FINALLY, FALL...

First,

 let me set the record straight...

I am not a southern girl. 

 I am probably as northern 

as they come but,

 may I say...

HAPPY  FALL  Y'ALL...

I just love 

the way that rolls 

off the tongue!

Finally,

 fall is here and 

it is as 

hoped for.

Soft breezes,

 cooler air, 

falling leaves 

and

blue skies.

Fall

 is the time 

for nesting,

 for gathering 

and 

for settling in...

...for dreaming

 with a good book

 and a warm throw

 by the side

 of the fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jake, Tim, Kai, Captain, and Tami

Fall

 is also time 

for back to school and

 Jake took us, and his parents, 

on a tour of Santa Clara University 

where he will be studying 

for his masters 

over the next two years.

Santa Clara University 

is California's oldest operating 

institution of higher learning. 

 It opened its doors in 1851 

and has always remained faithful

 to the 475 year old 

Jesuit tradition

 and core values.

Established in 1777 

by Father Junipero Serra,

 the Mission Santa Clara de Asis 

was the 8th of the 21

 original California missions. 

 The campus was built 

around the Mission 

and is, and always has been, 

the University's 

anchor and spiritual center.

The school,

 originally named

 "Santa Clara College" (1851-1856)

 began as an all-boys preparatory school.

  Santa Clara 

started offering college courses in 1853, 

and by 1875

 had an enrollment of more than 275 students 

at the preparatory and collegiate levels.

With the addition 

of law and engineering schools,

 the college became 

"The University of Santa Clara" in 1912. 

 The Leavey School of Business 

opened in 1926,

 and within a decade

it became one of the first business schools 

in the country 

to receive national accreditation.

In 1961,

 Santa Clara University 

admitted 75 female undergraduates,

 becoming the first Catholic 

coeducational university 

in California.

In 1985,

 The University 

adopted Santa Clara University

 as its official name, 

and today SCU 

enrolls 9,000 undergraduate and graduate

 students from all over the world.

It is a beautiful campus,

 meticulously landscaped with

 rolling lawns, palm trees,

 bright flowers and rose gardens.

  The above 

is one of a number of olive trees

 that were planted in 1822.

As I write this,

Jake has been attending classes

 for almost two weeks.

 He is loving it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember

 when a sales woman said

 that I would be able

 to keep a living plant alive in my house?

 Above,

 is how the China Doll

 looked when I brought her home...

...the woman was right

 and this is the longest 

I have ever gone 

with good results. 

 I am so proud 

of how this little beauty is progressing.

  She has not dropped 

one little leaf yet...

...so I decided 

that I would take a chance 

on an even bigger China Doll.

 Over confident, you say! 

 Time will tell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am so pleased 

with the response from all of you 

about whether I should 

take a paint brush (AGAIN) 

to our chest.

 I appreciate all your comments

 and have to say

 that you were ALL in agreement

 that I should not!..

However, 

after much thinking it over, 

I decided...

J U S T   K I D D I N G !!!

To be honest,

 I think I knew what I was going to do

right after the Captain worked his magic.

 I couldn't believe 

that I just didn't see 

that a little distressing

 was all it needed in the first place,

 and I am so thankful 

that you all agreed! 

 After a couple of coats of hemp oil, 

she now really belongs!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The beginning of fall

 brings us to the end of September

 and a change for

 the parlor mantle...

...and after a long day of work 

nothing is better than 

a light dinner

 on the porch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those of you

 who are familiar 

with what I do on this blog,

 you already know what

 October will bring...

...and thanks

 to my good friend, Cheryl,

 who gifted me 

with the sweetest little framed embroidery

 that I just love 

so much...

...thank you, my friend!

I'd like to invite you,

 my pretties,

 to join the Cottage Witch 

and all of her friends

for the next month, 

when they appear each week 

between 

the Moonlight and the Majic.

By Invitation Only.

Be very  kind of  sort of  Afraid!

...Judy...

Sharing this week with:

Dishing It & Digging It Link Party

Share Your Style Link Party

Feathered Nest Fridays at French Country Cottage