Odd things

It was a busy week filled with activities and goings on. We mowed finally and the yard looks decent for the first time this year.

I picked more grapes but didn't get quite enough of the wild ones to make a full batch so I'm going to mix the juice up with blackberries I picked and froze this summer. Grape-blackberry jelly! Yum.

I started to pull out my Fall/Halloween Stuff and mess around with it. After all, it is that time of the year to play with those things, errrr, well... you know, decorate a little. We don't dress up or really do anything for Halloween as we are so isolated and far from town. But I like to have my fun.

The wind up toys came in the mail one day a few years ago from a Flickr friend who thought I'd like them. Of course I do as I'd never would have thought to purchase them myself.

Who can resist a frog skeleton?

It is also the time of the year

for my Lego Skeletons 

to shine!

Poor Harriet, 

always in trouble!

Apparently the skeletons and the zombie

decided to have a 

dance party...

It seems someone likes to

make a grand entrance!

More fun with the froggy

and friends.

I have more small decorations that I have put up but haven't really done any photographing of it yet. Nothing will go up outside. I just have little things that are easy to move around and rearrange to my liking. I'm constantly moving stuff around.

The black and white shots were taken on black painted cardboard with a black painted cardboard back. I used my cell phone flashlight to highlight the scene. It is fun to experiment like this. Decorations are such a great challenge.

I went hiking with a 'new' friend this week. More about that later.

Our daughter [step] and her hubby came for a visit on Thursday which was a huge surprise.

That night Charlie was really sick with tossing up clear stuff. He was so miserable and awful that he wouldn't eat, drink, or even go outside. By mid morning I was ready to cart him off to the vet.

When Rich's daughter showed up Friday morning he went nuts.  He went out for her and did his business, then came in and ate his breakfast and acted as if nothing had bothered him at all!

Can dogs get depressed because they may be missing his pal Twila and then company? I don't know! 

Friday I hit all the Apple Orchards with Steph and Steve and purchased apple fritters, apple donuts, and some cherry cider. 

I found one of the gnarliest bumpy pumpkin ever! 

I expect with this dip in temperatures, I'll be busy with my fall jobs that prep for winter along with making some jelly and having some fun with Halloween 'Decorates' as my kids called it.

....And I need to get out and enjoy those last lovely displays of fall leaves!

Fall is coming

This year fall has crept up on us. Hot weather, pounding rains, flooding, and humidity have all felt like the Dog Days of August and certainly not mid September.

The rivers around here are still nearly full yet more hard rains and dangerous storms that could produce heavy rainfall is coming over the next day or so.

Yesterday Charlie and I went to the creek to move the Teddy Bear Guardians safely above any flood level. I really got attached to those little muddy toys. There is a new bear added to the mix. When I found him he had been tossed into a basket on the floor of a resale shop marked as .25 cents. He had stains on his fur.

He is now one of the Creek Guardians.

He looks shaggy and amazing sitting on the rock above the creek. He appears to take his job seriously.

Chance did get a rinsing yesterday in the creek. Whew, what a job! He still has a long way to go before I can think of washing him in a regular machine!

So Charlie and I went for our afternoon walk and as always, it leads to the creek. He investigated smells while I walked around and enjoyed some quiet time in the creek itself.

These next two shots were taken on the same flat rock. I just pointed the camera upstream for this one....

 ...and downstream for this one. [Yes that is a fog that is hanging just above the water. The water is much colder than the air temperature and this fog moves in and out almost imperceptible.]

If you look closely in the right upper corner you can see the blue chair where the guys are sitting safely out of the way of any angry waters.

However, it wasn't until I got home and looked at the photos as I pulled them up, that I noticed all the yellow leaves and oranges that had dropped into the water.
I mean...I did see them, but it didn't strike me until I got home.

And then there is this shot of Charlie investigating and interesting smell. Look at the foliage! It is rapidly turning colors!

Never mind the Charlie butt. He was too busy to sit nicely in front of me and pose.

Fall is coming. I hope so. We could use some cooler temperatures and some drier weather.

And...you know what comes after that!

Oh!
I will have to write about my new office! Very exciting stuff.
Stay tuned.