Home after work

I made arroz con leche right after I got home today. I like to eat my arroz con leche right off the stove; hot and with a pinch of cinnamon on top. I then like to go to my back porch and sit on the settee out-looking the garden while I eat this smooth creaminess that is very warming and delicious.

This afternoon it was truly lovely out there… sweetness in my lips and the early evening softly speaking in my ears—peace and a wonderful feeling of thanksgiving and praise in my heart…. That’s what those delicious autumnal days instill in me naturally…

And then, as I was sitting out there, in my settee under the grapevine, a gift came to me atop the gentle breezes… the music of a flute being softly played coming from somewhere beyond the garden’s gate; perhaps a child or a youngster practicing his partitures? Delicious sounds, delicious autumnal evenings in a quieted sea of a garden that, much like me, remains enchanted under the spell of autumn…

And speaking of grapes… we have so many grapes this year...

Sweet seedless grapes that we’ve shared with neighbors and co-workers and use much in our daily juices…

I love my house at this time of day when I’m the first one to arrive and it is all mine; and it feels so peaceful; shadows and light play magical games in every room and there’s the wonderful smell of food being prepared. Outside my kitchen window, I see birds at the bird feeder engage in magical conversations, the sun starts its slow descend in the horizon…

Another day... one more prayer of thanksgivings.

Peace be with you and to all who enter your home.

Jack and the Beanstalk

Back in May, my friend Christina gave me a 2” pot of some sorts of a runner bean for Mother’s Day… “A Jack and the Beanstalk vine”—she said.

As you would imagine, I was static with joy the moment I heard the name! A magic bean vine, how excited!! Remember the story? You know how it goes: “As Jack slept, the beans germinated in the soil, and by morning a gigantic beanstalk grew in their place. When Jack saw the huge beanstalk, he immediately decided to climb it. He arrived in a land high up in the clouds that happened to be the home of a giant. When he broke into the giant's castle, the giant quickly sensed a human was near...” Remember now? A childhood favorite without a doubt!

Aside from its name and what I assumed it must connoted, I knew nothing about this little plant, or about its growing habits, or what I was expected to see. So I decided I should plant it right outside my kitchen window so I could watch it grow... maybe, if I was lucky enough, one day I would see Jack climbing it?

At the feet of my magic beans I spread some Morning Glory seeds... then I sat down and waited. And what do you know... Puff! My dinning room window got covered in just a matter of weeks...

This little vine can grow so tall and it is such a vigorous little creeper! It truly amazes me. This is what my magic been vine is looking like now at the end of the summer...

This is the lovely view I get to see every day... looking out from inside.

And in from the outside. I love how the vine has practically covered the entire window... if it was for me I would live in a tree, but I would do just fine in a vine-covered house. Wouldn’t that be grand? Oh wait, who's that cooking inside? Is that Jack?

I love this vine. I love how it offers a lovely curtain for my kitchen window... in greens speckled in orange and deep purples... truly beautiful!

What's growing in your garden? Better yet, what are you harvesting from your garden? Fall is such an incredible time of the year with the harvest of vegetables and fruits... Along with these tasks, baking, cozying up our nests for the cold days ahead, and all in all a cheer within, impossible to describe… that’s fall indeed!

May the Spirit of Fall bless your home and all who reside within.

Found and lost

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain

(Langston Hughes)

Yes… I love rain, and I’m glad rain has arrived to soothe our summer-dried little parcel of land, but something else has come along with it… with rain winter has come; without any warning it came—scarves and big puffy socks, boots, frosty breezes twisting and turning whispering in my ears, red nose and watery eyes. And thus, it is official: Summer is over.

I’m collecting memories and a few last petals from the garden’s floor, and I am filling vases with the last droopy roses...

Speaking of roses and vases—I made a huge mistake this week. I’ve been dreaming with a true blue vintage mason jar for months and had searched for one in every thrift store you can image. Finally, I found the loveliest of blue jar this past Monday. I immediately filled it up with pink roses and took it with me to work the following morning. The wife of one of my bosses (I have 4) had surgery and I wanted to cheer her up with roses from my garden… I didn’t intended my new jar to be ‘part’ of the gift, though. I’m so used to sharing my roses with neighbors and co-workers, but I always get my pretty vases back. My boss’s wife was very appreciative, and she made sure her husband thank me for the lovely roses and ‘truly gorgeous jar’… ouch! Anyway, I lost my blue jar, and didn’t even get to enjoy it a bit. Let go… let go my heart let go... shhhh.

(image from Pinterest)

My dear friend Sandra is going through some real tough time… on a recent email she mentioned how sometimes she makes imaginary trips into my garden, just to be among the roses. Somehow these dreams make her feel better; and there we are chatting the afternoon away under the spell of a cup of tea; taking in all that is around; the sights, the smells, the music of the birds; sunshine in our faces… I wish with all my heart that her dreams would come true one day... we live miles away from each other, but maybe if I dream the same dream some how we’ll make it happen? I know that there are fairies spreading fairy dust in all sorts of venues, even in dreams. So I’m setting up a little spot in my garden for tea with my dear friend Sandra, even if it could only be in dreams....

Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

Happiness

The wind has stopped blowing... 

The sun has come out and I feel all warm and fuzzy! ... 

Pleasure is spread through the earth... some people seek happiness in the distance; I feel happiness growing under my feet... 

Happiness is like a butterfly…. 

I’m dancing like a butterfly with happiness… 

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. ~Frederick Keonig Can you hear the sun whispering secrets through the rustling of the leaves? Can you hear the sweet songs of the birds in the trees? We have the earth to rejoyce in it... Enjoy what nature has given you so freely... it's never too late to have a happy childhood. ~Berke Breathed

Here comes the rain again

The boot season is here—rain has returned. The sky, laden with moisture, suddenly turned dark and smooth, as if someone had spread a monochrome veil across the expansion, suggesting the impression of a deep, immense sea above my head...

Ramshackle clouds outshined the afternoon light—heavy gray, a sleepy giant plopping shadows, strange curtain-like sheets of mist. Does the sky seem angry to you when it rains? It blooms and it sings to me... I can't exactly explain why, but rain gives me this exhilarating feeling; of joy and expectancy, as if something good would be about to happen… rain makes my heart go romantic. The feeling is inexplicably beautiful.

Rainy days bring in me a desire to bake and to connect with my inner self and gather rain-kissed roses under cool light showers...

Rain draws me to comfort food and caramel mochas on white glazed ceramic mugs in my cozy back porch…

It feels wonderful here in my back porch shrouded by the not-so-chilly-just-yet weather. As I enjoy little sips of mocha and watch the rain, I’m thinking the best thing one can do when it's raining is just to let it rain, sit down and enjoy it… don't you think so? Oh my, what was that? Did you hear that?

Yes yes... I'm sure I heard a rustling of leaves and branches in the wet garden… over there!

I see a creepy image approaching... can you see it too? Someone that looks like a witch... over there hiding behind the roses!

Better not move... pretend we haven't seen her...

I have an idea who that might be; it always happens, you see! With the first autumn rain comes the first of the witches. It must be that time of the year again; time for dancing under the rain and time for the twirling and swirling of leaves and the gathering of witches… I hear the commotion of partying going on everywhere in blogland. Are you doing anything special? The pumpkins, the crafts, the baking, all the fun stuff! Oh I hope you do! I hope you get to celebrate such a lovely and brief window of time of cooler weather and fall fashion indulgences before we get completely submerge into another winter. Life is too short, live it to the fullest!!

Wishing you a magical week, whether shimmering with stardust or just your glowing selves!

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Welcome to "SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE MONDAY", a blog party I host at the beginning of each week to celebrate the things we love about our homes and how we live.

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Hi everyone! It's official! The cozy season has arrived! Have you seen the Fall Fairy buzzing around your house yet? Well yes!! She's been everywhere helping around with all there is to do with fall decorating, baking, embellishing, and just feathering up our nests for the season! She's certainly been here at The house in the roses!

And she's all over blogland too! Would you like to come with me and see what she's been up to! Can't wait to see what you've been doing this week! Last week was another fantastic party! I am enjoying seeing all the creative ideas and projects you are sharing! Here are a few for the review:

A Daily Cup from Mrs. Olson: shared a cozy nook dressed in autumnal colors.

From my front porch to yours shared her fall mantel display and cozy dinning room.

Northern Nesting shared her lovely front porch and entrance decorated for fall...

Cabin & Cottage shared some lovely white fall decor... love it!

Dwellings shared some romantic fall vignettes...

Blessings from our nest shared a lovely fall mantel.

If you were featured here, please feel free to grab the

"I was Featured" button here:

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I wanted to say welcome new party goers

as well as say thank you to all my party friends for taking the time to come over and share your wonderful links each week!

THANKS SO MUCH! Sharing with these lovely gals!