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Summer's Final Bookend

Memorial Day and Labor Day are kind of like the bookends of Summer, don't you think? Does it make you sad when we reach that second bookend? I've heard several conversations lately where people were grieving the end of Summer. I am not one of those people.

Don't misunderstand, I like Summer just fine. However, I really, really love Fall. I always have. Part of that is maybe that I always loved school and Fall was when school started again. There's more to it than that, though. I really like the crispness of Autumn! The colors, the smells, I love it all!

So, in case you are mourning the loss of Summer, I decided to post a few photos from last Fall. Maybe it will help you feel some happy anticipation for the next few months.

A Day Full of Joy

Last evening was so beautifully golden!  We had great family fun, playing in the leaves.  I think one of the best things about having little children around is that any of us can again choose to abandon grown-up inhibitions and just play again.  Mike is better at that than most adults.  Sometimes, watching him with our granddaughters, I just think my heart will burst with the joy of it.

Earlier yesterday I met up with a group of friends.  We all once worked together caring for oncology patients.  Most of us still live in the same town and see each other from time to time.  One friend, Pam, moved to North Dakota several years ago.  She was back in town and we were all so excited to get a chance to visit with her.  Our time together was short, but good!

I could tell you some great stories about each of these women but I will just say, I have been blessed with some remarkable friends over the years.

Did you all have a nice week-end?

Sunshine & Shadows

Late yesterday afternoon I sat down in the recliner with a bag of yarn and my crochet hook.  The sun was hanging low and pouring in the window, shining in my eyes so that I couldn't even do my work.  I got up to close the drapes and then came to my senses. Instead, I grabbed my camera and went out to better appreciate the last of the day.  It was so lovely out, I decided to just share some of that beauty here with you.  I hope it makes you feel as happy as it did me.

Autumn

Autumn breaks my heart...

...because it is over all too soon.

Bleak Destruction and Magnificent Beauty

I guess I should update you on our local fire.  It is now 100% contained and they are allowing most evacuees back up the mountain.  Unfortunately, 37 residences were destroyed, along with many outbuildings.  All human life was preserved but an unknown number of animals lost their lives as more than 15,000 acres burned.  I have not heard an official announcement but the word around town is that this was arson caused.

We all know that forest fires are scary and dangerous but also that they do some good... eventually.    Fires clear out debris that accumulates on the forest floor.  In time, new and more vibrant growth will erupt.  It will again be lovely.  Unfortunately, that takes a lot of time.

On Saturday Mike & I went to a wedding in Colorado.  Our friends getting married are both youth directors and have spent a lot of time at church camps.  Their wedding was held at one of those camps.  I was looking forward to a beautiful drive!

We drove many miles through the Poudre River Canyon not far from Fort Collins, Colorado.  Earlier this summer that area had also experienced a forest fire.  I remember hearing about it but I had NO IDEA of the level of destruction we were to see.  That fire burned more than 87,000 acres.  Because it is along a river flowing through a canyon, it was sort of a long, skinny fire.  The burn went on for miles and miles and miles.  The river, even now, has black sludge all along its banks.  I read that 259 homes were burned in that fire.

I admit, I did not take all that many photos of the fire area.  I had trouble seeing the beauty of it.

Finally, though, after an hour and a half drive, we got to the church camp.  There, beauty surrounded us!  

Is that not beautiful?  Can you see that little bit of last year's snow still up at the top of the mountain?  Although signs of Fall were everywhere, that day was hot.  The wedding was held at a beautiful outdoor chapel with mountains in the background.  It could not have been more lovely.  

I took this last photo on our way back down the mountain, just before we again approached the big burn area.  The photo doesn't quite give you the take-your-breath-away feeling but you get the idea.  Don't you just love the beauty of the mountains?

One day this week, shortly after Mike left for work, he called me at home and told me to look out the window.  I did and then I ran outside to capture the moment.  We'd had a hard frost during the night and our cottonless cottonwood tree was letting go of most all of its leaves in one morning.  It was incredible!  It was noisy!  It felt like it was raining gold.  The picture doesn't do it justice but if you look closely, many of the leaves are much larger than the others, or so it seems.  They were actually much closer than the others as they fell.  Some even hit my camera as I tried to photograph it.  I would guess 30-50 leaves were in the air at all times for quite a long time.  I've never experienced such a shower before!

I love Fall!

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