Monday, November 30, 2020

The Last Vestiges of Fall


The day I shot these images was a bit of an anomaly.  The week before had been a chilly one — the one that broke the will of many a fragile leaf clinging to their spindly branches.  But yet, this week it was warm, sometimes hitting 70+ degrees.  So on the morning that I traipsed out to the forest to find some ruby colored backdrops, I was surprised to discover that the moment had passed.  Autumn had fallen from the trees and littered the ground, leaving the landscape barren and ready to accept winter into its folds. 

But I was lucky enough to discover the last vestiges of fall clinging on for one more number before joining their leafy brethren on the forest floor.  So here's to autumn, may we once more appreciate your beauty before taking the plunge into pine needles and blankets of snow!


Thursday, November 26, 2020

Thankfulness and Squash Egg Pie

 


So far this year has been a pretty intense year for the books.  From the virus to wildfires out west, to a major election in the US and more, we've spanned what seems like a decade's worth of major events in the course of nine months.  I don't know what's behind door #10, but I can reflect on what I've been thankful for in this wild new world we're all living in.  

I'm thankful for my wonderful husband and his unwavering strength through this troubling time, the laughs we share scrolling through memes on the couch at 1am, and that even though it's been hard to find "fun" things to do during quarantine, that that has been our only real challenge.  I'm thankful for our health and our assuredness in each other to continue taking every precaution we can in this pandemic to keep each other and ourselves safe.  I'm thankful for having an online business that requires very little in person contact save for making trips to the postal service drop off window (and I'm very thankful for our postal service!!!), and I'm very thankful that no one I know personally has had a severe case of the virus, that I know of.  I'm also very thankful for our friends and family who we've been able to keep in touch with despite the distance.  And finally, I've been so thankful for the little things — the pie pumpkins on the windowsill, the quiet stroll through the woods.  And the time to reflect.  

I already worked a great deal from home before the pandemic hit, so the shift into isolation didn't hit all at once for me.  But over the months, and through the marathon and many seasons that this pandemic has been, it's slowly seeped into all the cracks and grooves around me.  The desire so badly to be with other people again, but the overarching duty that sits in my heart that knows it's best for everyone if I just sit tight and hold on.  So I've channelled the energy in other ways — working and coming up with new directions for my little creative hive here, and doing little things like decorating the porch and making a quiche.  

We're headed into some pretty dreary days here in the Midwest — being that it's a region that I've lived in all my life, I am well acquainted with the reality of a Chicago winter.  As much as I'd love to pretend the cold days aren't coming, I know they are.  And I know that these things I'm thankful for I'll need to cling that much closer to to get through the next few months.  But I also know that before long, it will be spring again, and we'll get to see the leafy buds poking out of the dirt, and hear the birds chirping their happy songs.  I long for the first blooms and that first 50 degree day, as we head through some of the last 50 degree days of fall. 

So thank you for reading.

Stay healthy, and stay safe.


Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Nature's Paint Palette

 


The compendium of colors that adorn the forest in the fall is always a thrilling delight.  A pop of red, a golden plume, and then all at once, an expanse of glowing orange and yellow that stretches on and consumes.  What an inspiring phenomenon.  As L. M. Montgomery wrote, "I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers".


Thursday, November 19, 2020

Reds, Yellows and Oranges — Oh My!



One of the things I love the most about fall is the transformative experience we see the forests go through. I love that one week we see a few little pops of yellow and orange here and there, and then BAM! — the next week you are wholly surrounded in a sea of orange and red.  It's like stepping into another world.  I only wish it would last longer than it does!

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Tales of the Fantastic Mrs. Fox



Early this fall we had the opportunity to visit the Upper Peninsula again, and part of our adventure included staying in this secluded cabin in the woods, which was situated right alongside a flowing river. It was truly breathtaking and such a nice break from the hustle and bustle of city life.  It felt nice to breathe in all the clear forest air and listen to the wind whistle through the leaves.