Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!


May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
........anonymous

It's the perfect day to thank each and every one of you for your friendship. I sooo appreciate the time you take to visit me here. Sending each of you a bouquet and....
Wishing you all the Happiest of Thanksgiving!
Love,
Lynn

Saturday, November 21, 2009

November is.....

....walks in weather that's no longer warm and mild ....bittersweet berries growing wild....leaves crunching under my feet in shades of red and gold~such a colorful treat
....cornfields~brown and brittle, before the last tractor mow
soon to be fields blanketed with white powdery snow
....chlorophyll doing their thing~or should I say 'not' ....and squirrels doing their thing~adding nuts to the pot ....lawn mowers put away~not to be seen
husbands now relaxing in front of the big screen
....enjoying silhouettes of trees and cloud striations ....saying goodbye to southbound migrations
(Hey! One dude's out of formation!)
....hello to a fuller moonand large family gatherings coming soon
....beautiful tablescapes with a Thanksgiving theme
a slice of pie to go with my whole can of whipped cream :^)
....quiet evenings in front of a fire
a pastime that I will never, ever tire
....blanket over my legs, kitty by my side, book in my lap
closing my eyes and mastering the art of a good nap....

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Saying Goodbye...Part 2

The amazing weather this past Sunday had me doing back flips! Well...ok, lopsided cartwheels were more like it! A beautiful, sunny, and WARM day...perfect for gardening. So, naturally, I spent it hiking, biking and goofing off with friends....lol!A 'must' re-visit to the gorge...with views much different then 2 weeks ago, but, FALL's magic was still seen and felt. The trees along the banks are mostly bare now but beautiful, nonetheless.

Hey, what's this guy doing here? A scavenger hunt, I'm thinking, started by someone with a sense of whimsical. Whatever the reason, it made my eyes go a-hunting a little more closely and several treasures were found.Look at this...I would have totally missed this secret door! Must be where the gnomes and fairies hide in inclement weather....thinking of you, Frances :)

When I came across this beautiful oak tree, the song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon..." started playing in my head, and there it stayed, all day...annoying everyone within earshot! This was my favorite find of the day! Of course, I had to climb a split-rail fence and sneak into someone's yard...good thing I didn't see the 'Beware of Dog' sign 'til after....yikes! But isn't this sweet? And romantic....
Capping off the perfect day...

Make it a great one, y'all!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Ouch!!!

The procrastination bug has bitten, and bitten hard! Other than just walking through the garden with my camera, I've been flaking out with the year-end chores. Leaf clean up, trimming, mulching....all things necessary to put the garden down for a deep sleep. And I keep thinking I still have plenty of time to plant my bulbs!

Instead, I'm out touring gardens in my free time....like this one in south Jersey!



Clusters of pearls are what these beauty berries remind me of... Amazing that only an hour south, annuals are still looking great!
This pond was pretty shallow but look how healthy these kois are! They were extremely hungry...following me with their big eyes and opened mouths. Sorry guys, nothing good in my pockets.
So what's my excuse for neglecting the garden? Can I blame it on shorter days? Adjusting to daylight savings is easy...what's one less hour of sleep for this insomniac...it's the time I can spend outdoors after work that I miss. Pitch dark now by 5pm...that's the hard part!
Too busy with work, home projects, crafts, etc. etc....
Okay, I'll come clean and admit it....I've been LAZY!!!

But, in order to get beauties like these....
I must plant these! Pronto! Before the ground freezes...
Am I alone in my procrastination? Have you, too, been bitten? Somehow, I think some of you can relate....
Have a wonderful weekend!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Rise and Shine!

Nothing like a 5am walk to get your heart racing! And I don't mean from the exercise! Up and out the door with Bandit in total darkness was how this day started. I am not easily spooked so no thought at all given to the fact that I could barely see beyond arm's length. But, soon my eyes adjusted, and I found the cold morning air quite exhilarating.

Too engrossed in my audio book, I wasn't aware that Bandit sensed something in the bushes! Suddenly, the still, peaceful quiet was rudely interrupted with his best 'protecting my mommy' voice! And for a 13-lb. ball of fluff, he's quite loud! Sorry neighbors!

So, do I turn and run back the way I came? NO, silly! Being the brave girl that I am...or just plain crazy!...I pull out my camera and aim it at the bushes, snapping away! Maybe it's just a raccoon! A fox? Possibly a bear!

Hmph...no such luck! Here's the culprit!

Drats! Just another deer! Or maybe an alien in disguise!!

Another hour or so later, Mr. Sun is out, but just barely. I'm chilled now and ready to head back. So is little Bandit.


Back in my garden, there's still color to be found...mostly in the form of foliage.




After his quick rest, Bandit was rearing to go again. As soon as I opened the door, off he went, chasing more intruders! And boy, do they run!!Many chores on my To Do List but, first, someone desperately needs a warm bath! Then I'll take care of Bandit's feet...lol! Oooh, the joys of owning a little white fluff!So, friends, I hope you realize that I was willing to risk my life...hey, it could've been a bear!...all for the sake of a good picture/post...just sayin'! Maybe next time! Happy Day, all!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Chasing Fire...

On a recent drive home, I was blinded by the reflection in the rear view mirror. So busy in my thoughts that I somehow missed the blaze going on behind me! And, of course, I now HAD to capture this amazing view. But going 70mph on a busy highway made pulling over quite impossible! Thank goodness I knew of an upcoming exit. But time was running out quick!
The red light allowing me to pull a U-ey lasted an eternity...isn't that always the case?!

Now on a road paralleling the highway, I was determined to chase this fire in the sky. Again, obstacles found their way into ruining my perfect picture~telephone poles, buildings, oncoming cars! And more time lost...

Oooh, a crest in the next turn! Tricky angle but doable...Now pulled over and sitting on my opened window ledge of a door, my back leaned way out, I had the perfect view! Tell me you wouldn't have done the same...even with cars whizzing by!

Was this view worth it?


Absolutely! For me! How could I resist not sitting and staring at one of the most gorgeous sunsets I've ever seen! Could you?
Lost in my thoughts again, until the voice of a 15-year passenger impatiently asked "Can we go home now?!" Darn them kids!!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Saying Goodbye....

Once I flip my calendar to November, I find the rest of the year quickly runs its course. Maybe it's the crazy-busy activities of Thanksgiving and Christmas that help speed the months along but I also think it's because I'm sadly saying goodbye to the garden and eagerly anticipating its return come Spring. There are still beautiful foliage to enjoy, at least in my neck of the woods. But soon, these deciduous branches will lay bare, and oh how we will miss their multi-colored coats! Seemingly overnight, the glowing fans of this gingko tree will create a golden carpet at its trunk, which in itself, is a beautiful sight.
Though presently living up to their name, these burning bushes will soon be naked, huddling tight and shivering through winter without their dense, fiery coat of red. Haphazard blooms found here and there but the majority of plants/flowers have bid their farewell and settled in for the duration. The annual visitors, sadly, make no plans to return.
A final visit from this colorful moth brought me much joy.As do the fruits and berries decorating these trees. Captured here for posterity before they are picked clean by our feathered friends ;)

My collection of chrysanthemums vary somewhat, but mostly, I go for bold, rich colors.With the daisy-like mums being my favorite!Of course you need white ones to make a vase arrangement 'go together'. Hey, how'd that little geranium sneak in there! Imagine my surprise to find this beautiful rose in bloom! Five days later, they still look great on my bedside table. And somehow, attending the last daylily club (GSDG) meeting of the year, makes saying goodbye to the garden that much more final. But, as we gardeners know, now begins the fun phase of dreaming and planning our projects for 2010. My 'Wish List' of daylilies increased tenfold...thanks to our wonderful speaker on hybridizing...Mike Huben. I can't wait for that first pollen cross next summer! Have yourselves a great week and enjoy the last Hurrah of Autumn!