September.
That month of fleeting summer, just before the holiday explosions begin.
A few leaves start to turn golden, hot days, cool nights.
Fading light.
19 more days of summer.
Roses and dahlias, and tiny pumpkins turn up.
Golden glow, dusty sun shines through endless vines.
Blue and fuchsia morning glories galore.
Such a sight.
Such a joy.
Piles on top of heaping piles of mesquite tree beans everywhere!
Orange butterflies flutter in every direction.
Leaving lots of caterpillar babies crawling about.
I draw until 2:30 a.m.
Crazy hour for someone who has to get up early to tend her gardens.
I feel a tickle on my neck.
A humming up my spine, a whisper in my ear.
From inside the old suitcases….
Let me out, let me out!
It's time…
The witches are here.
Safe from a long journey of sleep.
Stockings enough, well, enough to awaken butterflies in my belly, I dare say.
For the love of dolls and whimsy!!
And Halloweeeeeen!
Oh I missed her so!
Still time to show her what's been goin' on out there in the gypsy garden.
Late summer brings hotter than normal temps around here.
Autumn of the brain trickles in, but autumn of the garden is still far away.
Which makes me thankful in these grasping days of summer.
Falling like sand through fingers.
The desert lets summer linger until the end of October, sometimes longer.
A new spring is headed our way.
Fresh flowers know it too.
It will be spring like for most of autumn.
But always crisp and cool enough at night, that a cauldron and cackle beckon quite ardently.
I am all grown.
And…
I love dolls.
The thing I love the most about being grown up –
Not combing hair if I don't want to.
Enjoying my childhood more than ever.
Ice cream for breakfast.
Mismatched socks.
Scream singing, and no one telling me to quit.
Banging on my piano as I wish.
A man who thinks my invented songs are brilliant and gives me false hope.
🙂
Running in puddles and tracking in mud.
Jumping on bed and hanging from ceiling fan.
Just kidding on that last one.
Note…
Do not hang from ceiling fan please, ever!
What I love about being grown up is that I get to enjoy my childhood as much as I want.
When I want.
Witches in fluffy dresses included.
Cackle cackle!!
Don't you feel the vibe of fun in your belly?
I always get extra crazy/inspired/wacky/childlike at this time of year.
You?
Love, V
ps: My navigation bar under my banner looks weird today doesn't it?
Love it! Love dolls! Happy Witches. I like the way they have their own suitcases. xx
Good to see The Witches out and about, and looking quite lovely in their finery.
Just one more sign that Autumn is coming and Hallowe’en is on its way – hurrah, this is the best time of year!
(And, yes, the navigation bar looks different here, too: it’s in a very plain, blue font. The links work just fine, though.)
I do as well. <3 I identify with being 'a little', so for me, this is so so so so very true. I love this time of year, I love everything that is going on and will be coming and ~ yay, witches!
Sarah!!!! xoxo
It seems like all of a sudden we are in a flurry of holidays doesn’t it?? I feel like I am hyperventilating already, hahaha!!
YAY witches for sure!! I think I need more witches in my life 😉
Oh, yes! The sight of the first morning glories makes me all tingly. I love this time of the year. Your little witch doll is adorable.
The banner is back to normal 😉 I have woken my little witches too, they’re all scattered around my home mingling and ready to party. Welcome Autumn for sure!
Love,love your witches, Vanessa dear! I, too love those very things about being a grown-up…”second childhood” my Mama called it…okay, I’ll take that!
Always love reading your blog! What a great tree in your yard–such great bark on it! I really identified with not combing your hair if you don’t want too! There is a photo of Gustav Klimt standing in front of his studio holding a cat and wearing something that looks like a long nightshirt –my husband often teases me that I am looking “klimtish” when I am working in my studio (that whole crazy artist thing). I love your witch dolls–I have a great collection of stuffed dolls that oversee my studio. have a fun day!
You make me smile Vanessa. I am a grown up, responsible, practical, even conservative Mom of two but I love dolls too and all sorts of childish whimsies. Nothing could ever change that about me! I feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t still have on their magic glasses from childhood. How awful for them! You are a kindred spirit Vanessa. Keep the flame burning!
So lovely. I took down my summer fireplace mantle things yesterday. Bye Bye Birdhouses, nests and chintz china. Coming soon, the warm tones of autumn — copper and brass and soon, the Halloweenies. Not QUITE ready to bring them all out yet! I want summer to last — it is has been so cold and rainy this season. Now the sun is out and it’s warmer, so I’ll pretend, even though the calendar has turned.
I’ll always let my inner child out to play. We have such fun together!
Oh my goodness me thinks our witches are in cahoots! I also heard the faint sound of cackling and now there are of-the-good-sort witches run amuck all over our abode…it’s finally here, it’s time! 🙂
Oh Janet – I fear I have surpassed that and gone straight to crazy lady!!
hahahahaa!!!
Jeanie, same here – I am not totally ready to bring out all the black and
orange mayhem, so I am in this herby phase…. Of dried flowers and handing
herbs and whatever the garden gifts…. it feels like the gear
shift. It has been cold and rainy for you? We have had the hottest
summer I can ever remember. If only we could share our weather,
haha!
I have a few pumpkins growing big, but they haven’t changed color yet. I would love to see pictures of yours!
I have some HUGE fairytale pumpkins,green,but those usually
arent ready until late Oct/Nov. But all my little ones are mostly orange
🙂
Those witch faces! So detailed – as if you can almost make out their personalities. Glad the summer is winding down and the witches are coming out..
Yes, this is the time of year we need to wake up and dust off our packed away articles of wonder…
I had to giggle when I read your post because my friend Michele and I always tease each other that every time we pass by our closets where our witches sleep during the off season they call out to us to let them come out to play. And then when it’s time to go back to the closet they can be heard cackling “no, don’t make us go back to the sleeping closet.”
Thanks for such a beautifully creative blog.
Karol
I love your plates and vases! and all those flowers!
In Australia, Morning Glory is non-Native and often considered a weed, although I think it is one of the most beautiful things!
Oh yay, Dearest Dear Vanessa! I love your witches! And I really love that they live in old suitcases, just like my Doll Family! Also, I am just in love with your morning glories! Can you believe I didn’t plant any this year (or any nasturtiums either) because I thought we would sell our house this summer and I didn’t want to have to leave a whole garden behind! Well, next year, I will plant some for sure because I have missed them so!
And, as for your question about what is going on here, even though you haven’t announced it yet, I’m actually working on my blog post for the Halloween party tonight! We might end up travelling for part of next month, so I want to make sure I have it done or mostly done before we go!
And then, there is the book project………!
Sending hugs,
Betty
Yeth my dearth, the navigation bar shouldeth be in Gothic style type or sthomethingeth, orangeth and blacketh?
This is what Autumn does to my brain…it takes it and turns it upside down, while the sun is going full blast to the south again!
Or maybe I’ve had too much pumpkin juice to drink?
I adore your doll witches, you witch dolls…no, no, they are not voodoo dolls…whatever! They are so charming and have such perky attitudes. Their clothes are so sassy!
That time of year again! Time for the black cats to come out and play!
=^..^=
Ta! Ta!
Miss Teresa
I also keep old dolls in vintage suitcases. Feels special that way. I hope that my girls will have the magical memories of that.
I greet September with glee. Happy times ahead.
Your dolls are amazing, the faces and their expression.
Love the pictures. The witches are great.
I have pulled out my 3 boxes of fallish and Halloween stuff. But so far I have just put my fave metal pumpkin in the planter with geraniums. I love fall.
Wow! your Wacky Witches are Wonderful!
I am trying so hard to not think about
the upcoming days, but just enjoy the summer
of today. But there is a crispness in the
air and blog posts such as this that are pulling
me into the vortex of Autumn. A sweater was put
on my arms just today and baking sugar cookie
leaves, oh it is creeping in I do believe.
Yaaaaaaaayyy!!! Your witches are back! =D
I’ve been feeling all fluttery and giddy… knowing that Fall is almost here! I usually walk home from work when I get off at 130 in the morning… and the air at night has changed from hazy warmness to cool and crisp… I just want to drink it down!
The leaves on a few of our trees are starting to turn red or gold… I was up in the mountains picking blackberries for jam a few days ago, and had to pull my car over to the side of the road for a moment so that I could just stare at all the leave whirling through the air across this huge field. It was magic. I could practically see the fairies dancing about!
Anyways… I hope you and your mister and your furs are all doing well! I read that you took a spill… Ouch! I do that from time to time as well… fortunately I’ve never broken anything… But it seems like I’m always whacking an elbow or shin or knee on something… I think I have a lack of body awareness or something? Lolz…
So glad I popped in to visit! ^_^
XOXO