Balmy Autumn

The larch are changing colors everyday.

One day soon, all the needles will be on the ground.

 

I had planned to take a hike up the Yaak River with a friend,

and she cancelled at the last minute.

I decided not to drive all that way by myself

so I took a "neighborhood" hike to enjoy the

colors and the unseasonably warm temps.

I love this hike in any season!

But this season of golden light

is pretty amazing!

Bull Lake and Ibex Peaks

from on high.

Golden Light

The light has definitely shifted.

The sun comes up later and goes down earlier,

this combined with the smoke from fires

in SW Montana and in Idaho

and with the foliage color changes

contribute to this soft golden glow

that we are experiencing.

It is stunning.

It imbues a feeling of gentle softness and comfort.

Here is some of the bounty of the community.

People have walked in off the street in my tiny town

bearing these offerings from their trees.

Our office candy dish is full of pears right now and my desk

and the kitchen counter are loaded with these

gorgeous gems, italian prune plums.

mmmmm!

I don't have to pack much for lunch.

The Gold of Autumn

 Larch tree near the BBQ, this thing is covering our back deck with gold needles.

The pond is covered with a special breathable mesh so that it doesn't fill with needles and then freeze before we can fish them all out. The sides of the driveway are lined with gold!

 This oak is like the larch trees in that it changes colors all the time, from chartreuse in the spring to green to yellowy green to golden, to russet to nearly scarlet.....

 

"Shavin' the Mushroom"

That is what my little sister, Annie, called carving the pumpkin when she was little.

It is so funny, it has just stuck with me. I have to mindfully call it carving the pumpkin, 

my head wants to call it "Shaving the Mushroom". 

 I often do bats and oak leaves....I was wanting to branch out,

Sunflowers? Seems fall-ish, doesn't it?

In hindsight, I should have done skulls.

Maybe I will put some on here tonight.....

 I actually have a lightbulb inside.

It just shines brighter and longer.

It was cool to come downstairs in the dark this morning and see the house

illuminated with an orange glow.

The pumpkin is on the porch right outside the window

so it offers insideand outside light.