the countdown begins

 

“The perfect weather of Indian Summer lengthened and lingered, warm sunny days were followed by brisk nights with Halloween a presentiment in the air.”

― Wallace Stegner, Remembering Laughter

***

 

Percy comes to play yesterday and brings with him the magic of Halloween. He is not interested in candy, but talks non-stop about the outdoor decorations in their neighborhood and around town. The lego knights and dragons decorate their castle and Heather-Hazel (the witch), follows us everywhere. The skeletons in the tree glow with the colors of fall, and the countdown to Halloween begins.

***

the lake

“A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”

― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

at the south end of the lake . . .

***

dinner time

“Be prepared. A dog is adorable and noble.
A dog is a true and loving friend. A dog
is also a hedonist.”
- Mary Oliver

where is my dinner? . .

***

carving pumpkins

"The pumpkin is a uniquely American plant, widely regarded as one of the most magical plants in all the world."

— Seth Adam Smith (Rip Van Winkle and the Pumpkin Lantern)

I carved one of these white pumpkins into a skull and was quite pleased with myself. The rest were done by my very talented kids, grandson. and husband! What fun we had.

***

bitter nightshade

Bitter nightshade, found winding its way through an old apple tree.

***

“Even now, with the natural world in so much trouble—even now, with the patterns of my daily life changing in ways I don’t always welcome or understand—radiant things are bursting forth in the darkest places, in the smallest nooks and deepest cracks of the hidden world. I mean to keep looking every single day until I find them.”

― Margaret Renkl, The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year

morning, in the bird bath

"What does it mean, say the words, that the earth is so beautiful?
And what shall I do about it? What is the gift that I should bring to the world?
What is the life that I should live?"

— Mary Oliver

***

the great pumpkin patch

We spent a few hours at the pumpkin patch a couple of days ago. He picked out four pumpkins and wandered through the fall flower garden. Suddenly everything is about Halloween, and it is so much fun!

"Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." 

-Linus 

***