Glass Pumpkins, A Little Bit of Good News, Appreciating Fragile Things, and the End of September

Red maple leaf

The End of September

is here, and I am sick in bed, watching the rain. This leaf is one of the first that has turned here in my neighborhood, one of the first signs that fall has really arrived. The dahlias, sunflowers, and hydrangeas are almost done with their blooming cycles. We’ve had thunderstorms, hail, and sunbreaks interrupt the last week of almost constant rain. We also had another bobcat visit – this time, the camera captured it pouncing on something just out of view! It was just like a gigantic bob-tailed kitten.

Last night I broke a tooth, which doesn’t feel like a good omen. Still, earlier this week I was able to get out to see the glass pumpkins from Tacoma Glassblowers Studio and took a peek at the Seattle Japanese Gardens, in between medical appointments. I have a practice of combining doctor appointments, especially stressful ones, with something pleasant, like visiting a garden. I recommend it! I have to have emergency dental work early this week so I’ll try to figure out how to alleviate that with some nature therapy.

A Little Bit of Good News – A Poem Nominated for Best of the Net

I did get a little good news – a poem of mine, “Introduction to Writer’s Block,” was nominated by Shenandoah for Best of the Net. What a nice pick-me-up! Thank you to Shenandoah‘s editors for that! They are a great magazine full of wonderful work and I’m honored to be part of their nominations!

I’ve been writing but not sending out my work enough – usually fall is “go time” for writers, but I’ve had trouble getting my energy going, despite my love of fall and cooler temperatures. I’ve been fighting off a couple of bugs plus pretty severe anemia. So, feeling moody and tired and ready to feel better so I can enjoy what is usually one of my two favorite seasons (my birthday is in April, so I have to love spring, but fall is a close second.)

Seattle Japanese Gardens and Disappearing Birds

Have you been reading the depressing news about the extinction of trees in Europe (in particular, the Horse Chestnut tree is in trouble) and the disappearance of about half of the bird population in North America since the seventies? Oh, right, you were focused on all the impeachment stuff in the news? Totally understand. But it is a reminder to appreciate and notice the birds and trees around us, especially the ones that are difficult to grow and maintain, the birds and plants susceptible to changes in habitat and climate and invasive species. Also, there have been some really interesting articles about how spending time in nature literally helps your body heal, and I believe that’s probably true. As I’ve gotten older I’ve gotten more interested in planting things, and trying to appreciate the work that goes into maintaining public spaces, parks and gardens. I’ve been trying to plant things around the garden that butterflies and hummingbirds like, and planting sunflowers for finches and other small birds.

Glenn and I with glass pumpkin

Glass Pumpkins and Other Fragile Things

Tacoma is known for its Glass Museum and glassblowing studios, and sometimes Tacoma Glassblowing Studios comes and shows off the work of its artists at our local outdoors store Molbak’s, and I always enjoy seeing the shapes and colors they come up with.

I mean, glass pumpkins are not entirely practical items, and definitely don’t taste as good as the real thing, but since after all it is decorative gourd season, they add to the spooky/harvest-season feel. Plus they always remind me of Cinderella – the pumpkin magic coach. Glenn was entertained by the “Seahawks” colored pumpkins on a mini football field.

Traditional Orange Glass Pumpkins

Appreciating the value of fragile things – disappearing trees, delicate swirls of glass – feels like a metaphor to me right now, with the reminder that our human bodies remain fragile no matter how many vitamins we take or plans we have. I try to take good care of myself but sometimes my system gets overwhelmed. We get flu shots and stop at the local vegetable stands, bringing home squash and carrots and pears. We try to get out every time the sun shines in between the rain, appreciating the golden light that happens at the beginning and end of the day in between raindrops.

I hope you have had a good beginning to fall, full of promise and good cheer, celebrating the changing seasons as much as you can. I am hoping to fill the increasingly dark and rainy days with writing and reading (I just got a new stack of library books) and hoping to find good publishers for my two book manuscripts, placing poems and hopefully getting to do some writing-related social things (I have a reading scheduled for the first week of October in Auburn so hopefully I will be better for that!)

Think good thoughts for my emergency tooth repair. Wishing you good news in the mail and the time to get out and enjoy a little bit of autumn!