Fall photos, over many years

    I had planned to finish this post two weeks ago, but wonderful life kept me busy and preoccupied. Fall has always been my favorite season -- until, of course, I experienced April in the Appalachian Mountains -- and I love trees. So, to celebrate how nature forges onward season after season, no matter the politics, here are some trees I have loved.  [Almost every photo was made in October.]

    

at home

Cumberland Gap, on the Tennessee/Kentucky border

windshield wetness

 

 

black walnuts -- look out below!!!

light within, for Jean

pond at summer's end

pond again, always changing

 

Cumberland Falls, two days ago, showing the effects of the drought in the area

another viewpoint of the falls, a magical place

back home, this year, not yet peak colors

 

but pretty close....

and a last shot, from summer, a favorite tree of mine, at Gary and Mary Sue's

 

Light

Eastern Standard Time makes it feel very dark very early.  

The raw antics we hear about -- sometimes called politics-- are also dark, and have been for years.

I figure since I work with photos -- which usually require a decent amount of light -- I can record how, for me, light can do its thing when it's not ignored or taken for granted. 

I remain fascinated by what I see -- and by the way light changes, every minute. I like to work with it, like to leave it alone until another day, like being surprised by it. I even like writing about it.

Sometimes it's the light that hints or insists it is almost ready, and, other times, the show's all over in an instant, to be savored as a memory and a gift.

I've decided to find some recent photos that have been part of my dialogue with the outside.  I don't usually talk about my fascination with natural light, but it regularly willingly works with me and intrigues me. I'm so grateful for its companionship.

one day

another day

It really was this bright and beautiful in the Skaggs' back yard.

Meditation on a tree, as it dances in the changing light:

I can't resist including this photo of the grandparents of the bride, and good friends of mine, The wedding had beautiful weather even in late October, and a delicious home-cooked feast.

These last four photos are from Wednesday night, in Bath County, where there are these mounds, and lots of flat land, and a farm where my granddaughter has been going this fall, after school, to learn to ride a horse. I went with them to see the scene, but the light made it too hard to not make at least a few photos.

LEGS

into the light

        To end this week, I want to share a photo my dear daughter made on the way home from the riding lesson -- in the public library restroom where we changed into "our civies" for the drive home. A quick generational photo, for fun, AND with plenty of inside light!!  I love that it makes me laugh.

 

 

Distraction works wonders.

 post #515

        Tuesday looms over my day today, a Sunday -- unless I can get involved in a project. Or if a Norwegian friend living in Canada calls because she is following our politics very closely and is disbelieving and terrified. And a poet friend gets closer to having her book published.. And then a former schoolmate, now living in New Mexico, wants a report on Senator Mitch McConnell's latest dastardly deeds. And I checked in with a neighbor, again by phone, to learn about how things are going on our ridge, and my daughter checked in as well with a Halloween update. And, this morning, I took part in the remote Quaker Meeting I am part of, via Zoom, from Lexington. For periods of time today I actually forgot that the election still hangs over our heads, and that there could be bad behavior by those not willing to adhere to a constitutional transfer of power.  However, for a while, I even forgot that today is usually the day I do this weekly post!!  The wind blew the leaves back and forth across the driveway, for hours and hours, which is unusual. But I didn't blow away, and I am now doing the post. (And it is still today despite my semi-annual struggle to get a few clocks changed, by simply a single hour.  Arghhh) 

       One day last week, the fall colors were dramatic. I had to stop here and there along the ridge on my way back from town:

Then last Wednesday was fairly warm but with clouds -- a great day for taking on my promise to my daughter that I was good for a couple of hours in one of the garden patches they have:

a rock that to me looks like an owl's head....

Their dog looks enough like a deer that he has to wear his orange collar this time of year.

The Steps, seen from the garden -- they appear in many photos over the ten years of this blog.

 

version #1 of found treasures in the garden

 

version #2, again with another dogwood leaf. I call this photo "the seed within."

Humor for the locked-down deprived -- thanks so much, Forrest, for sharing these titles. I thought them delightfully clever. I'm thankful for other humor found on line, since there's not all that much that's funny these days.  We have a lot of work ahead of us to bring sanity back to our nation.  Why would we want to reelect someone who can envision not transferring power peacefully!!! That's an attitude that harms us all. It's super shocking, actually. And scary.

     My friend George Ella Lyon wrote a 1989 children's book called Together, one of my favorites out of the 40+ books she has done.  It ends with words that also work for us this week:

          Let's put our heads together and dream the same dream.

 Note: George Ella has a new book out, VOICES OF JUSTICE, poems for young people (and older folks) about those among us who have worked for justice.  It's illustrated by Jennifer M. Potter.  Congratulations!!!

I'm still needing to speak out

     Two things today -- this was meant for a mid-week post, which is a rarity....because it takes discipline and time, neither being abundant in my world.  At least I finally was able to get this photo on the blog.  (By chance I moved it more slowly, and then it made its way from desktop to post.  Persistence required, and luck.  It belongs between the two other photos of her in the last post, but I'm not going to stretch my luck at this time by putting it exactly there. A week in between them is fine). 

    Also, I did find out how to receive comments in this revised system, so that's now fixed as well!  What isn't fixed is how to get every single person out to vote in this very important election. I will never know how anyone feels safe with a mentally ill person being in charge of things, like the nuclear button, or who's OK with those 545 kids at the border having been separated from  parents now lost because records weren't kept (because nobody cared, I assume), but the big thing by now is to VOTE within the next 9 days. Everyone.  Stay healthy as well.  That horrible virus doesn't care whom you vote for either.  

     Here's the letter I received yesterday! Yea!!

The mailboxes across the road from me -- again BRAVO RURAL POSTAL CARRIERS!!

my former driveway, showing the rebound still in effect from a horrendous "tornadic" wind storm 25 years ago.  I send condolences to all those affected by current tornadoes, floods, or fire. There are so many wrenching stories. Our earth needs our attention and creative problem solving, by all of us.

 

 the drive in view two days or so later:

 

Trees are tops!

three more photos while sitting at the pond after reading aloud a couple of chapters from The Secret Garden:

        It fascinates me how the leaves quietly move and rearrange themselves, even in a small pond.  Of course this is what we are hoping for in this election --  which could be setting us up for a healthier democracy if we all pay attention!  (Sorry, I can't help myself from including these current events comments.... Sharing here is one of the few things I can do to support the activists and the clear thinkers who are trying to help people to believe that change is not only possible but it is incredibly necessary.  My thanks for anything you are doing as well!!!)

The beauty of the season colors the fear of the future

post #515 

       In spite of the many possible difficult outcomes of the November 3 election, it's hard not to be guardedly hopeful when something as beautiful as fall foliage surrounds me. It also helps that so many fellow citizens have been flocking to vote, all across the country, despite so many deliberate efforts to thwart such an outpouring. I send DEEP THANKS to each and every one of you. I know as well there are storm related damages that don't make voting any easier. And for sure the fact that our current president can not guarantee he will accept not winning -- which, to begin with, would be so against the constitution -- is shocking and hurtful. The only possible fraud will come from Ego Man, and those willing to tear the fabric of our nation.

        So, here's to keeping our cool and getting out to vote. The ballot I sent for arrived, I filled it out, and my daughter and son-in-law took it with them when they went to vote in the county seat this week. They put it in the drop off box there.  Thanks go to our local county officials who are making this all work out and well.

        Time now to go on to some photos from the last week or two.  Please ENJOY!

on still another walk along the road

I was able to have a short visit with Sandy, outside, mostly sitting on that porch except when checking out all the goats.

These goats, shown here on the hillside below their home, were having a great time.

 

 

     Before then, I had been nearby to spend some time -- again outside and distanced - with my granddaughter.  I've been reading aloud The Secret Garden, about once a week.  Right now it's not a good idea to sit out on their deck -- there's a bumper crop of black walnuts which hurt when they fall on a person's head!              

So we went to their pond, which has a dam that's flat and good for chairs. The story has a skipping rope in it, and T. found hers and brought it along.

 

Needless to say, I was downright amazed to get this photo.  Its companion photo is vertical in shape, which seems to be hard for this revised blogger program to accept. I will try to catch it by surprise in a day or two....and add it then.

returning to the house

three more images, here and nearby:

This is a smaller pond, at my house, in autumn mode.

along the ridge, returning from town, always something lovely to see

a moment caught, from my front door