A collage of leaves...

The yard is filled with piles of leaves that have fallen with reckless abandon.

From the dining room window, I could see Mrs. Bunny wearing a fascinator of sorts.

 These leaves stayed wedged between her ears for days, so I went out and took photos of her on a few occasions. Behind her is the 'lone hydrangea' that I wrote about here.

Mary's photo was taken several weeks ago before the foliage rapidly started turning. We still need to cover her for the winter. Someday I'd actually love to bring her indoors (permanently). I'm so afraid that the harsh winters and blistering summers are going to ruin her perfect chippy finish.

Just a few short weeks ago Baby and I were enjoying the windows thrown wide open. But not anymore.

Again, a photo from several weeks ago before everything really started turning, and the weather was pleasant. This is the backyard of my dad's house, where my sister lives.

More recent photos of our own backyard where, due to the now chilly weather ...

... the trees have been painted red, gold, and orange.

I know they say the bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle, but we get some pretty spectacular ones here in Massachusetts, too!

These photos were all taken in the morning when the sun was still climbing.

I must admit, when I actually sit outside on the patio, I get more than a tad depressed that the summer went by so quickly.

I don't adjust well to the colder weather, and winter in particular, arriving.

I long for the backyard to look like this again. But at the same time, I am reminded of the Charlotte Bronte quotation I used on one of my art prints, "If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant."

And so I will bundle up and make the best of this cooler (soon to be frigid) weather...

... while dreaming of the not too distant future when, once again, the apple trees blossom and the clematis vines bloom and cascade over the arbor.

This week I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.

Wishing you all a lovely fall season.

Donna

Tenacity...

So what have I been up to this week?

Well, we had amazing weather over the weekend and earlier this week. The temperatures even climbed to the high 60's one day!

We lost the majority of our leaves in the high winds of Sandy a few weeks ago, but this clump of leaves outside our bedroom window has been tenaciously hanging on.

An extreme closeup looking through the floral suncatcher on the window.

(Altered with the colored pencil filter on my photo software)

This photo was taken from the deck. It's the same cluster of leaves visible from the bedroom; the leaves still brilliant while most others form a crunchy carpet of brown.

(Photo altered with a watercolor filter)

So what was I doing while all this gorgeous weather was happening just outside my window?

I've been very focused, practically chained to my desk, working on some new designs for my publisher with a "thisclose" deadline! (How's that for tenacity?). Here's a funky little collage combining tiny sections of two of the paintings I just submitted.

(Can you guess whooooooooo they are?)

 

Have a great week everyone!

 

Donna