Monday's Quote

I was uplifted above a world of love, hate and storms of passion, for I was calm amidst the eternal silences, bathing in the living blue.  Peace rested that one bright day on the mountaintop.  ~~ Isabella Bird,  "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains" 

Sunday Sunsets

...and a very cold one.  Temperatures haven't been out of the thirties for the past week, and our lows have been in the teens and low twenties.  I've been struggling with a cold, or something, for the past several days.  Usually I sleep a lot when I have something like this, but I haven't had a night in a week where I managed to sleep longer than an hour without waking up.  So, if this post isn't very coherent, that's why...

Sunday Sunset

Wishing...

All the ferns have turned a beautiful pale gold, a sure sign that autumn is on her way out.  We haven't had the amount of rain I had hoped we would by this time, but the weather people say big rains are coming...maybe in January.  The Santa Ana winds are back, and nearly all of Southern California is under a red flag warning, which means extremely high wildfire danger.

There are little bits of color left here and there in the forest, while inside my house the annual chaotic transition from Halloween to Christmas is going on.  The garland is up around the living room ceiling, and the tree is up, but neither are decorated.  My collection of witches is still on the living room mantle, but they'll be leaving soon, while the autumn decorations in the dining room and kitchen will remain up until after the Thanksgiving dinner.  Every year I say the same thing: "I wish Thanksgiving was in October!"

Wednesday's Winding Road

Taken October 14.  This tree is bare now, but it was certainly eye-catching while it lasted.  It's a little maple tree, and I like to imagine how it will look when it's fully grown, arching over the road and gently showering passers by with beautiful leaves in the autumn...

Leafy Thoughts

A couple of nights below freezing helped the trees to really color up. 

Some trees still have green leaves that are very stubborn... 

They just won't give up.  I like that.  They remind me of our nation's motto (the Cherokee nation, that is) "Endeavor to Persevere."  

Monday's Quote

Photo from Pinterest

Paris

Paris, vous etes dans mon coeur et mes prieres. 

Cattitude

The temperature is plummeting (just after 9 p.m. and it's already down to 28 degrees F) and the cats are seeking out their favorite warm spots.  I had books on top of the book Purcilla is on, but she she shoved them down on the floor.  And, she doesn't like having the camera pointed at her!

 

"Hmmpf.  She's always got that camera with her.  She stalks us!  I feel like a mouse.  She better pay attention to the title of the book I'm laying on...we cats have our ways of getting even...heh, heh, heh."

Monday's Quote

"Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen."  Robert Bresson

Sunday Sunlight

This N' That

Autumn mist rising from Lake Arrowhead, so pretty.  Cold though.  The lows have been in the low twenties for the past several nights, and the highs have been in the thirties and forties.  Some of the stores in the village already have their Christmas decorations up, ready to welcome the influx of Thanksgiving tourists. 

Lots of beautiful leaves flying about with the wind today.  Some of the dogwoods have already dropped their leaves and some only have a couple of red leaves in among the green.  The maples are mostly done, unless I can hunt up some down in Crestline. 

The trees that haven't dropped their leaves yet are like lanterns, lighting my way home through the forest as I come back from a walk in the too-early November twilight.  I hate the time change, whether in the autumn or spring.  Time...it goes far too fast.  I miss the luxury of the abundance of time that it seemed like I had when I was young.  Ah, well...

One Word Wednesday - Shades

Blessings

Last night it rained, so wonderful.  It looked like it was going to clear up today, so we went for a drive.  After about an hour, it started raining again!  Yippee!  I took these photos from car in the parking lot of Goodwin's, a market in Crestline. 

On my computer I could see the rain in this photo and the one below.  I hope you can, too.  AND...it  snowed today!!!  Not enough to stick, but enough for me to get the first snow of the season on my face and hands.  Beautiful autumn leaves, the forest soaked by rain, and a tiny bit of snow.  Blessings, so many blessings.

Monday's Quote

Pay heed to the tales of old wives.  It may well be that they alone keep in memory what was once needful for the wise to know.  J.R.R. Tolkien

Sunday Sunlight