SWEPT AWAY

 October is being swept away by impudent winds and the persistence of time.
Only a week ago rural Tennessee was shivering with unseasonably cold temperatures. Things warmed up this past weekend and October basked in the embrace of timid sunshine and golden autumnal glory.

This week wicked winds snaked in, rudely stripping leaves from trees and causing the forest to tremble. Last night a persistent rain baptized the countryside and the temperature dropped with a chilly embrace.

Today (is it Wednesday?) it's cloudy, dreary and only 40 degrees (Fahrenheit). October is waning. Ghosts of Halloween are whispering with the breezes that ripple through the half-naked trees.

I wanted to walk again in the woods and take a few more final pictures today, but I feel very tired and unmotivated.
So - instead of venturing out - I'll indulge in a cup of hot tea and share some photos that I took a few days ago.

By the way - yesterday I accidentally dropped my ancient El Cheapo digital camera on the kitchen floor and it shattered in various pieces.

I carefully (painstakingly) managed to reassemble it and - miracle!!! - it's still working! I couldn't believe it.

Here are some photos taken last Sunday (23rd)

It was a glorious day - warm and inspiring

By Monday (24th) the winds came, the weather changed, and the foliage was becoming less brilliant and more scarce. 

The following pictures were taken in my front "yard".

And here is a glimpse of the back "yard"
I use the word "yard" tongue-in-cheek. It's a monster forest.

       

 

The dwindling days of October make me sad, nostalgic, introspective, yearning -, -
I want to grasp this month and hold onto it forever.

                  Cheers, Jon

GLIMPSES OF AUTUMN

This month marks the eighth year I've been in Tennessee. It seems more like eighty years, but that's beside the point.

October, of course, is my favorite month. Despite the endless inconveniences of rural life, I admittedly savor the peace and beauty of the surrounding forest - especially in autumn's embrace.

During the time that I've been here, the colorful autumn foliage always peaked at the end of October - usually around Halloween. This year nature's glorious exhibition is appearing surprisingly early. 

My most inspiring annual passion are my long autumnal walks through the backyard forest. Unfortunately, this year my walks are annoyingly impeded for two reasons - - 
my physical spinal ailments make walking extremely difficult.
And my property is presently completely over-run with wild weeds, obstinate vines, dangerously sharp thorn bushes, and brush that has grown fifteen feet high due to excessive rain.

There are also many trees that have been toppled due to storms, which rudely block many of my usual walking paths.

Yesterday afternoon was so lovely that I wandered outside with my El Cheapo ancient digital camera and took a few photos. I only stayed very near the house. I plan to venture (with camera) in the forest on another day - before the foliage fades.

I took this photo of Bosco early yesterday morning while I was still in bed.

The front yard

In the back "yard"

A great positive aspect is that I don't have to go far from the house to enjoy nature's beauty.

Pine Cones

Wait a minute - -
let's go into the house and visit the kitchen - -

Have you ever seen a can of evaporated milk this HUGE? It's a whopping 97 ounces - one of my recent online Walmart orders.
Unfortunately I just realized that once the can is opened, the milk spoils in a few days. I'll have to transfer it to some sort of glass container. And I can freeze some.

A tin of Harney & Sons tea (next to my haunted house mug)

This tea is called Hot Cinnamon Sunset and I think it's fantastic. Had some yesterday morning. The first sip was an unexpected wild burst of cinnamon that was a jolt of ecstasy.

This tea was also ordered from Walmart online.
If you want to be pleasantly accosted by aggressive cinnamon, try it.

Cheers, Jon

 

THRESHOLD OF OCTOBER

October is here! My favorite month.
Unfortunately, the weeks and seasons seem to pass so quickly that I hardly notice them any more. Also, for the past year I've been plagued with so many personal problems and health issues that I can no longer savor the things I used to love.

My optimistic, adventurous, intensely colorful past is long gone. I seem to be turning into a mundane, frustrated, bitter old man.

Talking about frustrated (notice how I make such smooth literary transitions...), I've lately been extremely frustrated with the minimal feedback I get on my blog. To put it bluntly - there's nothing worse than writing my friggin' ass off and getting few (or no) comments.

Am I that boring and repulsive?

A "fellow" blogger Rita  recently told me that she has difficulty finding my new posts because I don't have a followers list on my blog.

Soooo, I just (reluctantly) put it on my sidebar. People who adore me can now follow my blog
(he says tongue-in-cheek).

Quite frankly, I never included the followers list because I thought it's a tacky addition to a blog.

Why boast about how many followers I have?
Who am I - - Rasputin? Mussolini?

Anyway, it's now there for everyone to see.
So follow me. If you dare.

Change of subject.

Two nights in a row!!!

For the past two nights - when I'm sound asleep - my cat Bosco has dropped a LIVE mouse in my bed! There's nothing more invigorating that having a mouse scurry over your chest when you're in the midst of Dreamland.

The first time I yelled so loud that I think I woke people up in Kentucky. The second time I was a little more reserved.

This morning I found a dead mouse on the floor by my bed.

Change of subject

When I made the dreaded visitation to town last week, I was stunned to see how high the price of groceries are. They seem to have doubled. Or tripled. I can no longer afford the things I used to buy.
Eggs used to be cheap here in Tennessee and I bought a lot of them. Way under three bucks for a carton of eighteen.

I almost went into cardiac arrest when I saw that they're now EIGHT DOLLARS a carton!!!
I literally forced myself to buy a dozen eggs for over five dollars.

I also paid TWELVE dollars for some ground beef - - which used to be one of the cheapest things you could buy.

All I know is that TWO years ago food was very affordable. And I know why........
Draw your own conclusions.

Change of subject

Glorious October has already begun tinting the rural Tennessee foliage.
Here is a glimpse of my monstrous front "yard" yesterday morning.

I plan to have numerous upcoming Halloween posts.         

              Cheers, Jon

COLD SPOOKY OCTOBER NIGHT

I just went out on the back porch to brush the dust off an extra blanket that I'm putting on the bed. Almost immediately, a pack of coyotes rambled out of the forest and came unnervingly close to the porch.

They immediately started their ghastly chorus of wails, cries, shrieks, and demonic laughter. Spooky, indeed, but also extremely fascinating. I ran to get my cell phone so I could record their midnight serenade, but by the time I turned the dang thing on the coyotes were meandering far away from the house. Their visit was brief.

I wish there was some way to describe how incredibly dark - and I mean dark - it is here at night. Absolute blackness.
When I first moved here I was freaked out for about two weeks - - imagining that I'd be killed by hungry wolves...or a crazed ax murderer lurking in the forest. My imagination ascended to new levels of horror.

The front porch tonight, with the ghost-like swing

Soon I got used to the isolated loneliness and actually welcomed it. I wandered outside fearlessly at night - - even sometimes left the doors unlocked when  I went to bed.

Come to think of it, this reckless insanity isn't new. I've lived dangerously most of my life. When I think back of all the dangerous things I've done, I shudder.
Deep down somewhere in semi-consciousness is a death wish. I've known that for a long time.

Change of subject.

Crisp autumn weather finally blew in to rural Tennessee this weekend. When I walked in the woods a few days ago it was nearly 80 degrees. Today (Saturday) there was an invigorating wind and the daytime temperature was 53 degrees (Fahrenheit). A fantastic autumn day. It's supposed to be in the 30s late tonight. The October midnight ghosts are shivering. 

I hadn't planned on writing a blog post tonight, but the coyotes inspired me. What I had planned was to post a rerun of Mephistopheles at Midnight  (the Hollywood Halloween orgy) - - but I'm deciding if it will be too offensive and erotic for my delicate readers.
I have an uncanny knack for offending just about everyone - which is why my readership has dropped drastically this past year.

I personally think I'm unique and fascinating, but I guess that's beside the point
(wry *smile* inserted here).

Well, hell, Mephistopheles will probably be my next post. Just to annoy you.

It's getting late and it's very chilly. I'm going to crawl into bed...and probably watch a scary movie.
I'll make sure the doors are locked tonight.....

Pleasant dreams, Jon

 

WALKING ON THE EDGE OF AUTUMN

 

I'm foolishly suppressing my problems, refusing to deal with them. I managed to get my car running again but it's still ailing. I'll drag it to town next week to get checked. 

As for my (many) other woes - - to hell with them. I'll eventually take them on one at a time. Slowly.

Yesterday and today I ventured outside to walk in the forest. These were my first woodland treks this autumn. Yesterday was overcast, humid, very mild - - a languid, yawning, abstract day which perfectly reflected my mood. Today there was pale, feeble sunshine and intoxicating warmth.

Despite the fact that it's nearly mid-October, autumn has not yet arrived in my neck of the woods. The leaves are withering slightly but still mostly green, with only hints of upcoming color. The autumnal burst of color won't materialize for another week or two - the usual peak is around Halloween.

It's fortunate that the forest is only a few yards from the house. I physically didn't really feel like walking but it was nice to get out.
Due to an enormous amount of steady rain this year, the forest has changed. Familiar places where I used to walk are now obstructed by overgrowth. Everything looks different....like a jungle scene from The Lost World (I watched the old 1925 movie last night).

My ancient El Cheapo camera seems tired and worn out (like myself). It didn't really capture the essence of my surroundings; it didn't do it justice.

Random, boring glimpses of my world.

Rising sun peeking through trees this morning

Venturing into the forest around noon

 

A few timid leaves are starting to turn colors

 

A glimpse of my house at the edge of the forest

Kitzee on the front porch. You'd never know I painted that porch a year ago. It looks like it hasn't been painted in 50 years.
 

Bosco checking out the pumpkin. He never stays still long enough to take a good photo.

A pork shoulder roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions. It was really good. I'm tempted to buy another one next week and have it again.
 

SOGGY SHREDS OF OCTOBER

 

October, my favorite month, has arrived in a dismal labyrinth of negativity.
There's a reason why I've been posting old reruns on my blog lately. It's because the raw reality of my present situation is so bad that I'm reluctant to reveal it.

Of course it's pouring rain. The rain never stops in Tennessee. Never. Today is thoroughly drenched, dark as the bowels of midnight, growling with ferocious thunder tantrums. The forest trembles in a soggy mist.

Feel free to hold your ears while I voice my troubles and complaints - because I know you don't want to hear them.
I'll force my reluctant self to be mercifully brief:

My car broke down, I'm nearly out of essential supplies.
I'd order some things online, but the ten-foot-high brush on my property is so rampant and obstinate that a delivery truck would never be able to get through.
I've been desperately trying to hack my way through it - with an ax, saws, chainsaws, and pruning shears - but my efforts are largely futile. Impossible to work in the rain.
My blood pressure is through the roof - I almost passed out in the field the other day (no exaggeration)

My washing machine is broke. The water heater isn't working. Clothes dryer is kaput.
The landline phone was completely dead for over a week. I finally messed around with the mysterious fiber optic phone box on the wall - and got it working again.
Miracles occasionally happen.

I'm infested with gnats. Again. The August gnats left in September. The  hoards of September gnats are still here, refusing to leave.
I'm infested with mice. Kitzee and Bosco (cats) have been catching them.

Last night at 3:00 a.m. Bosco leaped on my bed with a mouse in his mouth and dropped it right beside me. Talk about a rude awakening....

To hell with my problems.
How about some photos?

The header photo on this post, and the photo below, were taken at dawn yesterday.....everything shrouded in mystical October mists....

My front "yard" this morning (above) drenched in October rain.

There were a few (very few) sunny days in September.

That's my front porch on the left

Bosco (above) and Kitzee (below) on the front porch

Time to get out the Halloween mugs (and plates)

my favorite haunted house mug (below), it's about 20 years old (almost as old as me...lol)