….right now we’re going through a bit of a heat wave
On one of my walks this week I noticed that there were signs all over the place that autumn is not too far off. Usually cooler nights cause the colours to start changing but right now the nights are pretty warm but earlier this summer that wasn’t the case. Anyway the sumac is starting to change, the berries are starting to ripen and the apples are turning red.
….thanks to Snow for hosting this week’s Friendly Friday
…..thanks to Cardinal Guzman for hosting Changing Seasons
October has been a month of birthdays in our family and all were special birthdays. We started with my husband’s 65th birthday, then my father’s 90th birthday, my granddaughter’s 1st birthday and my son-in-law’s 40th birthday. October also saw the colours finally change and mostly towards the end of the month. Finally the month ended, as it always does, with Hallowe’en and what a glorious day it was for trick or treating.
….a new challenge hosted by Cardinal Guzman
September felt like July/August. The school year started with a heat wave. I’m not complaining. It was a beautiful month and when the first day of autumn came around so did the change in the weather. Cool evenings (great for sleeping) and warm afternoons. It’s hard to know how to dress for the day. One definitely needs a sweater or jacket for the mornings but long sleeves and jeans feel too warm later in the day.
The gardens are starting to fade but there is still a lot of colour. Berries and seed pods are starting to replace blooms. The lake is taking on new cool colours of blue and turquoise and the wind is stirring up the waves.
Changing Seasons
April
Showers, puddles, robins
Grey, wet, mild, cloudy, green
Raining, blooming, chirping, splashing, nesting
sunny, warm, blue, pink, new
Tulips, blossoms, chicks
May
…. took the dogs to High Park off leash area today
It was a beautiful day and our youngest daughter came over with her basset hound, Lucy. There was a bit of a nip in the air but the sun was shining and when you were in the sun it felt warm.
We decided to take the dogs to a great park we have in here in Toronto called High Park. The park sits on 161 hectares (400 acres) and was gifted to the city of Toronto in 1876 by John Howard. One third of the park is still in a natural state and there is a large fenced-in off leash area for dogs. I like this area because there are lots of options for dog owners. You can stay in a large area where dogs can socialize or you can opt to take some of the trails where dog owners can also get some exercise. We chose the latter option.
As you can see from the photos, winter is starting to leave us but sections of trail are still snow covered and pretty icy. Where the snow has melted it has been replaced with lots of mud and puddles. I’m glad I wore my rubber boots.
The dogs loved it for the most part. Lucy doesn’t like water but mud didn’t seem to bother her. Frances on the other hand loves the puddles. Doggy heaven!
….. summer left by the back door
It seems like yesterday when we were experiencing warm sunny days. I was still wearing my sandals to work and by noon sweaters and jackets were abandoned because of warm temperatures.
Today, cold winds and grey skies firmly established that summer is no more and that winter is not far behind. On our daily walk we now step over smashed walnuts and chestnuts and push through multi-coloured fallen leaves. The dog’s tail is picking up burrs and she’s finding the most disgusting things to roll in.
It’s the colours of autumn that I am enchanted with. The red of the sumac leaves against purple wild flowers and fading green to yellow grasses excites my senses and makes me want to get out my paints and play with colour washes.
Today, on our walk, I purposely looked for colours from foliage not often photographed when one thinks of autumn. The soft textures of tall grasses and milkweed pods to the spiky thorns of burrs and seed pods is like a magnet for my imagination and camera lens.
Enjoy!
My husband and Frances. They were always ahead of me because I stopped so often to take pictures.
Mama Cormier 