In the scheme of things, this past weekend was… eventful.

First, the sad news, as everyone now knows, Diane Keaton passed away.

One of my all-time favorites. (Yes, I know, she wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but to me, she was chamomile with a twist of bourbon.)

I’ve got a little Diane story below, courtesy of Steve.

And, between our first fall workshop, the Pressed Flower Pumpkin, and prepping for the nor’easter (possible 60-mph gusts, mind you), it was a weekend.

Farmers like me fear wind more than anything .. you can’t exactly reason with 60 mph gusts.

I’ve seen enough photos of hoop houses crumpled like soda cans to last a lifetime.

But in true Cape May fashion, the nor’easter that was supposed to send us flying to Oz ended up being just another heavy rainstorm. The Cape May bubble strikes again.

Grateful – and prayers to those who weren’t as lucky.

Now, about Diane.

Steve has a story (of course he does – and of course it involves his best friend, Joe Goddu).

When he was about 14 or 15, his mom gifted him two tickets to the Broadway opening of Hair, a big deal back then.

He and Joe took their seats, second and third from the aisle, and waited for the show to start.

That aisle seat next to them stayed empty until just before curtain, when in walked this stunning young woman who sat down right beside them.

Teen boys being teen boys, there was plenty of side-eye admiration happening.

Then the lights dimmed, the band struck up “Aquarius,” and the beautiful stranger got up, walked to the stage, and started singing.

Turns out she was in the cast.

Now, whether that young woman was actually Diane Keaton, they’ll never know – but she was definitely in the original Hair cast, and it could have been her.

Imagine being 15 and realizing the pretty girl next to you might have been Diane Keaton, before she became a Hollywood icon.

Rest in peace, Diane.

As for the farm, our Pressed Flower Pumpkin workshop was a hit.

The weather held, everyone stayed dry, and once again, I was amazed at how differently each person’s creation turned out, even though they all started with the same materials. (There’s probably a life lesson in there somewhere.)

As you know, earlier in the week, Joe was up on the rooftop helping us paint and repair the attic windows. He took some gorgeous photos of the farm, the light, the fields, the whole scene, which I thought to share below:

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Sunday was for catching up indoors, mending clothes that have been waiting since June (does anyone actually mend anymore?), making a big pot of stoup (that magical stew-soup hybrid) perfect with the just baked sour dough bread Stacey dropped off (thanks, Stacey!), and keeping one wary eye on the weather radar.

And, you may have guessed, Sunday also is a rest day from writing this newsletter.

Thankfully, the storm huffed and puffed but didn’t blow our little farm down.

Tomorrow it’s back to the fields, big catch-up days ahead, but for now, we’re counting small blessings and simple pleasures.

Hope you’re safe and dry in your neck of the woods.

Farm Happenings

The flower stand is back to being stocked with fresh bouquets (daily) .. dahlias, heirloom mums, eucalyptus .. all the fall favorites. If you need something special, you can also order bouquets online (just give us 24 hours’ notice).

Our Winter Wreath Workshops are coming up in November and December, they’re festive, fun, and the perfect way to kick off the holidays. You’ll create your own wreath with evergreens, berries, and ribbon, all in our cozy workshop space.

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Can’t make it to the farm? We’ll soon open preorders for winter wreaths and door swags, available for both pickup and shipping, so you can deck your own halls (or send one as a gift) no matter where you are. Stay tuned!