Celebrating September First!!

I have loved every minute of this first day of September!

I started the coffee and then put the Neil Diamond CDs in - but did not push 'play' until the first tray of Fruitcake Cookies had come out of the oven.

Ahhhhhh.....

I will always remember the moment when the first strains of September Morn floated into the living room on this first September morning of 2017. Is it silly that I felt such a swelling of emotion that I teared up? No matter. I lit the Yankee 'Leaves' candle Candie gave me and sipped coffee from a vintage pumpkin mug I bought at Marshall Pottery where I had taken Amber and Benjamin on a homeschooling field trip.....long years ago.

This photo is from my 1992 Country Diary,  August 20th journal entry.

I bought two mugs back then and only one remains.

The one I used this morning has a small chip but it is still a treasure to me.

The next thing I did was to make pumpkin spice muffins - another tradition and a favorite Fall Fragrance!

The table was spread with all sorts of good things!

Thankful and blessed is the way I have felt all day!

I am a 'recovering Baptist' and we all know that Baptists ALWAYS put out too much food!!

These are the Boozy Grapes and they were really good!

Chicken Salad sandwiches on Hawaiian Rolls.

Always - cheese and crackers!

My sister, Luann, and Ruth Ann!!

Ruth Ann stayed late last night and arrived early this morning to help get everything ready.

I can always count on Luann to be early! And I can count on her to step right in and do what needs to be done. My normal rule is ' You can always be late but don't EVER be EARLY!'

That does NOT apply to sisters!

The den is a bigger room but we tend to congregate in the living room.

Louis Dean held court in the den where he played music and we would wander in and sit a spell.

My sweet neighbor, Tamara.

She is the lady who gave the quads some gardening experiences last spring....and each one a spider plant ....and some wonderful snacks that they still remember.

Two of my favorite people - we go way back to our church days at Crestview Baptist.

Shirley and Val!!

My dear friend, Brenda.

I love her like a sister!

All good things must come to an end and Val said she had to go.

I'm just happy today was her day off and she could come!!!

Amber was here after volunteering for lunch duty at the quad's school and in between her chores, errands and school pick up!

Having Ruth Ann in my life is one of God's special blessings to me.

I thank him for her daily!

Slowly and one by one, the house emptied out until it was just Ruth Ann and Candie.

Candie is the one is who teaching me to knit and I am so grateful she rescued my misshapen wash cloth and redeemed it! AND she started me on my next project!

Ruth Ann was the last to leave after helping me clear the table and clean the kitchen.

I thought about taking a nap in the now quiet house.

Instead, I put on an old t shirt and a pair of faded denim shorts and went out to pull some weeds and water the flower beds.

Then I treated myself to a nice long phone visit with another dear friend.....who just so happens to have had a birthday today. How special to be born on September 1st!

This is where we have spent the evening!

Sitting in the gazebo making plans for the rest of the month.

We had a camp fire and ate cheese and crackers with our white wine and talked.

I can't think of a more perfect ending to this first day of September!