the warm storm

 Last week was "peak leaf week" in our neck of the words.  Our daily walking trail was just amazing.

Around the house, too...amazing color.

It's been so warm, though, that Todd has continued to mow for exercise.  In shorts.

New flowers continue to pop up.

Bees and wasps continue to bustle around fallen apples.

It's going to be close to 80 F today and tomorrow...in November!  No rain, though.  It's such odd weather.  

We celebrated Halloween in our usual way.  Making treats to mail out to friends and family...

...and making a last-minute treat for ourselves.  Wanting to make it a little healthier, I took my favorite healthy pumpkin cake recipe and cut it in half, making five small cupcakes.  A cream cheese glaze and a dash of sprinkles makes the perfect Halloween snack!

We finished up our 31-day Halloween scary movie marathon with a "Blair Witch Project"/"Rosemary's Baby" double feature.

And now we turn to something even scarier:  the election.  Todd and I have been sickened over the transmogrification of the Republican Party and the possibility that they might gain control.  If you are a Christian whose faith informs your voting choice, please read this "Medium" article and consider its words.  A few choice excerpts:  

Jesus was unequivocal about what it means to follow him: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).

Trump’s entire being violates this core teaching. His rhetoric is rooted in division, derision, and contempt. While Jesus calls us to love our neighbors, Trump has systematically attacked and demonized immigrants, people with disabilities, communities of color, LGBTQ+ people, and women.

A vote for Trump is not a neutral act — it’s a choice that supports a worldview fundamentally at odds with the radical, inclusive love that Jesus embodied.

The contrast could not be more stark: Where Jesus lifts up the poor, Trump exalts the wealthy. Where Jesus welcomes foreigners, Trump builds walls and threatens to deport. Where Jesus heals the sick, Trump tries to strip away their healthcare. Where Jesus speaks truth to power, Trump wields lies to maintain power.

Jesus envisions a world where the last shall be first, where enemies are loved, where strangers are welcomed, where truth prevails.

Trump envisions a world where the powerful dominate the weak, where enemies are crushed, where foreigners are demonized, where lies are weapons in the pursuit of power.

And if a core task of the follower of Jesus to help bring about the Kingdom of God in this world, nothing does more at this moment to actively prevent the coming of God’s Kingdom than a vote for Trump.    - Andrew Springer for "Medium"

Food for thought.  Have a great week!  

birds of a feather...

Despite the drought (I don't think we've had any rain in September OR October, other than a 2-day deluge from Hurricane Helene), our fall weather is outstanding.  Sunny and mid-70s every day.

Lots of dew in the mornings.

Because days are warm and nights are cool, the fog on our morning walks is GORGEOUS.

Because it's still warm, we have plenty of flowers...and insects.  These invasive Chinese mantises are everywhere...

...and pregnant.

I'm gathering up handfuls of oothecas (mantis egg cases).

Lots of caterpillars this fall, like this salt marsh caterpillar.

Claudia is LOVING the extended fall.

We're STILL harvesting tomatoes, and some flowers still have a little bit of color, until the frost comes.

Halloween decorations went up a couple of weeks ago...

(many more, but for some reason I didn't photograph them...)

...and I've pulled out the quilts, even though it doesn't feel quite warm enough for them yet.  For us, anyway.  

I've noticed that the behavior of our outdoor animals is changing, though.  Raccoons, which have been solitary all summer, have paired up.

Deer, too, are starting to exhibit pack behavior.

Meanwhile, we're probably going to see the last of the turkeys soon.  Our little flock of 12-14 poults has shrunk to five in just a couple of months.

They'll disappear into the woods soon for the winter.  We, too, are ready to hunker down for winter, although it feels far away during this sunny, mild fall. 

Have a great week!  

frost bossed

 The veggie harvest is in!

Chilis...check.  Tomatoes...CHECK.  We picked twelve pounds of cherry tomatoes the day before our first frost!!  What do you do with twelve pounds of tomatoes?  A whole lot of sauce.  

I was hoping for a bigger sweet potato harvest, but...

Next year I'll plant my potato slips early and use more compost!  

The day before the frost, Todd winterized our irrigation system by blowing it out with the air compressor.

We picked the veggies, but left most of the flowers to go to seed.  Crazy how many of them were still blooming...probably thanks to Claudia's expert protection!

The next morning...magic.

It's so pretty, and we still have so many beautiful leaves!

our back pond

living room window view

daily hiking path

reflectors for hunting season protection

We watched 31 scary movies, ate our Halloween cupcakes...

...and closed the door on my favorite month.  Now we're looking ahead to cold weather, snow, Thanksgiving, cozy, warm, fire, quilts.  Speaking of quilts...

I finished a standard postage stamp quilt throw for my brother.  It's so cheerful!

I haven't worked on a quilt for a while, so this was really fun.  I've got a few small projects scheduled for the months ahead!  For now, I'm just going to enjoy the transition to winter.  

Have a great week!