“Don’t let yourself feel worthless…
at fifteen you had the radiance of early morning,
at twenty you will begin to have the melancholy brilliance of the moon,
and when you are my age you will give out, as I do, the genial golden warmth of 4 p.m.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Yesterday I experienced “the genial golden warmth of 4 p.m.” in all its burnished shimmering beauty. It is such a scrumptious time of day, a time for sinking into a cozy chair on the veranda and soaking up warmth and light and quiet. Hearing mid-life described that way makes me smile.

Bear and I took a drive yesterday, pottering along from one stop to the next. We had breakfast together in a sunshiny nook, stopped at the feed store and hardware store to pick up bits and bobs for the farm, and whipped in to a nursery at the last minute when we saw a sign that said: “large blueberry plants: $10”.

I was enchanted by this little orange tree fruiting so abundantly against a weathered wood wall.

small orange treeAnd these brilliant poppies bobbing jauntily in the wind, turning their faces to the sun.

winter poppiesWe chose a couple of flowering blueberries and some table grapes and said hello to the sweet gray and white cat who trailed after us. The owner instructed us on the best soil for our new plants and bid us a cheery farewell.

Down the road a bit further we stopped for petrol and I made a beeline for the Used Book Box. The local library set up this box at the petrol station in Allora. You can rummage through the books and magazines, choose what you like, and leave a donation in the attached money box. I think it’s a marvelous thing to have at a petrol station and I’m always finding treasures there, like this book by Peter Mayle. It is perfect escapist reading for sunny winter afternoons.

Hotel PastisBy the time we got home I was ready for a break. My new treatment is working well but leaves me exhausted by early afternoon. A regular stop from my labors for a rest soon puts me to rights. This time I collected my new books, poured an Apple Champagne Spritzer with homemade cider, and found a sunny spot on the veranda to warm and relax my bones. Bliss.

Apple Champagne Spritzer

Today is blustery but beautiful. I’ll be bottling my homemade cider vinegar, getting the last of the laundry on the line, transcribing late submissions for the history book, and making cinnamon rolls to share with friends this weekend. I love days like this, quiet, happy, and nourishing.

What is a favorite golden moment from your week? xo