Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving - it's my favorite holiday. It's all about family, all about celebrating the people we love. I can't wait to see everyone. Mom will be fixing up the relish tray, Gary's in charge of turkey carving, Greg and Dave are in charge of turkey snitching. Matt and Tabitha are bringing some vegan dishes. Marge has deviled eggs under control, and Sheila's is bringing her wonderful pumpkin roll. And maybe we'll get some family photos in after dinner. The group shot has become kind of a traditions.

Anyway, here's some of the fun I had getting ready:

Decorating

Cleaning (not so much fun!)

And - mmmmm - baking apple bread.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Borrow Pit Photo Walk

The Borrow Pit was the source for fill for SR271. It's just off Boston Mills Road, where the Buckeye Trail crosses. The dirt's pretty poor because all the topsoil was scraped off. It's home to scruffy grass and small trees just managing to get a foothold. The far end of the field has a nice population of fringed gentians, one of our native wildflowers.

These shots were taken in the early morning while the pit was still full of mist. It has an other-worldly feel to it, like a scene from Lord of the Rings, right before the battle starts.

Because October was so wet, it was good for mushrooms. The Buckeye Trails was lined with dozens of mushroom clusters like this.

My goal when I left the house, was to get some scenics I was happy with, and I did. Landscapes are tough - mine frequently seem to look too busy and without a clear focus. These seem to work better than most.

10/8/11

October, Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That

Working on some beachy Christmas ornaments. I have the right size drill bit to put holes in the tiny flip flops - but how to steady them while I'm drilling? 10/1

Gloomy, rainy, windy day at Indigo Lake in CVNP. 10/2

Crossword? Really? When I have Solitaire to waste time on? 10/3.

Love having wildlife in the backyard. Don't care so much for wildlife eating the back yard. Note the pair of hogs in the pot. They were joined by a third shortly after this shot, then Mama took over the whole pot for herself. 10/4

Dinner at Pufferbelly and a shot of the Star of the West mill in Kent. 10/5.

Still working on birdhouses. They'll be done by Christmas. Maybe. 10/6.

A very bad day ended with a very nice evening, walking and talking with Chuck. Thanks, Honey! 10/7

Texture Tuesday: Pier 1 Birds

These cute salt and pepper shakers were an inexpensive find at Pier 1. Love their chubby roundness and lacy wings.

Texture is Phoebe from: www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe
11/14

Pizza Detente

Medium Hungry Howie pizza, ranch crust, green olives and mushrooms, pepperoni and sausage on half.

Edible compromise!

CVPS Photowalk at Herrick Fen, September 24

You'd have no idea Herrick Fen was even there - you drive down a rutted lane past piles of construction waste, a cool farm, then along what appears to be a very much past its prime soybean field, and into a tiny parking lot. The fen has a nice board walk through a marsh then a path up a bit of a hill. We were there early, rain gear in hand. Lots of water drops, torpid bugs, and misty vistas.

Aster

Mysterious caterpillar

Tickseed, and my favorite shot of the day.

One of seven million kinds of stinkbugs.

Teasel. I like the little threads caught in its spines.