A Kindred Summer Spirit in Meg Carter

Dear Alice,

I too have returned from my summer away, and as always, came home with a large case of farewell to summer blues. I find myself clinging to all things summer - wore the all white pique dress to church yesterday for the last time, had chicken salad, corn on the cob and sliced tomatoes for dinner last night.

I don't have time for a blog of my own, but as you can tell, am perhaps a frustrated blogger. With your blog title, I thought we would surely be kindred spirits on this one, so why don't you write something on "Rx for end of summer blues" ... here are a few random thoughts that you can tighten up and expand on:

- Local tomatoes will still be good for about another month - be grateful for that

I am kicking myself Meg for returning from the beach with only one local tomato in tow. And all those roadside stands we passed on 404 while creeping along at a snails pace on Sunday...I could have gotten out, loaded up on fresh maters, and gotten back in the car having never needing to pull off the road!

- Wear all black everyday as a sign of mourning for summer (plus you will look chic and it's so easy to get dressed)

Easy peasy! Already have head start on my black/navy wish list beginning with the forerunner, the black Burberry Peacoat...

A pair of your "still managing to look chic while in mourning for summer" Big Grey Pearl studs. Perfect transitional beach to town beauties...

And lastly, the Star Navy Stubbs and Wootton needlepoint slippers to complete my look of bereavement.

- Ease your withdrawal by planning a quick trip to the beach - any beach - sept is the most beautiful month and beaches are empty

Check! Leaving for Montauk early Friday morning for a reunion with the Loyola College besties...

- Plan an ichat with all your summer friends - have a glass of wine at the appointed hour and commiserate on being back in the real world

Skype account all set up for communicating with the parents when in Mexico and the nieces in college. As for the commiserating cocktail party, you my friend, are invited. Plan is in the works for drinks with Maxminimus, Hillbilly Debutante and Southern Gent in the very near future and we'd love to be seen with the jeweler to the Grande Dame of Prep herself, Ms. Lilly Pulitzer.

- Admire your black suede boots in the closet and think how fun they will be to wear

Well Meg, my Koolaburras walked out of here on their own after one too many wearings last winter so, I'm definitely in the market for a new pair of boots. I'm thinking tall chocolate this go round...

- Start looking forward to sleeping under a pile of blankets with the windows open

Audible groan from Babe as this reminds him that I am still determined to get the Hermes Horse Blanket for sofa snuggling...

- Pull out all the gangly old geraniums and fill your pots with yellow mums.
- Go apple picking

A planned trip to Charlottesville in early October will definitely include pit stops to the Ivy Nursery for loading up on orchids and to my little haunt in Crozet for pumpkins and apple cider...

- If symptoms worsen, buy a fur coat (or a fur caplet on ebay)

My Nana'a fur caplet is on standby in storage Meg and ready for another season! The opera, Whole Foods, over pajamas...my fur caplet doesn't discriminate.

many thanks,

Meg

Kindness of Meg Carter for her lovely email and her smashing, any time of the year, jewelry designs. See you for that drink real soon Meg. I'll be the one in head to toe black wearing a fur caplet...

And, I must mention that the awesome Montauk watercolor is a Lilly Pulitzer original...