'Tis the last rose of summer.

Or something like that. My balcony all packed up and ready to over-winter. I might plant some bulbs this fall and see what happens. I am making a solemn promise not to plant tomatoes next year.

Most recently

Three collages I entered in a show at the Kohler Arts Center.

Zen

In the Charlotte airport I ran across a group of Tibetan buddhists in line at Burger King. Aside from matching the place quite nicely, the 10 or more of them enjoy Whoppers. Two spoke English and they ordered for the rest who hung around the outskirts waiting anxiously. They all had Crocs and Teva sandals on.

Forty minutes from nowhere

My friend Lois moved to somewhere outside of Marshall NC about 15 years ago. She lives in utter isolation. The view from her window, below, is worth the price of admission. The town of Marshall, 20 minutes from Asheville, boasts, Ponder Auto and not much else but a Presbyterian church and the French Broad River. The last picture is Lois pointing out where her cat, Black Cat, is buried, just beyond the angel that marks the grave for Bob her beloved dog.

The last rose of the summer

I snipped off all the little pretty blooms and blossoms from what is left of my balcony garden. And the next day hideous cold winds blew through and took whatever I hadn't gotten.

Sunday dinner.

I made dinner for friends on Sunday night. I'm not sure where the compulsion to feed people comes from but I have it. I started with curried butternut squash soup. I roasted a whole butternut, then caramelized shallots, leeks and garlic and added the secret ingredient from Lea and Perrins and some chicken stock and cream and loads of butter. Then I made a roasted beet, walnut and bleu cheese salad, followed by spaghetti and sugu meat. The sauce is made from my tomatoes and the meat is meatballs, sausages (purchased the sausages), beef, chicken and pork. It cooks for days. and I followed it with chocolate cake. Hate frosting things.

A use for the useless

While I may not have cooked with them, I did find a use for them. Still Life. I took them to St John's for my class. I usually bring something for everyone to paint. Yesterday it was peppers. So at least I did something aside from look at them. And I did put one in the tomato sauce I'm currently making.

On the street where I live

Rue Rabaton dead ends right below my bedroom window. Walk straight ahead, a little jog around the building at the end of the street here and you will be looking into my bedroom window. It is cold and raining here now. It is warm and sunny there.

Peck of peppers

This week I bought a zillion peppers at the farmer's market just to buy something. I can't imagine using so many of them but they're pretty and if I were going to be pickling, I'm not, but if I were, I could use a few of them. I also bought messy sunflowers and a giant bunch of cosmos.