Blinds

Pine

Saralyn as Audrey

Yes, that's my baby dressed as her alter-ego for Halloween.

Concentration

Notice the eyes-- and the tongue!

235 Vine Street, Arthur, Illinois

A few questions...

1. How many pumpkins are there?
2. Who gutted them all?
3. How do the trick-or-treaters get to the door?
4. How's that going to smell in a couple weeks?
5. Do you think they baked all the seeds?
6. Mom's or dad's idea? (Hah!)

(I counted 237. But wait-- there's more! A rack with another 37 is out of frame to the right!)

Changing leaves

I learned today from my teacher-wife why leaves change color. The dominant green color comes from chlorophyll. This green stuff, along with sunlight and carbon dioxide create oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. The chemicals that make other leaf colors we see in fall are always present in the leaves, they're just overpowered by the vast amounts of chlorophyll during spring and summer. (There are other factors that affect color, like the amount of sugars, but we're trying to keep it simple here.)

Once the amount of daily sunlight decreases, plants cut back on chlorophyll production, which permits those underlying colors to come out. Now you know!

Wait until next year!

After several weeks of local press coverage about the Chicago Cubs trying to get the Boston Red Sox GM to come onboard their (sinking) ship, the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT was made today. Theo Epstein has been anointed the savior du jour for the hapless north side baseball franchise that has not won a pennant in 103 years.

Rumor has it that this is their new slogan.

Grandson

Sunday we went to Alex's soccer game. He is a joy to watch. He is a natural and makes it seem effortless. His skills are good and he is a generous team player. He plays with a fluid style and a calm demeanor. It's refreshing to see. I also enjoyed watching his team's keeper, Ashton. She is fierce and fearless. I called her Pippi Toughstocking.

Alex was getting ready to defend against a corner kick here. I really liked the expression as he seemed to "size up" number 15 from the other team. Pippi seems ready too.

This post marks the completion of my commitment to post every day for a year. I will probably continue because it has been fun.

Journey

There arre many sayings about enjoying the journey-- not just the destination. I often take "road" shots to remind me of that.

This road is in the Cades Cove section of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

Tennessee pasture fence

I don't know why, but I have a fascination with all different types of fences. Never was this more evident than our family vacation to Tennessee several years ago when my children pointed out to me how many pictures I took of fences.

I like the way this uses the two sticks to separate the diagonal cross-braces from the horizontal wires.

Someone I know

ISU v UE

Just ten days ago it was a beautiful sunny day. In fact, it was so sunny I had to move to the shade next to the bleachers to avoid getting sunburned.

Now it is 41 degrees, raining, we have high wind advisories, and it's dark by 6:30 in the evening.

Fall and spring are the best, albeit shortest, seasons of the year.

And, just one more thing... Why is the "Illinois State" lettered block so off-center? Did the person doing it really think that it made more sense to put the break between two different length words on the center line? Yes, it bothered me the entire game and still bothers me when I look at it.

For sale

Part of my life is for sale. The "resort" that I went to as a kid and then took my kids and now my grandson goes to is for sale.

Time marches on.

After the game

Off balance and slightly out of focus. And so is the picture.

Milk

Ice cold. Still love it.

Used to be a gas station

Charming

Probably one of the original Frankfort homes, this gem is immediately north of the grainery.

I'll bet there's even a pie cooling on the kitchen window sill right now.

Hunter's moon

While the sun was bringing us Wednesday morning from the east, the October Hunter's Moon was saying "Good night" as it set in the west.

A beautiful fall day

A nature preserve area alongside the Old Plank Road bicycle trail just east of downtown Frankfort.

It was a perfect autumn day.

Great name

Morgan in heaven

She loves going for walks-- especially in the forest preserve. In fact, whenever we drive past the forest preserve she paws at the window (asking us to open it) and whimpers.

Another weed

Looks like a tiny closed basket now. Soon it will burst open and release a fluffy, cotton-like material.

Weed

African lillies

Steve Jobs, 1955 - 2011

Again?

The Chicago Tribune today published a report from AccuWeather saying that those in the Chicago area should expect a winter similar to what we experienced last year.

This photo was taken the day after the blizzard in February. There was a lot of snow. Two years in a row? Yikes!

Good buddy

RMNP

Terri and I visited Rock Mountain National Park in June of 2007. This photo was taken in one of the busier sections of the park-- the Bear Lake area.

In June at 5,500 feet elevation it is cool and dry, much like the current weather here in the Midwest.

We've visited several National Parks and do appreciate what a treasure the National Park system is.

Hmmm, which one will be next?

Really? God in a bottle?

Wow-- the Almighty comes in a plastic jug now! Maybe we should buy more than just the 32 load size. I wonder how big the Eternity container is...

Bumpy skin

The cashier at The Home Depot (where we bought the pumpkin) said, "That's what my face would look like if my husband didn't let me get a facial every other week." TMI?