Laurels I pruned yesterday afternoon to raise their canopy. They were looking droopy and enormous and like something out of a Studio Ghibli film, but pruning off bottom branches has exposed, again, their graceful trunks, as well as letting light through to the back of the yard (which is a mess, as I can now see, because the laurels are not occluding it, but oh well . . . )
More fall in the backyard and garden:
Last night we grilled steaks and sat outside by the bonfire to eat them and drink wine.
Empty-nest life is not a bad thing at all: party of two, all the time. The day had warmed up a good bit, so that even into the evening I could sit outside without a cardigan:
Today: got up, walked the dog, went to Mass. The day has warmed up a lot, like into the mid-70s, but it was cool enough this morning that I could wear my friend-made shawl-cape-blanket-poncho thing and not die of heat stroke. I tried it a couple of different ways:
Here's the pinned-on-my-shoulder Viking look. Ultimately this felt like a little too much, so I folded it back into a shawl collar and wore it like whatever that resembles:
I guess it's kind of more like a coat this way. I felt like Joseph and his coat of many colors.
Here's a close-up of the brooch my friend gave me to go with the garment in question:
Underneath all the cloak I was just wearing my basic blue Maggie dress with navy cotton leggings and my Xero Tari boots. Now that I'm home, and the day is warmer, and we're going out for a long walk in a while, I've taken off the cloak, the boots, and the socks I was wearing with them, and am just wearing Maggie as she comes, with the leggings and my Xero Colorado sandals for walking.
It's kind of a nothing outfit, I guess --- I haven't bothered really to put elements together. But I'm comfortable, and I'm not schlubby, which is something. I could call this "tonal." At any rate, I'm wearing a dress and leggings that I like, in shapes and colors that I like, and that counts for something.
I do love this basic dress more and more. I've worn her many days this past week, relatively speaking --- last Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday. And now, again, today. With fall, and the possibility of more accessorizing and layering, the simple marine-blue dress really comes into her own. I'd definitely buy another Maggie dress in another color, though none of the ones currently on offer are speaking to me --- I'd buy a Maggie in pine, for example, or any of the teals, or mauve. Or black heather. She's just such a good year-round dress, as I am realizing as the weather turns colder. It's REALLY nice not to have to accommodate a sleeveless dress in chilly weather. Of course, this also makes me consider how much I do want at least one long-sleeved dress that I don't have to layer to be warm enough. But for now, in the transitional ups and downs of October in North Carolina, Maggie is perfect.
I also find myself more comfortable not belting her. She did feel as though she was swallowing me at first, but I don't know whether it's having washed and dried her for some shrinkage (I think she does stretch back out again), or just my having adjusted to the cut and the longer length, but I'm very happy with her now just as she comes.
Off to the river shortly for a couple hours' walk with Dora in the fall sunshine. Gotta soak it up while we have it.