Welcome Fall... and Where Did Summer Go?

The loveliest of seasons, the one we anticipate all winter long has come and gone... amazing how fast the days fly by! This summer was a busy one and filled with days full of adventure and lots of fun memories made. We were too busy enjoying summer for me to share each one with you at the time, so I will just take you on a quick peek now of some of the fun moments we had this summer.

A highlight of summer here is always going camping...

While we set up camp and unpack, I get my Cowboy Soup in the Dutch oven and put it on the fire to heat while the rest of camp preparations are underway. 

We live in an area where there are plenty of places to camp on state land, and so we always have fun finding a campsite.  We were particularly excited to find this campsite right next to a noisy rushing creek. 

Lots of fun exploring around our campsite.

Huckleberries were in season, and we filled our buckets... and tummies with them! 

We rode back up into the mountains and enjoyed the beautiful vistas! Wildflowers were in abundance!

Daises bowing graciously in the sunshine... 

Butterflies in abundance...

Butterflies and daisies!

Riley enjoying the beautiful summer day exploring amidst the profusion of daisies. 

Back home, in my garden... my strawberries produced a record crop this year. 

Lots of logging trails to explore on the 4-wheeler...

A favorite treat in July are the thimbleberries which grow in abundance here.  They taste a bit like a raspberry with a woody undertone... fun to munch on as a quick treat in the woods!

My neighbor's pie cherry tree was loaded with bright red deliciousness... 

I picked the cherries, canned them, and shared half with her.  She does not care to can, so it is a win-win for both of us :) 

Tart plump juicy cherries...

Lots of work go into these little cherries, but they are worth it!

This is the end result of one pie cherry tree! 

On each Thursday this summer, an adventurous soul who is 83 years young led group hikes to different trails in our area.  This particular hike took us to several waterfalls and to a sanctuary where you could see an actual eagle's nest up close.  We were amazed at how large the nest was!

A little piece of heaven down by this gorgeous waterfall we hiked in to see. 

African Daisies blooming happily in my garden. 

Huckleberry ice cream cone enjoyed by my husband and I.  

The beautiful face of a sunflower in my garden. 

Another day is done.

Full moon reflection in the still night waters.

Happy succulents in my garden.

A bouquet of flowers gathered from my garden. 

4-wheelin' in the mountains with my husband.

I went on a hike with my friend LD and her children one hot summer day in early August.
 The trail was 6 miles in, and 6 miles back out, a 12-mile round trip! We packed a lunch and enjoyed the views.

A beautiful package received in the mail from my dear friend, Marilyn from Pink Paper Cottage.  She created these cards for me with decorated seed packets... just the cutest packaging and design! She knows me well :) 

It was really the dog days of summer, and sweet Miss Riley's pose sums up just how it feels in
the midst of those hot summer days! 

We had some of my husband's family visit this summer.  I made homemade playdough
for the kids to enjoy playing with. 

We had a bout of smoky skies this August, and it really put a damper on outside activities.  However, when my husband's family visited, we did go kayaking together one day. 

This was a sampling of what our skies looked like for much of August.  How thankful we were when September came, and the skies cleared! 

My husband bought me a little indoor rose bush, and it has the most beautiful blooms! 

Marigolds blooming profusely in the late summer. 

My sunflowers bloomed a second time! 

And just like that... fall arrived!  Late August our purple ash tree began showing
signs of fall with a purple tinge to its leaves... 

 I'm still amazed at how quickly the seasons seem to pass!

Yes this month was my birthday month! We celebrated at Olive Garden together. YUM :) 

Flowers from my husband, gorgeous!   

Some of the happy mail that arrived for my birthday :) 

Enjoying a cup of tea with the Whoops macaroons sent to me by my friend RH and Vanilla Bean Macaron tea sent to me by a friend Lynn, who I met through Stephanie's tea exchange.  Delightful! 

Another friend gave me a gift of tea! Have you heard of Blooming Tea?  The teapot is made of clear glass so that you can see the beautiful tea flower unfold in the hot water.  The green tea leaves unfold to disclose a beautiful blooming tea flower.  

Isn't it beautiful!  It makes the prettiest cup of tea! You can find Blooming Tea online at https://teabloom.com  Such a delightful treat! 

And here we are... in the stunning season of fall!  I added this door to my garden this summer, and
it's already a favorite of mine for decorating.  

Summer was indeed full of all the delights we look forward to all year long, along with some not so fun moments ... a terrible scourge of wasps that were a pestilence to our entire northern Idaho area, then we had gray smoky skies for most of August, and then the deer discovered my garden, and decided a fence meant nothing to them, and completely mowed my garden down to where I really didn't get a harvest of veggies.  However, despite all of those things, it still was a beautiful summer, and like every gardener I've ever talked to... there is always next year :)

We realize my garden needs a taller fence, and my husband has promised to enlarge the garden area with a tall deer-proof fence, and we will also plant fruit trees in the garden as well, so all is not lost... good will come out of it all!  And if the cycle of life has its way... there may be meat in my freezer for this winter.... meat that was fed out of my garden ;)

I hope to catch up with all of you, my precious blogging friends and readers as time permits and to see what adventures you have been on in the last month or so... blessings and hugs to all of you :)