It Snowed!

I had no intention of being absent from my blog all month!

My excuse is a simple one,

we've been very busy!

So, now I need to do a little catching up.

We had an early snow!

Across the state snow was falling.

Within 40 miles snow was falling.

I almost got in the car to go see the snow!

I didn't though, I waited and waited;

watching the windows as I went about my day.

Finally, I saw flurries!

The snow fell steadily for several hours.

The bushes and trees reminded me of children

stretching out their mittens to capture the falling snow.

It's not too often that you're able to see two seasons at once,

Don't they go beautifully together?

The next morning brought sunshine.

I stood for a very long time watching the wind blow the snow

and leaves out of the trees.

It was magical!

This was a quick snowfall.

Arrived in the afternoon.

Left before noon the next day.

It was just enough to make me wish for more.

You know me,

I. LOVE. SNOW!

"The first fall of snow

is not only an event,

it is a magical event."

~ unknown

A Closer Look

In my last post I shared the wonderful Me & McGee Produce Market I found.

I thought you might like to see a little closer look at the many displays.

Every where you looked there was a pumpkin peeking out.

This was one of my favorite displays.

I really like the metal flower in the middle of an old window frame.

There were pumpkins in every shape, size and color,

veggies,

Arkansas black apples,

 and flowers too!

These didn't even look real, but they are!

The pumpkin I brought home was a smaller one.

I loved it's color and it's bumpy texture.

This cut little guy came home with me because of it's wonderful little stem!

My rule: When buying pumpkins you must always find at least one with a curly stem!

I love autumn!

I love the colors,

the smells,

and

the cooler air!

I sincerely hope you are enjoying your autumn!

Me & McGee Market

It's cloudy, cool and windy, so grab a light jacket.

It's muddy from recent rains, so put on your old boots and

come with me to

Me & McGee Produce Market.

I needed a pumpkin; not for carving, but for a fall decoration.

I discovered this gem of a place on Facebook.

When I pulled in the parking area, my heart did a little bump, bump!

You know that "oh, this is perfect" feeling!

Me & McGee is a family run old-fashioned produce stand.

We were fortunate to meet several of the McGee family.

Mom McGee makes the breads.

Daughter creates the beautiful fall settings.

Granddaughter runs the stand.

Son makes a variety of pork rinds.

It's either a daughter or daughter-in-law that makes jellies and jams.

There are more members of this family involved.

I even met a future daugther-in-law.

They are a wonderful family and they've created a wonderful business.

So, I went for a pumpkin and came home with

zucchini squash bread,

peach cobbler jelly,

peach salted caramel jam,

a really cute jar of honey,

cookies,

two fried pies,

Arkansas black apples,

four small gourds,

and

my pumpkin.

I mentioned that I brought home fried pies.

Well, I ate one fried pie while sitting under a large pecan tree and talking with my sister. We decided we couldn't wait till we got home to try one.

It was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD delicious!

Perfect pastry filled with a coconut cream,

drizzled in chocolate and topped with sliced almonds.

Appropriately named

Almond Joy.

Never will I buy a pumpkin at Wal Mart again!

I'll be retuning to Me & McGee!

Hmmmmm!

I wonder what fried pies they're making this weekend!!

Don't Fight The Wind

This year will not go down in the record books as a gorgeous autumn. Once again it's been too dry and the temperatures too warm. The rains came and the temperatures finally cooled down a bit, but it was just a little too late. The last few days have been windy with overcast skies and a little rain. The gusting wind today has the leaves falling from the trees and dancing across the yard. I think my neighbor's leaves are all dancing over to my yard!

In spite of the wind, I was determined to take some leaf pictures before all the leaves were gone. In order to not get super blurry pictures of blowing leaves, I started looking for leaves that were caught on something.

Much to my surprise, they were everywhere. All I had to do was get out there and look.

Naturally a good majority of the leaves I found were caught on the branches of small bushes and vines.

There were also quiet a few caught on our neighbor's chain link fence.

My favorites, though, were the ones caught in the Juniper tree. The dark green needles made the color of the leaves brilliant.

I'm glad I finally decided there wasn't any point in trying to fight the wind. I just needed to get a little creative and find a way to work around it!

~

"Autumn doesn't always promise that Winter will come,

but she works hard until every colored leaf

has reached its destination."

~ Terri Guillemets

Scene & Story - October 2017

I think we all know how peaceful it is to be near water. Recently I sat on this bench, swinging my feet and soaking in the beauty of Lake Carlton in the San Bois Mountains in Oklahoma. When I first sat down it was dark and chilly, but as time passed the sun began to rise behind the mountains. It wasn't a beautiful sunrise. The sky was full of dark rain clouds and occasionally a light mist fell. As the sun rose I watched a large flock of geese land on the water and slowly glide across the lack. I watched a father and son fishing from their kayaks. I looked across the lake and noticed autumn colors just beginning to show. I was calm, content, and happy.

This pictures looks peaceful, doesn't it? What you don't see in this picture is what was behind me. The fact is, a fall festival was happening behind me with thousands of people wandering around, carnival rides, food vendors, live music, and an antique automobile show. We were there taking part in the automobile show and were fortunate to be able to park our car near the lake. This was perfect for me. I was able to find peace in a situation that certainly wasn't quiet or peaceful. As photographers we can tell the story we want by what we allow in the frame of our camera.

"Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame.

When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts." 

~ Garry Winogrand

* * * * *

I'm linking with Scene & Story hosted

by Sarah and Lee.

Join us each month as we choose a photo and tell a story.

The Perfect Day

What does it take to have the perfect day? To me, it's being outside enjoying sunshine and nature. I had one of those perfect days this past weekend.

It began with a tour of Boxley Grist Mill which was built about 1869. It's basic function was grinding corn into meal. The mill which is now part of the Buffalo National River Area and is slowly being restored.

Also on the mill property was this old barn, which is just about to be taken over by weeds. Oh, I love barns! They make my heart sing. I saw several, but this was the only one I was able to get pictures of.

The perfect day also includes a perfect hike. What is included in my perfect hike? I'll be glad to tell you.

1. My perfect hike includes finding a good trail; not to strenuous as my knees seem to be aching more and more. In spite of those achy knees, I enjoy trails that have steps that are much easier to navigate than inclines covered with rocks and slick leaves.

2. My perfect hike includes water. Water was a little hard to find on this hike, we've been in a little drought season, but, find it I did. Water was seeping out of an opening in one of the rock formations.

3. My perfect hike includes color, any color; the color of rocks created by minerals in the water that seeps out of the cliffs, the color of the sky, and this time of year the color of autumn.

4. My perfect hike includes unusual trees.

5. My perfect hike includes unexpected surprises like lichen in the shape of a heart and

a face looking down from a huge cliff.

6. My perfect hike includes enough activity to accelerate my heart rate. Only this time it wasn't the hiking that got my heart pounding, it was watching my grandsons crawl all over the boulders and cliffs. Remember the water coming out of the cliff a few pictures up? That picture is a little deceiving. When I took the picture I was standing on a rock across a large rock valley. There's nothing for perspective, so you can't see how enormous this cliff really is. That's where these guys are, at the top of the water fall. Trust me, it's way up there! Boys are made for rock climbing, but Gramma's heart is not!

5. But, more than anything I listed above, my perfect hike includes family!

The perfect day always has to end.

My heart is full of joy!

I am blessed!

"From the moment I woke up,

I could tell that it was going to be

a good day."

~ Aly Johnson

October Skies

"From out yon nimbus cloud, the mighty sun

Sweeps o'er the raptured woods his golden beams,

And wakens in my soul such dulcet chords

As harp or breathing organ never swelled."

~ James Rigg  1897 ~

I love the rich colors of autumn:

orange pumpkins,

red, yellow, and gold leaves,

green cedars and pines.

Autumn colors are all beautiful, but my favorite is blue; the rich blues of the skies this time of year. It's the perfect background for the beautiful clouds that been sweeping through.

I read something this morning that said to reduce stress, share something you love with others. So here I am, sharing what I love . . .  clouds, skies, and quotes. I hope you enjoy them!

"They never stand still—

but they're not

in a hurry either."

~Terri Guillemets

"Clouds on clouds, in volumes driven,

Curtain round the vault of heaven."

~Thomas Love Peacock

"It's wonderful to climb the liquid mountains of the sky.
Behind me and before me is God and I have no fears."
~Helen Keller

"Hardly a day passes but we may see
in the sky above us
that God is producing scenes of perfect beauty,
or of glorious majesty,
which so far as we know
are only produced for the sake of
giving us pleasure."

~Alfred Rowland, "The Clouds: God's Angels of the Sea,"
in The Sunday Magazine (London), 1884

"I thank you God for this most amazing day,

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees,

and for the blue dream of sky

and for everything which is natural,

which is infinite, which is yes."

~E. E. Cummings

I encourage you to go outside, look up,

and soak in the beauty of autumn skies.