This Journal is a day late. We were down in Pittsburgh visiting the Thayns this weekend and we didn’t get home until last night – more about that later.
We had our first substantial frost last week. On Monday, the 11th, it was 31° when I went down to do the morning chores and there was frost everywhere. It did some damage to the pumpkin vines, but it wasn’t a killing frost and most things survived it with just a bit of damage. Since then, the weather has been warmer. I’m hopeful that we’ll get a ton of ripe tomatoes and bushels of grapes yet.
This week we will officially arrive at the first day of fall, but, as usual, the season jumped the gun here in Potter County. Fall starts long before the equinox here. There is color on the hills as the trees change. The fields are full of goldenrod and asters. It’s the last big flash of color before the world goes gray and brown – and eventually, white.
Our big adventure last week was our trip down to Pittsburgh to visit the Thayns in their new house. Stacey, Hannah,and I left Gold on Friday after work. We left Miriam at home to mind things and do the chores. It took us four hours to drive there. It was late by the time we got there so we didn’t do much that night but settle in.
Saturday was a fun and busy day. We got the tour of the Thayn’s new house and the yard behind it. Our morning was mostly taken up with birthday preparations. Hazel’s birthday is on the 20th, but we decided to celebrate early since we were all there. Hazel wanted a Rainbow Barbie Cake, so part of the day was spent preparing that. It involved baking layers of various colored cake and then frosting it with various colors of frosting to make a dress for a Barbie doll inserted into it.
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| Making Hazel's birthday cake. |
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| Frosting Hazel's birthday cake. |
Once the cake was done, we departed for the big outing of the day, a visit to the Phipps Conservatory. We knew about the Phipps from when Sarah lived in Pittsburgh and ever since then have wanted to go there. It is an amazing place. It consists of a series of huge connected greenhouses and outdoor gardens. We wandered through the greenhouses, each with a different theme and climate – jungle, desert, ferns, tropical fruit, and orchids. If we lived anywhere near Pittsburgh, I would probably spend all winter in the Phipps.
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| Arriving at the Phipps Conservatory. |
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| Jungle. |
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| Desert. |
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| Tropical fruit. |
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| June and a hibiscus. |
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| One of many amazing orchids. |
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| Another orchid. |
After the Phipps we went back to the Thayn’s for dinner and a birthday party. We sang Happy Birthday and Hazel blew out five candles on her Rainbow Barbie Cake. Then we hid her presents and played “hot and cold” to help her find them. It was fun.
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| Hazel blowing out birthday candles. |
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| The cake. |
On Sunday we attended church in their new ward, the Pittsburgh Third Ward. After church, we played a game, ate lunch, and then we headed home. It was a quick trip, but it was fun and it’s great to have children and grandchildren that close by. This weekend Rachel and her girls are coming up here. One of Rachel’s high school friends is getting married. While they are here we will have a second birthday party for Hazel. You only turn five once after all.
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| Ready for church. |
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| Games after church. |
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| Good-bye. |
Meanwhile in Europe – Daniel and Emma left Greece on Friday and traveled to Italy. Before they left Greece they went on a few last adventures. They hiked to a mountain pool to swim and also went to the beach. They are now on the farm in Monsampietro Morico in the Marche region of Italy. Daniel says it is beautiful country and they are already hard at work. We’re looking forward to hearing more about it. If you want to visit the farm’s website you can go to https://indacofoods.com/indacofarm/.
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| The Roman Forum ruins in Thessaloniki. |
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| Swimming in a mountain pool. |
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| The beach in Thessaloniki. |
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| The farm in Italy. |
Now here we are in a new week already, slogging through a post-party Monday. It is a beautiful morning, a bit foggy and very autumnal. I’m not in school today. As soon as the dew dries, I’ll be out tending the garden and mowing up leaves. I have to run into town to buy chicken food today. I think I’ll take the camera and the long way there and back. I want to drink in as much of this beauty as I can while it lasts.
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| This morning. |
