Leaves, Leaves, Everywhere

This was my best leaf photo from our morning walk. Individually, the leaves are quite beautiful.

But not so much when they completely cover my lower driveway. I had to grab my down jacket this morning because it's very chilly. The dog and cat have both gone back to bed for a morning nap and I wish I could too. Actually, I could but will save mine until later. I can hear my rake calling me but I'm ignoring the voice in my head for now. I think I'll clean out my fireplace instead.

Red Leaves and Bittersweet Berries

I took this photo yesterday at the post office. I love all of the shiny red leaves.

This one was at the post office too. Just a tangled mess of bittersweet vines and a few colorful berries.

Beautiful Fall Leaves

I've been picking up beautiful leaves when I walk Webster each day and pressing them. Do you think these hearts were cut by hand or with a punch? Aren't they beautiful? Have a great day and I'll see you later. xo

Spectacular Fall: Stourhead House Wiltshire England

Stourhead landscape garden in Wiltshire. Britain is enjoying one of the best autumn displays for years, due in part to a long, dry spring and wet, cool summer. via The Guardian This photo was entitled: Gold Leaf.

The Red Leaves Have Arrived

We now have some red color in the woods here at the cottage. Hope you had a nice weekend. I certainly did. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. Too tired to talk right now.

Fall and Summer at The Same Time

Happy first day of October! The trees say fall but the thermometer later today will say summer because it's supposed to get up to 84° and it will feel more like August. I took this photo yesterday while walking the wonder dog in the lower forty.

Turning Over A New Leaf

Just a quick morning post to show you I'm still alive. Not much red yet in the leaf turning business. Mostly brown and yellow. See you later. Have to get this show on the road before my home repair/painting workers arrive.

Chestnuts

My driveway is full of chestnuts. I've always wondered why they grow in such a dangerous and painfully prickly package. Anytime I see Webster limping this time of year, I know he must have stepped on one. He usually avoids this side of the house entirely until they have all fallen and been raked in a big pile. I've been picking up the loose ones for roasting later. When I have on thick leather gloves, I'll pick up the ones still in the pods. They are very messy trees to have as close to your house as mine is. Earlier in the year it dropped tassels on my roof and filled up the gutters. Grumble, grumble.

My Missing Trees

As you can see the three trees I took down after Hurricane Sandy were at the end of their life spans. I was worried that I would miss them and that my balcony would get too hot in the summer. They were hollow in the middle and had some sort of fungus. I decided to have them cut down for peace of mind after one of the giant trees in the woods came down and hit my balcony railing and grazed the house. I still get very nervous when there are high winds.

It has turned out so much better than I ever imagined because my wonderful view has opened up the big sky. I love sitting outside at night enjoying the stars. The angle of the sun is never too intense and the house ends up shading the balcony as the sun moves to the west after lunch. I had the stumps ground but I never planted grass seed. I'll seed the three bare spots in the fall and next year it will be perfect. I might transplant some clover that is growing in my gravel driveway for some instant ground cover that should spread nicely. I took the bottom photo just a few minutes ago on this fabulous Sunday morning. Tabitha got me up a few minutes after 6:00 so I put her outside with her food dish. Poor Webster had to wait for me to get up again to be fed. I went back to bed and didn't get up until 9:00. It was wonderful to sleep without a cat poking me to wake up. Enjoy this beautiful day.

I never want anything this awful to happen to my cottage ever again.

I was lucky. It could have been so much worse if the tree had been even one inch taller.

Leaves as Art

Beautiful. I love Nasturtiums. via

My own iPhone photo of Japanese Maple leaves. They are arranged in place by Mother Nature on a tree my mom planted on her birthday several years ago from a seedling she found growing wild. The tree has gotten quite large and I think of her every time I look in the back yard.

Beautiful Spring Scene

This is a lovely spring scene - somewhere, isn't it? via

Spruce Bough in Fog

I took this photo this morning after a walk in the fog and mist. Webster and Tabitha went with me as usual. We are pretty worried about the coming storm bringing hard rain and wind overnight. We got a bulletin from the town in our email saying they are going to be in emergency mode along with the power company. They want people to secure things that might blow away like garbage can lids and snow shovels. I hope we don't lose power again. See you tomorrow. 

California Giant Redwood Trees - 1915

Each morning since Hurricane Sandy I wake up to the sound of chain saws and wood chippers. The trees in my area were hit hard and the cleanup continues. I never fail to be impressed by photos of lumberjacks working by hand a century ago.

 

The photos are part of the Ericson Collection, a series of pictures from northwest California from the 1880s through the 1920s by Swedish photographer A. W. Ericson. Read more about this exhibition here. 

Too Pretty to Cut

Let's decorate this one in place. via

Christmas Decor by Mother Nature

Mother Nature is definitely the best decorator, isn't she? via

Interesting Seed Pod from A Tree

I picked up this beautiful pod from the deck of my real estate listing. I hope the tree that produced it survived the storm and is still standing in the spring so I can identify the species. 

Dogwood Blossoms in the Snow

This is an iPhone photo I took back in the spring with some free editing with PicMonkey for the winter. I like it, don't you? The program is not an app. Works on computer only (Mac or PC). It's awesome!

Winter Reflection

Isn't this a spectacular photo to start (or finish) your day? via

Snowy Woodland Path

With no footprints. How nice to be the first one to walk this delightful path through the woods. via

Sun Filtered Through The Pines

This is a beautiful photo, isn't it? The pines and other conifers were especially hard hit by Hurricane Sandy in my area. Their shallow roots and soft wood could not stand up to the high winds. I love walking in pine forests with or without snow. The smell is wonderful. via