Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June & August."

"Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August."

& that is where I am today. & the beautiful, wonderful, summertime passed much too quickly. I didn't even get a garden 

 put in because by the time the rains stopped, it was too late. But I have been enjoying the garden harvest of our local fresh foods markets with corn on the cob, green beans, cucumbers, onions, peaches, pears, cantaloupe & the Queen food of summer, that Mark Twain called food of the angels, WATERMELON!!!

Our flowers have flowerished (😁) & brought much delight to the eyes.

See my hand at the bottom left? This is the true size of these diminutive beauties. 

I love the dappled light

& the fragrance is as wonderful

I am always so in awe of God's creativity in flowers varieties.

The combination of pinks is so sweet. 

Some of the gifts of June, a brand new green world, lots of babies, lots of rain which also brought...

& the very special  June gift to us, kitties Clooney & Patsy which most of their pictures are on my phone! 😲 (Clooney has been 'helping' me write this post by sitting on my lap, wrapped around my neck, snuggled on the back of my chair on the back of my neck, giving himself a bath while sharing computer space, etc. I didn't know I could get in these positions to type! Well necessity is the mother of invention, right? 🐱)

July brought us our annual Independence Day picnic, rodeo, fireworks, rhubarb for pie,

my husband's favorite,

& a plethora of birthday celebrations!

August brought us the bluest skies,

the most beautiful sunrises,

super, duper barbecues!

& a blessed (albeit short!) visit from grandsons, Brock & Brady! 

Lots of fun, laughter, crispy, fried chicken, iced tea, homemade ice cream, hot homemade bread, firepit crackling fires with toasted marshmallows,

story-telling, reminiscing, being silly, star-filled skies, magic. & we were & are blessed with a blue moon because this August has two full moons, which means, we are in the middle of a blue moon, which occurs in well, once in a blue moon. It is a generous, giant, luminous opal moon, not blue but rare. The next one won't be until 2037. Enchanting...

So, to finish out this month & season, I think I will whisk away my husband, go down to Bunky's barbecue & get some pulled pork sandwiches (topped with cole slaw! Talk about magical! Double yum there!) go to our favorite park to eat by the creek, in which I can't resist a little foot soaking,

Then, off for some ice cream, the perfect end-of-summer treat!!
( Except for watermelon of course!)

& then, home again, home again, jiggety jig, (😊) to sit outside & watch the rising of the blue moon on this last day of summer (& night)... It just doesn't get any better. Thank you Jesus. Truly...

& then, tick, tock, tick, tock...end of summer. A Happy  Ending.

"To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall..."

Raintree Perk of the Day:

"God has given us richly all things to enjoy."

1 Timothy 6:1