St. Catherine of Siena

 

 

We are closing out the month of September and the end of the year is creeping closer and closer. 2025 has been a difficult year for many of our friends, our country and the world. Violence, war, illness, broken dreams, hurting family and friends.

 

 

My husband and I had several downs this year. We had to make hard decisions and change plans. It all makes me tired and sad, but I do not give up. We cannot give up. 

We can see all the injustice going on around us, we can get scared and feel like what can little me do? 

What I have learned this year as we have gone through a difficult season, is that I just have to keep doing the best I can each day. 

Smile.

Give a surprise bouquet to a friend and neighbor. 

Bake cookies for a friend going through a hard time.

Send a surprise package in the mail.

Listen... just listen.  

And pray.

I found the below dialogue from St. Catherine of Siena comforting and I wanted to share it as we all continue to do the best we can.

 

 

You must not break away from holy prayer for any reason except obedience or charity.

For often during the time scheduled for prayer the devil comes with all sorts of struggles and annoyances - even more than when you are not at prayer. He does this to make you weary of holy prayer. Often he will say: "This sort of prayer is worthless to you. You should not think about or pay attention to anything except vocal prayer." He makes it seem this way so that you will become weary and confused and abandon the exercise of prayer. 

But prayer is a weapon with which you can defend yourself against every enemy. If you hold it with love's hand and the arm of free choice, this weapon, with the light of most holy faith, will be your defense.

 

Flowers for your Friday

 

 

Orange zinnias have been the showstoppers this garden season.

Below is my display of a few of the big and bold orange zinnias.

You will spy my first acorn that I picked up on a recent walk.

 

 

More flowers for your Friday!

 

 

"As for rosemary I let it run all over my garden walls, not only because my bees love it, but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friendship...." 

 Sir Thomas More 

 

Happy Autumn and it is the Hodgepodge

 

A toadstool found in the woods during a wet walk last week.

 

Happy Autumn and it is the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 1. Fall officially rolls into the Northern Hemisphere on Monday (9/22)...what's your favorite thing about fall? 

We live in Northern Wisconsin and me oh my, Wisconsin knows how to show off in Autumn. The leaf color, sunlight dancing in the leaves as they fall and the crisp fresh air make it all a delight for me. Autumn is my husband's favorite season.

 2. What's one thing on your real or proverbial autumn bucket list? 

 

We will take a drive and have a picnic enjoying the change of the season and soaking up all the autumn beauty of reds, yellows, oranges, purples and more as the trees change.

 

 3. Apples, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and cranberries are some of the top fall foods. Which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Any on the list you don't eat? Which one have you had most recently? 

 

 

I am still making tarts. 

If you click the link below you will find my tart recipe. 

This week I made an apple tart. 

I enjoy all of the fall foods listed above.

Recipe ~ Tarts

 

 4. 'Fall is proof that change is beautiful' is a popular sentiment. Would you agree or no? Elaborate. 

 

It all depends on what the change is ... Ha Ha! Some change is easier for me than others. Having a dear friend move away, that was not so beautiful. 

Do a remodel "change" in our home to make it more cozy, that is fine and dandy.

 

5. Is there a spot near you where people go to see the leaves change color? Will you try to leaf peep somewhere this fall? Lonely Planet lists the following ten places as the best for leaf peeping...of those listed which would you most like to visit? 

Stowe, Vermont~Shenandoah National Park, Virginia~Columbia River Gorge, Oregon~Zion National Park, Utah~Tennessee/North Carolina border~West Virgina~Northwestern Wyoming~Wisconsin Northwoods~Northern Nevada~Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway, Arkansas

 

Wisconsin Northwoods ... that is where I call home sweet home. If you do plan to come this way, Wisconsin will not disappoint you. And let me know, I will put the kettle on.

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

The calendar might say the first day of Autumn, but our weather is still full summer. Our winters are loooooonnnngggg here in Wisconsin, so we will take each summer day we can. I am still eating fresh cucumbers, green beans, zucchini and enjoying fresh flowers.