Rainy Days And Mondays

Is there anything better than a rainy Monday in October?  Cool winds blowing, leaves falling, dark and moody ambience, candles burning, pumpkin treats baking while I wrap myself in a cozy sweater!  After so many days of brilliant sunshine and dryness, both myself and the earth around me are in heaven.  Don't get me wrong - I love those sunny days.  But a dreamy, grey autumn day, here and there, is just as wonderful!

A rainy, autumn day is a gift after so many months with so much outside work to be done.  For the first time in what feels like forever, I had an opportunity to just play.

Yesterday was the first day in months that everyone could go without fly masks.  Moonie wears his all year long, but with a day of continuous rain, I thought he could take a break.

The cats stayed close to the barn most of the day.

And Ginger... who doesn't mind a little rain in order to be closer to her friends (and the food!) kept her post outside the horses' gate to the front pasture.

There's nothing like the first rainy day after a dry spell.   You can almost hear the garden sigh in relief as it soaks in every precious drop.  

This rain will be just what the forest needs to encourage the fungal spores that are hidden in every crack and crevice.

Up, up, up, shoot all manner of tiny mushrooms as they respond to the moist environment.

As for me, with laundry done and the house clean, I took the opportunity to play with paints.  I've neglected this little art corner for many months.

I wanted to draw Miss Margaret (the cow that visited this past weekend) and then paint her.  It's been a while since I picked up my brushes, so it felt great to once again set color to paper.

I also baked the last of last summer's butternut squash (that I had stored in the basement larder) and then used them for a baked pumpkin oatmeal - the perfect autumn breakfast!  (Here is the recipe.) I substitute walnuts for chocolate chips.

It was the perfect day to recharge my batteries... and might not be the only one this week.    Between showers, I will be getting next year's garlic planted, as well as some bulbs for spring color around my shed.  As I said before... we gardeners are always planning for the next season!