Sun Into Libra

The sun has gone into Libra. I have attempted to replicate a photo I posted on the Autumn Equinox 2017, and about two weeks after that original photo was posted, our house had burned to ashes in the Nuns Wildfire.  In the many months following the fire, it was that very post that I gazed at with such a heavy heart of grief and longing.  But today is the day of days!  As I photograph  the same angle of the new rebuilt house, at same time of day,  on the same day of the year, I recapture  the warmth of that moment again, as the lazy equinox sun sinks low in the afternoon to the west.  I feel like I’ve come full circle,  having just posted it up to date, home again with everything in its place (sans ceiling fan and squiggly iron rail),  not quite finished but very cozy. I am kind of collapsing into a fuzzy warm celebratory mood, a bit weary of the long journey back to my House of Light & Shadow, although I am nothing but colossally grateful.  Happy Equinox everyone!

Out in Autumn (late).

jenjoycedesign© Autumn walk 5

Walking along a foggy path in the late afternoon,  in late Autumn, I observe the season expiring after the heavy rain last week. Everything seems to be falling to the ground, exhausted.  Soon there will be new grass popping up.

jenjoycedesign© Autumn walk 2

The last of the gold leaves wave in the breeze, as if to say “I’m tired, and it is time to go”, and the vines surely have given all their energy growing grapes for 2019 Harvest, and will wait bare until pruning time in late winter,  leaving the trellises standing like soldiers in a winter field.

jenjoycedesign© Autumn walk 4

The stinging needles on the star thistle rot and become harmless, muted into the dull brown grass.

jenjoycedesign© Autumn walk 7

The fog surely lays burden to the spider webs, and even though nature is bedding down, the creatures are stirring.

jenjoycedesign© Autumn walk 8

The oaks are shedding leaves and covering the ground, another layer of compost for the soil,  two years after the wildfire is nothing less than a treasure.

jenjoycedesign© Autumn walk 6

Yet some of what was dormant is now waking up, becoming lush, verdant, alive, as is the story of the moss.

jenjoycedesign© Autumn walk 3.JPG

So near to the solstice, I believe this little foggy outing has put me in the mood for more walking and writing, for it is at these times when I most intensely feel my existence.  Rituals of coffee and chores, punctuated with knitting, walks, short naps, and contemplative writing, are my comfort as I get older.  Peaceful and nearly silent my days tumble over one another, seemingly inconsequential, but if only to witness my landscape as it goes through the seasons.  And I am happy it is so.

Out in Autumn (early).

jenjoycedesign© out in Autumn
jenjoycedesign© out in Autumn 5

We’ve spent two nights so far in the new house, so we’ve officially moved in, even though the construction mess is ongoing, we’re all just happy to be finally home.  Now I’m busy cleaning out the tiny house to its former glory before two humans, a dog, and countless spiders inhabited it for seventeen months, while Jeff continues the finish building.  I woke this morning early and watched the rose-gold sunrise, while Emma in her Help’emUp harness acclimates to the new front porch,  as that was one of her favorite places before, where she use to spend hours napping in the early mornings.

jenjoycedesign© out in Autumn 2

jenjoycedesign© out in Autumn 3

We are back home, it is Autumn, and life is good.

settling in

jenjoycedesign© autumn things
I have begun collecting little treasures from Autumn ; a leaf from a Black Oak turning gold, a curl of Madrone bark, and a freshly fallen Douglas Fir cone.    It was almost a year ago in Autumn that I found this novelty  . . .

jenjoycedesign© settling-in
Now the vintage Four Posts are finally kitted out with a mattress and bedding,  and  so I’m going to fling off my shoes and curl up on it with some strong coffee made in a cezve (my thing lately) with fresh shortbread just out of the oven,  and contemplate which small quilt I will attempt to make first from  “Civil War Legacies” by Carol Hopkins.

jenjoycedesign© settling-in 2

The loft room (still without a door as you can see), the kitchen, and upstairs bathroom are the only rooms in the house able to be used thus far,  while the main part of the house remains a mess of building, tile dust, and tools. But there is rumor ringing through the rafters, that we may move in this coming weekend, or should I say move out of the tiny house . . .  fingers crossed!   

jenjoycedesign© autumn things 3

Sweater Success!

jenjoycedesign© 41

DSC_0223 jenjoycedesign© .

Yesterday I met my nieces in Calistoga at the Roastery, we had a little catching up over coffee & tea, then they put on their new Hillwalker sweaters, and this time we headed straight down to the Castle in St Helena for the photo shoot.  They absolutely shone against the old hand-cut stone in their Autumn sweaters!

DSC_0237 jenjoycedesign©

DSC_0171 jenjoycedesign©

DSC_0212 jenjoycedesign© .

DSC_0186 jenjoycedesign© .

DSC_0205 jenjoycedesign© .

DSC_0189 jenjoycedesign©

DSC_0183 jenjoycedesign© .

DSC_0198 jenjoycedesign©

DSC_0151 jenjoycedesign© . cover

DSC_0201 jenjoycedesign© .

DSC_0224 jenjoycedesign© .

A fabulous time, and the usual stellar results! Oh, and behind the scenes my nieces are now also my assistants as well as my models, doing a great job of stepping in to preen as needed… real professionals!  Click and check out these fun unexpected sneak shots…

Hillwalker pattern is available HERE.

But before you go, click on the first image in the mosaic, and view a much more extensive slide show of the whole photo shoot…