I love Autumn!

A little green, a little yellow, a little white...

...and the Oak leaves holding tight are just some
 of the things I like about Autumn.

Forsythia is Out! So is Laundry.

It has been a while coming but
the forsythia is popping into bloom

With no errands to run

and the sky clear of black, threatening clouds,

I finally hung out the first load of laundry
this Spring.  :)

Well, I am in Florida

Some things look a little different, here. :)

Dark Foggy Day Has Pretty Spots

In December we got a package from
my sister and brother-in-law.
I asked the UPS driver if he was
sure he was on the right side of our road.

The paperwhites are blooming, now.

Even though the day was so dark with clouds and fog that
we needed to use lights,
the evening turned this beautiful blue
and my camera actually captured it! :)

Dotty Doodling and a Little More

Snow fog and rain -- a little unusual in early January. :)

While eating breakfast I enjoyed a Perry Mason
episode that took place in Hawaii.

Completely uninfluenced by that (!)
I started this doodle.

I thought I would try one with just dots.
I think it's called stippling, but I think of
stippling with paint, so, well, I dunno.
A couple of dots got out of hand...

This evening I scribbled a design that looked
to me like it would be fun to color digitally.

It was.

A Little More Snow...

...and my men, dealing with it.

I am extra thankful for modern
conveniences like this
snowblower, because
I get exhausted easily
while shoveling. :)

Oh, Look!

I got annoyed, at a certain time in
my growing-up years, at being
told to look at something.

So, just ignore this, if you like,
but
just LOOK! at what I get to
view out of my windows,
some mornings! :)

Turkey Tracks

Finding these in my yard today
reminded me that there was a
quilt pattern named "turkey tracks."
I looked it up, online.
It appears there are two or more
quilt patterns named "turkey tracks."
This is not greatly surprising as,
in many cases, the same pattern has
more than one name.  It seems to
depend, partially, on the region where
the quilt was made, what it was called.

This appears most often as "turkey
tracks."  It is a basic nine patch
with the four corner patches divided
into six pieces, thusly. :)
There are variations made on this
pattern by changing the sizes of the
main patches.   Some of these
variations also change pattern of the
corner pieces.  Some of these
variations appear to be applique
work.  Oh, my!  So much to see.

Here is a detail of the six pieces
that make up the corner pieces.

I've made some small quilts.
I've tied or tufted the ones
I have made.
Any experienced quilters
amongst my blogging friends?

A Yearly Ritual

Can you tell what it is, that little spot
of orange in my picture?

This is a road near my home.

Every year somebody places a
pumpkin atop this rocky outcropping.
(Last Summer someone also put
a pineapple there!)

This year, someone added this
rather large jack-o'-lantern
to the little pumpkin.

I'm not sure what they intended.

From some angles it looks like

Jack is about to gulp the little one.

That was my first thought when I
saw it.  This is the angle from
which I first saw the little vignette.

This is the other side of said
outcropping, by the way.
The drill marks on the high side
are very plain.  This side would
hardly catch your notice, around here.

Oh, and this shot shows our car where
I parked it to walk back to take the
pictures.  The rise and curve would
tend to make a parked car a bit too
much of a surprise.

Objects in photo may be
closer than they appear. :)

Capturing a Caterpillar

Did you ever try to get close enough to
take a portrait of a caterpillar?

I'm not sure I ever had, before.

Where this caterpillar had been
openly moving along

when it sensed a looming presence
(that would be me)
it headed for the nearest shelter.

I'm not sure I got these pictures in order.

Before it disappeared entirely,
I picked it up.
I wish I could say I enticed it onto
a dry leaf..
How does one entice a caterpillar?
I picked it up.
The obvious reaction
of self protection occurred.

I waited, trying not to shake
the leaf too much.
Uncurled and marching on,
the caterpillar found the
edge of the leaf
and thus my waiting lens.

Then I had only to crop

and crop some more.

A Little Wander

I knew I needed to go outside.
I have permission to walk this property.
I decided to see how the old apple trees
are doing.

This Russet (a drop) was delicious.

There were plenty to choose from.
There are varieties of Russets
and I know nothing about them.
There was nothing mild about
the flavor of mine.
I ate it slowly,
savoring each bite,
a little surprised that, although
the first bite was a bit startling,
I really enjoyed the rest.

It's a good thing I was not trying to
harvest those apples!
Can you see that one 'way up there?

This is on an old farm.
There are several varieties.

I don't know if the present owners
know what kind they have.
Perhaps I will remember to ask,
one of these days.

I enjoyed the shelter of
this apple tree for
a little while.

Psalm 91 

 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

The Fairy Wash Got Wet!

"Going to be a nice day - the Fairies
put their wash out."
Have you ever heard that?

In my mind, I have it shortened to:
Fairy wash (or laundry) is out.

This little bit of folklore, which I heard
from my father, was quite
inaccurate,  yesterday.

Those "fairies" had spread
at least half a dozen sheets
across our yard, but it rained,
anyway. :)