Do I or Don't I

Mr. Scarecrow was made 10 years ago for the

library where my daughter works...a small tree

deformed by a vine became his walking stick.

He wears my dad's hat and my mother once used

that walking stick...time changes things...

they both are no longer with us.

~

Life and nature provide many changes.

Autumn is changing the trees along the drive...

~

The Dogwood in the side yard and...

back yard are a deeper crimson this week...

along side the gold of the Hickory trees.

The Crabapple has taken on an orange glow...

and hangs with bright red fruit...My mother would

use it in making jelly. She did...I haven't.
~

This is not a snowball...it's a Puffball Mushroom...

and edible...you can steam it, saute it, or simmer

it in soup. You can...but I won't.

Yesterday...
there were thousands of grasshoppers in my field.

I've read some people eat them...

they might...I couldn't!

Depending on which hillside you stand...

it's either a golden hue...



or a light green this week.
My house is standing just center left
behind this green...
this is my view from deep in the woods...
but it's changing.




This gold you might miss...if you didn't look up...
for it's concealed behind...



this large still green tree....which has red berries
on the Bush Honeysuckle at it's feet...



"lots" of berries...that only birds can eat.




These wild grapes are suppose to be edible...
the deer and raccoon do eat them...I don't.

I do have a delemma...

I don't know...I can't decide.

This is the tree from which Scoobie Doo fell.

He lies on the ground...Should I bring him home

to keep him safe, nice and dry...

or leave him there just where he fell...

exposed to Fungus that just might grow...

and subject to something that might fall on him...

like this leaning tree...I did so gently nudged!

Maybe tomorrow I will decide.

Here's this morning's sunrise

almost straight down the drive.

After eating a breakfast which included

apple danish I fixed....and visiting with

my wonderful son-in-law Rick...

I went to a baby shower

for my niece Anedra's first child...

at her mom's...my youngest sister Judy's house...

I took my gifts and went down the drive.

My sister Joyce was there with her 9 month old

grandson Carter too...he's named after my dad.

He was "so"sweet and good I wanted to keep him!

But,

I had to leave and go home...without him...

and...

coming home...down the drive...this large tree

with it's fall colors is what I see.

and Mr. Scarecrow *(made by me) has gone inside...

where he will stay...safe, nice and dry!

~Late evening Sun~

More Changes

* I revised my post after reading comments : )
Annette is a talented artist, but I made

Mr. Scarecrow!

For Janine

Wings of Hope

Janine...

Hope this happy love filled post

Adds sunshine to your day-

And shows you that you're thought of

In a warm and special way!

~

I'm wishing that each day brings you

renewed strength, brighter times,

and a healthier, happier you.

Sending hope and smiles

for your speedy recovery....

Today's post is dedicated to a sweet friend...

Janine of Sniffles and Smiles

~

Janine is having surgery for a rib biopsy to

determine whether cancer has spread to her

bones from her original breast cancer.

My Day!

The tall grass area in the field is now covered with

tiny wild White Asters.

Andrew needed a few grasshoppers or crickets

for a school assignment...and as we were

walking through the grass he alerted me to...

something the deer left behind...

~

I would not have wanted to get into that mess...but

where was he when I got myself into this mess

earlier in the day while removing some weeds...

numerous little green burrs all over my sweater...




Just glad these numerous walnuts on this tree...

didn't fall on my head...

~enlarges~



because some of them are enormous this year...

they vary in size from small, regular, and deadly.

I've never seen any here that large before...




but then...

I've never seen Forsythia bloom in the fall either...

just these two little flowers suddenly appeared.




A few weeks ago

while cleaning out the Carolina Wren bird house...

I found it stuffed full of twiggy sticks...

well now...





it's full of holes...

made by a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

It will need to be repaired for next spring.




The woods almost look like spring...

not much change in the leaves there...

but plenty of sun dappled shade.





The change has begun closer to the house though...

here at the side...a little gold...





and just a little deeper crimson out back...

with softer shadows from a lower sun.





The drive has a few fallen leaves and

thinner shade too...but also...






"something new in it"


Alivia riding her bike from her house...

all the way down the drive!

~enlarges~



She was so proud!



















Later...

for the first time without holding my hand...

she walked and balanced on the log...

maybe because older cousin Katie was doing it!





Andrew was still here too...





riding his dirt bike...





up the drive...

So...

I did have a few visitors...
come my way...

~

and after that Harvest Moon...

~enlarges~

a witch came to stay!

Not very scary though...in the light of day!

Alivia's reaction when asked if she wanted

to help retrieve the witch from the attic...

made my day!

~enlarges~

Turning 18

Another Grandchild is turning "18"...this is his

birthday cake from a previous year.

This isn't Nathan...

It's my oldest son Rick at 18...

and now his oldest son Nathan will turn 18

on Saturday - October 3rd.

~

Here's Nathan at the young age...

when he loved books, Batman, and Kool Tools...

note his pajamas, workbench and curly hair.

Here's Nathan smiling his sweet smile...

with older sister Amanda...

in front of the Easter Egg Tree.
~

This is Nathan with younger brother Nick...

during the period of his life, when everything was...

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...

and we heard "Cowabunga Dude" all the time!

Nathan in a grade school photo...

with a sweet smile and curly hair...

growing and changing...

Nathan and Jen in a high school prom photo...

with the same smile...but no curly hair.



Here's Nathan and the curly hair...
with Nick and their little sister Alivia...
who's trying to escape I think...




...and then the three of them
with their older sister Amanda too.




So...with curly hair or short hair...
or
hardly no hair at all...




some things never change...

ever at all...




...and some things better not change...
ever at all...
like coming down my drive...

Happy 18th Birthday Nathan !!!

We Love You !!!