On A Fall Walk

Friday's Finds come up so fast...really, a week just flies by. This week it was hard to pick what to post but then after thinking about it for about one minute..the choice was easy.

You all know that I have the Boys on Tuesdays and this week Liam and I ended up, late afternoon, at the Tea House....again..Gosh we both love that place so much.  The special part came though after we were finished with tea. I asked Liam if he would like to walk home today and kick around a few leaves..of course he said yes...I was a bit surprised because we had never really walked any distance before.  My husband, sweet man that he is, was waiting for us in the car with Jaxson while he napped.   So here was the plan....Liam and I would walk, Jim and Jaxson would give us a head start and then come and pick us up...

So off we went, him and I...holding hands..nothing electronic, just us and the sounds of fall and our own voices.  It was the best walk ever...and this is what we saw...

We passed the old cemetery.  Well that stirred up a bit of conversation about ghost and dead people...little boys love ghoulish things..before we got into how old I might be I quickly moved him on.

We live in horse country so we often pass the horses in the fields.  These white ones...Liam calls them Sugar, were just grazing around...Liam loves horses and on our drives and walks he always likes to say "hi" to the horses.

Next we came along a house that had the laundry hanging out...this was my opportunity to tell Liam how we used always hang our clothes out...I'm not to sure if he was impressed with this but I sure was...To me there is nothing nicer and more refreshing than laundry hanging on the line...In Maine I sometimes still do this.

More horses...our lucky day. The sound of the hoofs clip, clopping along the trail as two girls were just out on a leisurely ride..with such great colors to travel through...we stopped and watched them pass..and Liam says someday he's going to have "his own horse"...Good luck with that one Liam..

Last but not least and really the most fun...is running through the leaves...this photo was not taken on our walk because I did not have a camera...but it certainly belongs with our walk because we both moved through those leaves with laughter and joy and the wonders of spending this fall  walk with a happy, talkative  little boy....

Side note...when Jim came along to pick us up...Liam insisted that he wanted to walk the entire way...and he did...the weather was lovely, the colors outstanding and we encountered more than I could post here...We had a lovely chat with a man, sitting on a bucket, painting is new fence...I have to say..it was one of the best fall days I've had...these boys continue to lift me up...and I am forever grateful for my time with them...it just seems to me that fall was made for children....of all ages...:)

Happy weekend.

"We are here essentially to risk ourselves in the world; we are a form of invitation to others and to otherness, we are meant to hazard ourselves for the right thing, for the right woman or the right man, for a son or a daughter, for the right work or for a gift given against all the odds, and to allow ourselves to be happy may be the greatest, most courageous act of all."  David Whyte

Breaking Rules

Friday's Find....sometimes I think it's o.k. to put the tree in the center of the photo..I know all about the rule of thirds but in my mind's eye, if I see it and I like it...that's hope I shot it and print it..every once in awhile we all want to be the center of attention...even a lonely tree.

I know these berries aren't orange, yellow or even a rusty red..some would say this is not a fall foliage snap...but I say, not true...I shot them the same day as the trees, in the month of October so that makes them a fall berry...I'm putting them in this post because they remind me that the holiday season is coming and because I just plan like the way they made me feel when I found them...happy...isn't that what Friday Finds are suppose to do...

Oh that horizon, so far away.  Sometimes we have to go far and wide to get our joy back...but the horizon is always there waiting for us...the mountains may seem like a distant struggle but one foot in front of the other will get us there...we can never let adversity keep us down to long...break the rules, walk through some grass, get your feet wet if you have to...but always keep your eye on the sky...the sun will shine again...

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend full of color and light. May the joy of nature follow you wherever you go.

“Once you figure out who you are and what you love about yourself, I think it all kind of falls into place.” 
― Jennifer Aniston

Fall Foliage

Fall is one of those seasons that just begs to be photographed...It's hard to pass by so many colorful scenes and not stop...this is what happened to me today...just doing my thing..driving home and then I see this gorgeous scene in front of me...At first I let it go..I did not have my "big" gear with me.  I knew though, that no matter what I had to go back..Past experience has shown me, if it hits you, get it, because even if you come back in an hour that scene will have changed in ways you can't even imagine..

Do a little backing up...and backing down a drive-way...grab the point and shot...and here you have it..I didn't even notice the little water fountain until I was in the driveway...so cute.  Brought it home and now I have my Texture Tuesday photo on time..just have to remember to link it up...

Remember to stop and smell the "trees" along your way...

"If the earth were only a few feet in diameter, floating above a field somewhere, people would come from everywhere to marvel at it."    Joe Miller

"No one can experience our lives for us." Charlotte Joko Beck

Foggy Day and Friday's Find

So thankful today for John Klassen's successful Stem cell transplant...a huge big deal but now him and his family move on to recovery mode and back to "life"...Kim wrote that all of us have trials and suffering but if we each express our hurts and anxieties, we will become part of a community of helping to heal one another..Hence the foggy, seaside photo, with the lonely seagull.  Perhaps he to is pondering his problems...I feel a bit foggy today myself just having learned the news that I have another blood clot in my leg.  I had one in January and was on the damn medicine for 6 months and today it is back...now meds for life..I seem to be in a pattern this year of every other month it seems something medically goes wrong...getting old sucks.. Life brings stress in other ways for me also but I try to stay really positive but every once in awhile, like that little seagull,  I have to go sit on my rock alone and sort things out...Forecast, foggy today..hopefully sunny tomorrow..I see me in this photo as the little bird but also finding my peace here at the sea...

I was nominated this week by my lovely on-line Friend and fellow blogger for the Sunshine Award...I really was quite surprised.  Viv is one of the Sweetest and Creative ladies I know here.  We meet through "The Groupies Of Kim Klassen" and she really is a very warm and loving friend...Thanks Viv for the Sunshine..

OK Guys

Please know that this is not a chain letter – nothing untoward will befall you should you choose not to participate. If you wish to just answer the questions I’m fine with that, too. But if you Do want to join in the fun, here are the “rules”:

1. Include the award logo in a post or on your blog.

2. Link to the person who nominated you.

3. Answer 10 questions about yourself and write 10 questions for your nominees to answer

4. Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award. Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

Questions For me To Answer..

1 What is your favourite season ? I'm torn between Summer and Fall..I love the easy, relaxing time of summer..it feels like I have more freedom but then Fall comes along with all it's color and texture and wonderful earthy smells...maybe it's just good that they run together..and become one big season for me.

2  City or country ? Grew up in the city (Salem...the Witch City) that could explain a lot, but for the last 40 years I've been a country girl...I love to go to Boston , New York and Chicago...but my heart belongs to the Natural world.

3  Do you prefer black and white or colour photography ?Honestly,  I like both...but have changed my attitude about color since taking classes with Kim..a bit more subtle now than before..and for portraits and dramatic landscapes Black and White just feels right..

4  Who do you look up to ? My kids...they are smart and brave, strong and loving..so much more depth to them then I ever had as a young adult...and they have great compassion..of course my all time Hero is Lil Sprout (Jaxson)...he fought the odds and won..

5  If you could travel anywhere where would it be?Oh my...tough one..I love traveling..but with no limits, I think I would go to Australia...just for the beauty.

6   Tea or coffee ? What is your favourite beverage. This is a no brainer for me.  Tea hands down...Green in the morning and lovely, black loose leaf tea in the afternoon...I'm a tea snob and proud of it.

7   Do you have a favourite place to visit ? Where is it? My all time favorite place is Maine..on the Coast..in-land, it has everything...mountains, woods, lakes, wild life, amazing blueberries and of course, my house.

8   What is your favourite recipe ? your fall back recipe ?My favorite recipe is my Mom's Peanut Butter Squares..not so much because I like to eat them....but because everyone else loves them..and the kids in my family always have such fond memories of my Mom..when we have these...Fall back recipe..Blueberry French Toast...yummy..

9   Christmas fan ? or do you love another holiday ? I am a huge Christmas Fan...annual Girlfriends Tea Party..shopping for the kids..decorating, lights, making photography gifts.  Last year was the very best...seeing Liam, for the very first time understand the Santa thing..brought back so many happy memories..it's all about the kids.. well and me to...LOL

10. Your favourite film ? My favorite all time favorite film was West Side Story..saw it the first time when I was 16 years old and "in love" for the very first time..omg..so sad..and over the years..I can't count the times.

My nominees are

1.Beverly at Lavender Bleu

2 Caroline at No Words Photography

3 Naomi at Poeticaperture.com

4 Erin Vale at Erinvaledesign.co

5 Sarah at Paisley Rainboots

6 Roxi at creatingbyond the layers

7 Carol at Open Hart Studio

Ok I have to cheat a bit here because I don't really follow to many blogs and this is all I could come up with at the moment...so in order to get the rest of this done and up today...I will move on to my questions for all of you...I must say, I have found this challenging...

1. Who is your favorite author or all time...

2. If you made the effort would it be for Sunrise or Sunset

3. The thing that makes me most happy is..............fill in the blank.

4. One word that discribes you best...must be positive.

5. Honey or sugar

6. Notebook or wordpress...

7 Hard copy or Kindle

8. Make-up or a la natural

9. Neat freak or I can live with it..

10 photobooks or framed photos'...

Whew...have fun and thanks for the award...

Fall Fun At The Farm

 

Tuesdays with The Boys..Another Installment...

The sweet smell of fall and little boys faces after eating apples.  The colors of leaves in the piles they jump in and crawl through.  Warm days for being outside.  Pumpkins and pirates and corn mazes for getting lost in. Jumpy houses and falling down and slides...Cider and donuts, orange and brown sprinkles on ice cream. Mostly laughter is what I enjoy when I hear the giggles of these little boys..

We have been experiencing such beautiful fall weather..not even a jacket required during the day...but the leaves are turning and orange is the color of the season...Like most of you..I love fall and all the sights and sounds...and texture..The boys are having so much fun this year...Liam is finding his way through the maze and Jaxson...well, he's learning about the jumping and apples...me..I'm enjoying every single moment of their "season...

 

So if you get a  chance...stop and smell the season...you'll be glad you did.