It Would Soon Be Clearing....

Am really likin' my new camera....images seem to be sharper and more in focus.  But some of the buttons have moved and I am still trying to get used to that....sometimes it's hard teaching this old dog new tricks, but I am a tryin'.  Ofcourse what better season to get a new camera than the Fall and better yet, October...that glorious, colorful month.  Our leaves are beginning to turn quickly and now that we have had a little rain, oh wowzer it's going to be a technical 3D spectacular time to get out and about with camera in hand.

Today was no exception.  I have been so busy this week when the skies were gorgeously blue and the sun was shining like diamonds, that I didn't have much of an opportunity to get out, so today was the day.  Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I packed my bag, the winds picked up, I heard a little roll of thunder and then here comes the drops.  According to my trusty I-Phone, the weather app revealed that it soon would be clearing, so off I went for some morning fuel (a stop at Panera's for an orange scone and coffee) and then to the Arboretum.

Random 5 -

• One of my guilty pleasure TV watching is "Sleepy Hollow", and really lovin' "The Black List".  I must have a dark side that I keep buried....hee hee!
• Our new Bible study entitled "With" has me thinking more than any other study we have done for the past 4 years
• Since my friend, Bonnie shared her trunk full of Honey Crisp apples, I have been eating an apple a day....keep that Dr. away (I hope)
• The 2 dogs are becoming distant friends....Toby tried playing with Cinder in the yard, but she had no idea what he was doing.  Is she a little princess or what??
• This was the week I was to leave for that wonderful trip to the Amalfi Coast in Italy, but cancelled (postponed).  Didn't feel comfortable being so far away from my sweetie, so a trip to the Great Smoky Mtns. for a week of photography, snapping & learning is planned in its place.  Italy will still be there when the time is right.  

Loved this lichen growing all over this pine tree..!!

All you bird people, help me out...what kind of a fine feathered friend is this??

I sure would appreciate you stopping over at my collaborative blog, Focusing on Life, to check out what other beautiful things I found today.

Sharing with Nancy at A Rural Journal

Kim for Friday Finds

And Maria for Orange You Glad It's Friday.

“Autumn is the hardest season. The leaves are all falling, and they're falling like they're falling in love with the ground.”  ― Andrea Gibson

Until next time....

Some Random Friday Facts....

Another dreaded day under the belt....today I had to return to Lincolnshire to gather the rest of my sweetie's clothes, furniture and personal belongings.  My son-in-law Sam rented a small u-haul truck to carry the furniture back to his house in waiting for my grand-daughter, Brie to take it to school with her when she returns in August.  She has rented an apartment, and ofcourse furniture is needed, so the timing was perfect. When he moved into Lincolnshire 2 years ago, I purchased brand-new bedroom furniture, bed, mattress, night-stand, and large dresser with mirror, along with chairs & lamps.  He doesn't need any of that where he is now...it is all provided, so what better way to use it than to furnish Brie's new apartment.

After another tearful goodbye I headed out to the country to find the peace that it always brings me.  This I will definitely miss since moving him to town, I will no longer have these drives to look forward to...

The Queen Anne's Lace is blooming.....

As I drove, I turned down a road that I had driven on about a month or so ago, but that day it was foggy and rainy....today was sunny and hot.  Things always look different when the sun is shining so I drove over this familiar road and stopped to take a picture of the fence post and then the barn.

As I was taking pictures I could see a man walking across the field toward me, obviously on his way to speak to me.  My first instinct was to turn and get back in the car and drive away....but I thought, heh, I am not doing anything wrong, I am standing in the road, not on anybody's property....and what the heck, I am taking pictures of a fence post, for goodness sake.

Well, sure enough his first words were..."can I help you"...no, just taking pictures, is there anything wrong? "well, just wondering why you are taking pictures of my boss's house"....oh, I am not taking pictures of the house, I am taking pictures of the fence post.   "Fence posts huh?, well we get a little suspicious out here when someone drives up on these quiet roads and starts taking pictures"....I then explain to him about visiting my husband and then finding solace in driving thru the country after these visits and taking pictures. And then I mentioned that I had been on this same road about a month prior, in the rain and had taken a picture of the old barn in the rain & mist.  "Oh," he says, "I am taking that old barn apart and re-finishing a basement with the barnwood."  If you have the picture I would really appreciate a copy of it, and any that you might take today. Not only would I like the picture but the new and old owners would really appreciate it as well."   

Today....

Last month....(look at the difference in the height of the corn.  I measured it today and it was at least 7 feet tall)

Just proves that a smile and a friendly word can turn someone's suspicions around really quickly.  I now know his name, and have his email.  Pictures are on the way.

Also on the way home I stopped by one of my favorite garden centers.  They were loaded with beautiful flowers to freshen up the pots that have become a little tattered....I have a couple that definitely needed some fresh new flowers.  Between barns & a stop at the garden center, my mood definitely lightened.

Now who wouldn't feel better after a stop here.

Bookclub met tonight....our book this month was "The Light Between Oceans" by M. L. Stedman....definitely a thumbs up for me.

And a couple of pics from the photo shoot on Wednesday....great family, good shots, perfect day.

Joining Nancy, Madge, Maria and Kristi..

This Doesn't Surprise Me

This doesn't surprise me.....

With the amount of rain that we have received along with predictions for more, it doesn't surprise me that we have mushrooms growing in parts of the yard.

Nor does this surprise me....

Baby robins in the nest.  It is that time of the year.  Mom has been away from the nest all day, one of her babies fell out of the nest a little premature and she has been following that little explorer as he hops here & yon.  Too young to fly yet.  I am not sure what happens now.

Nor does this surprise me....

Healthy looking plants potted up for summertime enjoyment....

And I am certainly not surprised by this....

Dirty feet after spending a day planting and mowing....(note to self, need a pedicure desperately)

Nor does this surprise me...

Thunder and lightening in those dark clouds heading our way.

And now, it's raining again, which doesn't surprise me either.  At least I got the yard mowed and most of the flowers planted before the drops descended.  No worries that the new plants will need water, Mother Nature provided it (again!).

Linking to Kim's Little Things Thursdays and Maria's Orange You Glad It's Friday.

"We were not sent into this world to do anything into which we cannot put our heart."  ~  John Ruskin

Until next time.....

Hallelujah

Good morning and Hallelujah the world is still spinning and all that talk about the world ending according to the Mayan calendar was just that...."talk".   And along with all that "talk" the weathermen were once again wrong in all their talking about the big snowstorm heading our way with predictions of 3-6 inches of snow by morning.  I am putting the weathermen and the Mayan's in the same category....wrong.  Last night about 6:00 PM the snow began, my excitement built, but within an hour the snowflakes had turned to a light nothing and this morning all we have is, at best, 1/4". not even enough to cover the grass.  Darn.

But with the disappointment of no snow there was joy to be found at The Book Club Christmas Party.  Not only joy, but good food and lots of laughter.

We played games (last night's were a bust, too difficult), we ate, and we chose our books for the year...

• The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty
• The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
• Don't Let Me Go by Catherine Ryan Hyde
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
• Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly
• Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea
• Defending Jacob by William Landay
• The End of Your Life Bookclub by Will Schwalbe
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

My Christmas flowers are still blooming which is always a delight....and a good thing, as Martha would say.

So how about you, have you found joy to overcome the disappointments that happen in your life?  Sometimes it is a struggle but personally my joys far outweigh my disappointments, you just have to look and be aware.

More tidbits....

"I've learned that you should never put a rubber snake in your older brother's bed."  ~  Age 7

"I've learned that receiving a thoughtful note or unexpected act of kindness from someone can make my day."  ~  Age 18

"I've learned that while it's important to be my daughter's friend, it's more important to be her mother."  ~  Age 36

"I've learned that when I awake aching in various joints and thinking "Oh what's the use?" if I get out of bed, don some clothes, splash cold water on my face, put on a little lipstick - I can face the world for another day."  ~  Age 86

So let's get out there with lipstick on for another day.

Sharing with 5 on Friday and Orange You Glad It's Friday....(once again I cannot copy & past the badge for this...anyone else having any trouble??)

Until next time....

Enjoying One Minute At a Time

Friday already.  When I was a working girl, Friday's were the best, in fact Friday night was my favorite night of the week.  Each Friday night as I lay in bed, I would think to myself....ah I have two days before work begins again.  I did like my job, altho there were times when I definitely would rather be home.  But now Friday's mean another week is almost over...where or where does all that time go?

I saw a great quote from Buddha the other day and boy does it ever apply to me..."The trouble is, you think you have time."  That is me personified.  I always think I have all this time, but time moves so quickly.  Remember when we were little and we could hardly wait for Christmas to come...now I just want time to slow down and be able to enjoy the season one minute at a time.  

Moving around my house during this festive season....this is the downstairs powder room.  I recently moved this shelf from the dining room to the powder room.  It sits above the toilet (I am not showing you that) and is the perfect spot to hold more Christmas goodies.

This is one of my favorite little Christmas figures (see full figure a couple of pics up)...he is just so winsome.  I might even make him into one of my Christmas cards....and no I haven't sent out my cards yet. 

I am sharing this at Sarah's Orange You Glad It's Friday....not perfectly orange, but close enough in my eyes.  (for some reason I cannot seem to copy and paste Sarah's button, sorry) 

  

I am off to have lunch with 3 of my sweet friends that I haven't seen in awhile.  Looking forward to catching up....hope you have a great day planned. 

Before I go, please stop by my collaborative blog, "Focusing on Life" where I am sharing 10 tips for great holiday photos.  

Worth repeating...."The trouble is, you think you have time."  ~  Buddha

Until next time....