Still Waters: Notes from a Virginia Shire

Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity.

                                        --Lao Tzu

As you can see from my note below, 
I had planned a short hiatus from daily blogging.
My intention was to begin again today, December 1st, 2014;
however, my special projects at work won't be finished until January, 2015.
So I will begin publishing the blog again then, every Wednesday and Sunday
instead of daily. In the meantime, enjoy the archives!

avirginiashire.blogspot.com

The Still Waters: Notes from a Virginia Shire blog

is on hiatus from Monday, September 1, 2014

through Monday, December 1, 2014.

The archives contain more than 900 blog posts,

so while I'm away, catch up on what you may have missed.

~

Please email me at stillwaters161@gmail.com

if there are problems with the archive.

See you in December!

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The Second Season

Here in the Shire, it's common to start planting in late August and September

for the second season of gardening.

Cool weather crops like spinach, lettuce, and other greens are common.

Lots of people plant ornamental kale and pansies in September.

The best part of planting pansies 

is that they will bloom from now right through late June.

This year, I have a plan that will bring those winter flowers  a little closer.

morguefile.com, uploaded by irish eyes

Because we live at sea level and near the river,

our heating and air conditioning units 

are elevated on a small deck of their own.

There's an unused space on the deck just outside the breakfast room window, 

and it always seemed like a good place to have some flowers.

Earlier this summer, I found a wrought iron stand

to hold a 24-inch planter outside the window.

So for the "second season," I plan to plant pansies there.

They should be beautiful.

And I'm looking forward to opening the window

and watering them from inside the house!

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Still Waters blog goes on hiatus beginning tomorrow,

Monday, September 1, 2014 through Monday, December 1, 2014.

With nearly 1,000 daily blog posts from the Shire available 

 in the archives, this will be a good time 

to catch up on what you might have missed.

(Please report any problems with the archives

to me at stillwaters161@gmail.com. Thanks!)

I'll check in from time to time between now and December. 

Till then . . .

Autumn Leaves

Even though it's not officially autumn for three more weeks,

a few leaves are already turning colors.

Here are three I found this morning while I was walking:

This scarlet leaf is beautiful:

avirginiashire.blogspot.com

I love the orange ones even more

because orange seems like such a happy, exciting color:

avirginiashire.blogspot.com

But the red and yellow ones are sublime,

even with a little wear and tear:

avirginiashire.blogspot.com

Ready or not, autumn is on the horizon.

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Just one more post before the Still Waters blog goes on hiatus from

Monday, September 1, 2014 through Monday, December 1, 2014.

With nearly 1,000 daily blog posts from the Shire available 

 in the archives, this will be a good time 

to catch up on what you might have missed.

(Please report any problems with the archives

to me at stillwaters161@gmail.com. Thanks!)

<>