Jack-o-lantern

The black cat with it's back arched and the full moon behind makes for a scary jack-o-lantern.   Hope everyone had a safe and happy Hallowe'en.

MACRO MONDAY

I missed out on Sunday Stills this week...so I will post a combo macro Monday/Fall Foliage shot. 

If you want to see the pretty colours now you have to look down.  Our trees are all but bare now...with the exception of the oak tree in our front yard which turns brown and hangs on to it's leaves until the snow finally knocks them off.

Maple leaves resting on a mossy log.

Last Birch Standing.

Go to http://www.sundaystills.wordpress.com/ to see some great photo shots.

Olde Well

"If gardeners will forget a little phrase, 'watering the plants' and think of 'watering the earth' under the plants, keeping up it's moisture content and gauging it's need, the garden will get on very well."

Henry Beston, Herbs and the Earth, 1935

While out on my walk the other day, I took a photo of the old well on the property.  I thought it looked especially pretty with the freshly fallen leaves floating on the surface.

SUNDAY STILLS: LETTER "C"

The challenge today is the Letter C. 

I decided to represent the letter C with photos of Comfort.
(Mostly due to the fact that I left my picture taking to the last minute and then I could only think of Campbell #2 daughters cat...and well that wasn't enough....)

Remmington, my daughters 8 wk old Pug finds comfort wrapped in blanket on a chilly fall afternoon.

Campbell knows that true comfort means snoozing on the dog bed. 

Comfort is homemade Potato Soup and Scones hot from the oven served with my own wine.

Comfort is Pumpkin pie for dessert.

Comfort is an evening spent in your Flannel PJ's and woolly slippers.

For more Sunday Stills please visit http://www.sundaystills.wordpress.com/

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

It sure has been one chilly week.  Heavy frost every night...Ottawa weather reported nightime temps of -3 but we are about 25 kms away out in the country so it's always colder here.  Our thermometer outside the kitchen window was registering -5 every morning this week.  I made a valiant attempt to keep my beautiful fushia alive...but even hanging it inside the garage every night couldn't save it from the "end".  Yes folks...it is a hanging mass of dark blackened leaves...sad to say but true.
I spent the week cleaning up the garden...still more to do on that front...but I have made a good start.  I like cleaning it up and putting it to bed.  Lots of time to think about what plant is invading where it shouldn't...what is doing poorly and needs to be moved about and a good time to plan and dream for next spring.

I left the wheelbarrow upright in the yard...it rained...then froze...so after knocking the ice out of it I loaded up.  As you can tell by the photo...I use the "lazy mans load" method. Proud of myself for not upsetting it on the way to the compost pile out back.

I always have help in the garden.  In this shot Willow is inspecting the powdery mildew problem on the phlox.  Hunter is just showing us his "good side".

Okay, okay....one proper pose for our adoring public....then can you throw the tennis ball?
Next on my to do list....get those bulbs in while I can still get a shovel in the ground!!

THE BEGINNING OF A DREARY WEEK

Thanksgiving weekend here in Eastern Ontario was just about as perfect weatherwise as one could ever wish for.  We were blessed with sunny skies for the most part and the clouds when they did appear were light and fluffy. Just a perfect weekend to go on a ramble and that is exactly what I did.

Initially the hounds like to bound ahead breaking trail.

However, before long they tire of that job and decide that stick chewing will be the order of the day.

(You will note that we have a severe stick shortage on the property and in order to conserve the few remaining sticks that are there, we ask that all dogs share one stick.) 

 I was surprised to find that most of the maples had lost their leaves already.  A few birch were still putting on a golden display.

Even the small hound enjoyed romping in the leaves.  Well...for a few minutes anyway....he spent most of the outing wrapped in a blanket while being carried by #1 daughter.

A very pleasant ramble it was indeed and I am so happy that we decided to go since today the weather has turned and we awoke to heavy gray skies and rain, rain, rain. 

Take time to enjoy the simple things for you never know what lies ahead.

MACRO MONDAY

The sunny day we had here yesterday was perfect for drying out the milkweed pods.  Today they are splitting open and the seeds are taking flight in the breeze.

This lone seed has gotten tangled in the seedheads of some Goldenrod.

Yes....these are growing in my garden...I leave them because every good butterfly garden should have some Milkweed and I really do like their flowers.

(The Goldenrod however, is in the field next door where it will be much loved by the flocks of Goldfinches that will be here soon.)

For more Macro Monday shots visit http://www.sundaystills.typepad.com/

SUNDAY STILLS: Photoshop Challenge

I don't have a fancy photoeditor...I just used a couple of the free photoediting sites available online.

This is one of my favourite photographs.  Our old rail fence

with a light dusting of snow.  Above I have had a little fun with it and below is the original.

And now the photo turned pencil sketch.

Now experimenting with a Polaroid look.

For more photo-editing check out http://www.sundaystills.wordpress.com/

MACRO MONDAY

Marguerite Daisy

...I think I may still have 2 or 3 stalwart plants giving it their all before Jack Frost prevails

SUNDAY STILLS: HAPPINESS IS....

Happiness is...being miles from civilization, no electricity, no phone, just the sound of the wind through pineneedles.

Happiness is...being up north and fishing with your family.

Happiness is...a Sunday afternoon spent snowshoeing with your husband and dogs.

Happiness is...being silly.

Happiness is...a warm afternoon and a fishing pole.

Happiness is....sharing a moment with an old friend.

Go to http://www.sundaystills.wordpress.com/ for more "Happiness Is..." photography.

SERENDIPITOUS Viburnum triloba

This has been an average week.  Mundane in most every respect....rain at some point nearly every day....cloud cover most of the day....freakin' cold at night...(I've had to bring my hanging fushia into the garage for safe keeping)...and just to rub me the wrong way my job has me down to my last nerve.

So the last thing I expected to cheer my crusty menopausal heart was the discovery of a highbush cranberry that has just magically appeared in my yard in all it's red berried glory.

How could I have missed an approximately 12 foot tall shrub/tree?  I dunno.

Ya see...first my dishwasher went on the fritz...so I'm at the kitchen sink doing dishes the old fashioned way (insert grumbling sound here).  While staring into the abyss (insert gazing out over the back yard here) I see an orange cat out by the garden shed.   "Hmmmm, that must be the cat daughter #2 was talking about."  But, this cat is limping quite badly.  I'd better go see if it's OK.  (At this point I grab a pack of kitty tenders, and still wearing hideous yellow rubber gloves, shove feet into crocs and head to the garden shed.)  My attempts to get near said cat fail miserably.  Probably for the best because kitty won't be the only one limping if hubby comes home from 3 wks away and we have another pet in the house.  (Happens every time he leaves town...I can't explain)

Anyway, kitty makes a quick escape into the bushes behind the shed.  (Doesn't seem to be limping now....I leave the kitty tenders beside the riding mower)  When I look up something red catches my eye....upon further investigation I discover the High Bush Cranberry that I swear wasn't there before!

In fact, I was going to buy a few last spring at the Ferguson Forestry Centre, because I've always fancied them and I didn't have one.

I make a note to myself to get a picture of this miracle shrub right after I finish up the dishes. 

Within the hour the sky clears briefly and I have a very short window of opportunity to get a picture...remember it has been raining non-stop most of the week.  

So that was my "serendipity" moment of the week.

High Bush Cranberry Jelly

2 cups berries

3 Cups water

2/3 cup sugar for each cup of juice

1.  Simmer berries and water for 10 minutes to start the juice extraction then let boil rapidly from 3 to 5 minutes.

2.  Strain through a jelly bag. (layers of cheesecloth)

3.  Measure strained juice.

4.  Add 2/3 cup sugar for each cup of juice.

5.  Bring juice and sugar toa boil, stirring constantly, then boil rapidly until liquid will sheet from the side of a spoon (not drip off in separate drops)

6.  Pour into sterilized jelly jars and seal.

This recipe is from Northern Cookbook, c1979.

I haven't tried it but I just may now that I know where to find some berries.

Take Time to Enjoy the Simple Things