Into the woods

I walked up to the woods.
The canopy is changing colors.
Each day new faces appear.

A thistle seed pod tickled my nose.
Some seed came home in my pocket.

A Red Admiral basked in the morning sun.

I too am wearing orange and brown.

My friend is coming over tomorrow for a day filled with treats.
Hope your Halloween is also a blessed day.
Happy Halloween.

Cemetery walk

A hard freeze last night
nipped many of the tender annuals in my gardens.

I was happy to see dandelions in bloom
in the cemetery.

Wonderful late season food for the Buckeyes.

The geese were out today grazing in the lawns.

The afternoon sun warmed the ground.
This was a lovely day. I walked for an hour.

Down the street

It was mid afternoon before I went walking.

Halloween decorations have begun to appear.

I am looking for Jack-o-lanters.

Not yet!



Tonight we are to have a hard freeze.
My neighbor's roses will be nipped.
These gardens have been abandoned.
My neighbors died a few years ago.
I keep watch.

The afternoon light is bright.

The Pine Siskins have returned

and the Yellow Rumped Warblers.

It is Halloween week.

Peak

The leaves have their October colors.

We walked under the canopy in the late afternoon.

It is peak color this weekend in my city.

It is perfect October weather,

sunny and 64 degrees.

Pumpkins and Buckeyes

There were so many different kinds of pumpkins to choose from.
I looked at them all.
Finally I decided on a pie pumpkin.
She can decorate my hearth until pie making day
in November.

My husband and I decided on one
warty pumpkin to be our Jack-o-lantern.

Not too big!

The farm had zinnias in bloom.
I am always happy to see a buckeye!

A working farm

For two months each Autumn this farm is open to the public.
They have a gift shop and snacks and pumpkins.
On crisp October weekends they are busy.

These farmers have been opening their gates for 17 years.

I was charmed!

Lots of families came out to pick their pumpkins,
ride the ponies and see the chickens!



I was charmed!

Looking for pumpkins

We went looking for a pumpkin patch

and found a pumpkin market.



The day was perfect for picking out a pumpkin.

Lots of fun at the farm.

Day Trip

We took a day trip.

We stopped at an Orchard for some apples.

Apple festivals

and cider are a fun part of Autumn.

Snoppy II

I went shopping this morning while it was raining.
I went to the second hand store and an antique shop.
I met a lovely shop keeper.
I found lots of great treasures.




October has Frankoma dishware in flame
and now Metlox in Rooster Red-red.
This coffee server in Metlox pottery is my first piece.
I have ordered a cream and sugar bowl to match.
I will be searching for more pieces.

I would love to share all my finds!
I need a show and tell spot.
I need a shopping blog!



The skies cleared and I went walking.
I was thinking about all the darling treasures I picked up.
I thought about the two hats I found,
both in orange and so cute.

I thought about how I would love to share them with you.

(Oh, I put the prettiest blue scarf on one of the hats.)

I thought about the outfits I would put together.
I forgot all about taking pictures.



I sat on the deck in the sunshine
with the mums and the Monarchs.
Snoopy II came over.

My life is full of birds and bugs.

My life is full of being creative.

Maybe it is time to create a new blog.
Maybe it is time to learn indoor photography.
Maybe we could walk and shop together!

I would like that very much.

Into the woods

A pair of White-throated Sparrows
were at the pond near the entrance to the woods.
I was so pleased to see they had come back to my area.

Yellowbellied Sapsuckers
had been in my backyard this morning.

I was pleased to see them in the woods.




Flocks of Robins were finding worms after the rain.
Any day now the Juncos will return.

A hike to the river

We drove a Missouri scenic byway.
Our destination was Lexington, Missouri.



We stopped along the way and watched the corn harvest.
We hiked along a trail to the mouth
of the Little Blue river.

The wild chicory was blooming.

A Red-spotted Purple was sunning.

We found the mouth of the Little Blue
and watched her flow into the Missouri River.
Damselflies and butterflies were active in the October sunshine.

We had a lovely lunch and a history lesson in Lexington.

I did a wee bit of shopping too.

Lunch with a Maple Tree

I took my lunch to the park.

I sat under a Maple tree

and enjoyed her color.

The asters are in full bloom.

October has been sunny and warm.

To the woods

The arch of the Autumn leaves

beckoned me into the woods.

The thistle has gone to seed.

The algae bloom is over.
The pond is beginning to clear.

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
made his way around the tree.

My bird book says I am in the northern part of his winter range.
I know he migrates.
Maybe he is passing through.
Welcome, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!
You are worth lots of happiness points.