After a hot, dry and beautiful summer, the beginnings of autumn are upon us. From my back door I watched first one tree turn red, then a blush creep into a couple more. Suddenly there are orange trees and some of such a brilliant gold that it takes my breath away when the sun shines through them. My sunflowers are still providing beautiful bouquets and all of my pumpkins are ripe.

One thing I am reminded of in the early days of September is giving birth for the first time - thirty-five years ago. Yes, my oldest child has just turned thirty five. Since I was not young when giving birth to him, I have, with my superior math skills, deduced that I am in fact old. I feel good but there is no denying the calendar. I don't know why I have always been most reminded of my age through my son's birthdays rather than mine. His 16th was more traumatic to me than my 40th.

This son and his wife gave me my first grandchild just in time for my 50th birthday and in less than two years gave me my second. They have the perfect boy and girl family. They live half way across Canada so I don't often see them often in person but we phone and Skype frequently.

Five or so years later my daughter and her partner started their family with a beautiful little girl. They live only three hours away and spend quite a lot of time here. This family has just given us a new and perfect little boy. My granddaughter looks just like her dad and has since birth. The new little fellow looks just like my daughter. I think that is pretty neat. I've spent quite a bit of time with him since in his three short weeks of life; he has been to the island twice and I went over to the mainland when he was first born. I am in love with the little bean.

His big sister likes him just fine too. She has given his bottle a try, his soother a suck and shared a lot of her toys with him till she realized he didn't play with them. I think she'd like him better if he would share his food with her - like she shares her food with the dog.


It is a busy household but both kids are healthy and content and eat and sleep really well. A twenty month old is a constantly going concern and luckily my daughter has abundant energy. She is an amazing mother and getting along great with the task. Here she is making a funny smile and the blurry toddler shows what I mean about being on the go.


Even though I have aging children, four grandchildren and am old, I don't feel old. I am very healthy and live a life full of colour and cre8ivity, loving the beauty of the land and nature close up.  I am most at home in the woods and after a day spent deep in the woods this week, I feel like I'd been on a week long vacation. I would be going today too but rain is forecast.  It's off to the paint brushes then.