Falling for Fall

And we're into September. I feel like this month always creeps up on me. Once day it's summer and then it's back to school and I'm wishing for the chill air.

Key West was amazing, the wedding was beautiful, and the weather was cooperative. I have most of the pics posted on Facebook, but here are some highlights.

Ending our first day in the keys.

 Starting our second day. At the hotel waiting for the shuttle downtown.

 Trekking to meet the kitties on the Hemingway property.

 My first meeting with a six-toed kitty.

 Getting ready for my first snorkel adventure.

 John, more seasoned of course, headed out to do some more in-depth exploration.

Jenny and Shane exchanging seaside vows at the Key West Garden Club.

A nice shot one of the wedding guests took of me and John on the dance floor.

Next up: Ireland in 24 days! 24, you may be wondering? Yes. We were initially supposed to fly out at the end of October, but we found out last month that that itinerary had been cancelled because not enough people booked those dates. So after an afternoon of freaking out, a few days of thinking, and an afternoon on the phone with our AAA booking agent, we were back on track: an identical itinerary departs on September 29, and ships out regardless of seats sold. So we're all set, albeit about a month earlier!

I'm so extraordinarily excited. It's almost here. My dream is about to come true. I'm so ready to break out my cords, my sweaters, and bask in the 50-degree often cloudy-rainy weather. I'm ready to see sheep and meet an Irish farm family. I'm super ready to check out the swanky Irish hotels we'll be staying in. I'm ready to chase the sun across the Atlantic and watch the Emerald Isle pop into view after hours of black nothingness over the ocean. Maybe my expectations are too high, but I feel like going there will give me some irrefutable sense of self. I've been listening to it call to me for so long, and here I am...about to answer. Purely, absolutely amazing. I take none of it for granted, and plan to do my best to take it all in, and not get caught up in taking the perfect photo, but rather get swept up in every single moment. I'll probably have to break up the debrief post into a few smaller ones, which may be better--I can highlight each stop along the way with its own post.

On my to-do list before we leave is to shape up my garden in preparation for next spring. I have to get all my caladiums in the ground so the bulbs can root in and settle in for a long winter's nap. Then I'll start thinking about fall planting, since I currently have nothing that will bloom once the first frost comes along. I'm open to suggestions for shade-loving cold-weather plants! I've had failed mums because they haven't gotten enough sun. Which is sad because I love mums. So that's where I'm turning my thoughts next.