OCTOBER OVATIONS

AHHHHH, October.

Our little Burning Bush is 'burning red'.  What a beauty.
The fuzzy part in the lower left corner is a spider's web.

 It's such a changeable month as weather dictates each day.
Cool nights, warm days, less light, more events before we hide inside and hibernate through another winter.
 It's a time to enjoy the outdoors as much a we can.
 It's a time to drink in the smells and sights and the sounds of harvest and crackling leaves and smoke houses sending rich smells into the air.

#3123-3125:: Morning fog, beautiful spider webs, warmish days.  A lovely Fall day.

#3126-3128:: A stroll in a quaint town, kicking leaves with my flip-flops, listening to crickets and seeing grasshoppers flitting about.

The Spider's web fascinates me.
Only one morning, after a thick dew, did
I find webs all over my burning bushes.

#3129-3131:: Crank, ka-thump, bang goes my brain as I dive into paperwork and phone calls to help fix dad's southern abode.  Chug, push, breathe deep as I prepare to meet with a couple who plans to marry.  Clang, scrunch, bloop, as I prepare cake for hubby's birthday tomorrow.  HOORAY!

#3132-3134:: Drippy, quiet, soggy morning - so nice to linger by the fire after my workout.  Hide clues to trinkets for hubby and bask in the delight of silence. Hugs and more hugs and giggles galore as hubby looks for surprises.  Laugh, chat, ponder as I share with a couple over the wedding ceremony.  So sweet.

#3135-3137:: COLD morning but bundled in down vest over layers of Sunday clothes - warm.  Pet blessing as we celebrate St. Francis today with families and dogs and cats and a rabbit and turtles and a hamster and a fish in a jar right in the middle of the service.  Crazy fun.

Cold nights seem not to temper these blooms.
What a lovely Fall.

#3138-3140::Sun peaks out at noon and beckons me outside to pluck at still brilliant geraniums.  Autumn creeps in slowly with bits of 'fire' in leaves and wilted plants tucking themselves in for the winter months.  Breeeeeezy.

#3141-3143::  Oh JOY!  I can bend over without my head feeling like it is going to fall off.  Two hours in the garden pulling and nipping and cleaning dead foliage that I have been staring at for several weeks.  Fresh air, warm, sprinkles of rain and time in the garden. Can't get better than that.

#3144-3146:: Delight in warmth of a sunny day; visit the farm show and see pigs, cows, sheep and so much more; eat what I shouldn't but donations go to good causes and so YUM, YUM!

Once upon a time I lived in Aspen and flew all over
the world for my job.  I saw these and thought
of another wonderful place I have lived.

#3147-3149:: Cloudless sky, crisp breeze in the morning that warms up later in the day, looking forward to an evening meeting that will enhance our year at church.

#3150-3152:: Spin, swirl, plop like the leaves flying by - response to last night's action items.  Words for Sunday come easily; enjoy the gorgeous day of beauty.

#3153-3155:: Prep for Bishop visit only needs final tweaks, a sweet 'congratulations' to those being confirmed spins out of the printer.  Last minute call for food finds me making a wonderful salad.

I need a new picture.  This is our church in the summer.

#3156-3158:: Darkness greets us as we awake but the painted sky gives us a breathless view as we drive to church.  A grand time with the Bishop who wants to greet everyone just where they are - kitchen, outside etc.  Too much food, as usual, goes home with a street-wanderer who walked in and enjoyed the banquet with us.

#3159-3161:: An early flight to Florida to work on repair details for the flooded condo.  A time of listening as a passenger really needs to talk.  Florida greets me with warmth but low humidity.  NICE!

I so wanted to linger on the beach.
I did pop over for a sunset as I try to do on these work trips.

#3162-3164:: Stop by skilled nursing to visit with a dear friend who is amazing after double knee replacement surgery.  Four hours of chat with her and her sweet room mate.  A time of prayer and sharing of how grace-filled our lives are even when challenged.

#3165-3167:: Early day with contractor, condo inspection, working with final details.  A friend-helper works with me as we finalize more purchases.  Insurance paid for clean up!  God's grace is in every detail.

#3168-3170:: Fresh air, low humidity, evening rain - perfection!  Twelve more hours of details.  We only have a few more items on the list, tile floors are being laid, final instructions, a few more signatures and voila!  All will be done when we return.

Funky gate in the neighborhood.
It's decorated for Christmas - last year!

#3171-3173:: A day of sitting, transferring flights, new seat partners, lots of time to regroup.  Hubby and I dine at our favorite Panara, run a few errands, pick up groceries and nestle in as temperatures begin to drop.  It is truly Fall with colors too fantastic to miss.  I so love both places.  I am blessed!

#3174-3176:: R&R as I prepare for tomorrow, unpack, re-group and enjoy looking outside.  The slight breeze turns into gusts as I watch the last of the corn harvest across from my back yard. Amazing!

#3177-3179::  This is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and REJOICE! We stop at a buffet after church that is packed with fall visitors - fun.  Sun glances off of a huge field of green grass as Canadian geese linger by the pond.

#3180-3182:: Follow up medical appointments find my head mostly healed!  Tests for other parts of my body will consume the next six weeks but then we are done!  Crisp day brings us inside at Panera but FUN!

The new rage is finding variations on these
wonderful English signs.  I found this
one and so agree.  Some days are
totally based on FAITH!

#3183-3185:: Greetings and glad tidings with gals as we meet together in Intercourse, a junction where five roads come together.  A nice change from computers and decisions and all else I work through from day to day.  Tans and golds and reds and leaves and tobacco in barns and buggies everywhere make for a lovely fall day.  Thank you God for my senses.

#3186-3188:: Words and actions and grace and soft voice bring peace to the soul this morning.  God is present on this rainy day as slippery leaves stick to our shoes.  Gray mixes with gold and brown and red as the sky is filled with blowing leaves. Beauty is a gift from God.

#3189-3191:: Chilly blasts of air rush into every space as dark clouds wrap us in blankets of cold.  The sound of tractors cleaning empty fields reminds me that winter is coming.  A quiet day with much to learn invites me into God's presence.

I love this 'nest' at Winterthur Children's Garden.
As I put away our bird house, I know this nest will
stay forever.  Kids can even sit on the eggs!

#3192-3194:: Gray skies invite warm air - a great opportunity to continue cleaning out the garden.  Catch up on scripture study leaves me floating on a cloud with the Lord.  Construction woes make me put on my 'happy face' and pray that my attitude matches - Thank you, God, that we can replace what water destroyed in August.

#3195-3197:: Sun peaks over the horizon PINK - God's paintbrush brings gleaming skies.  Words on paper for tomorrow encourage us to acts of Love as God so loved us by giving us His Son. Another great day to clean up crisp, brown foliage in the midst of vibrant fall garden colors.

An erie look to a Fall Full Moon is perfect for October

#3198-3200:: A glorious morning so dark and still invites into quiet space on our one hour drive to church; Healing prayer, a gift from God, as so many came forward with personal requests on this special monthly occasion.  Swirl, spin, meet, discuss, then meet with another group after the services and then we took some time to linger and think and pray and drive home through fields that glisten in the late afternoon sun.  A long but wondrous day.

#3201-3203:: A slow start as I linger with the Lord before I respond to emails. A great workout helped me to pray and let go of that which impedes God's work in my life.  B R E A T H E in B R E A T H E out, over and over, throughout the day, as I sort through what must be done and what must be left undone for now.

#3204-3206:: A glorious warm morning surprises me as we finish clearing the garden for winter.  I linger on the porch one more time as I

Harvest is in and farms remain neat and tidy as silos
are filled to overflowing 

absorb the colors of Fall.  A great sense of accomplishment as I taylor a new course to be taught over the next several months.

#3207-3209:: Another doctor, another diagnosis, all good news as MDs chip away at anomalies in my body.  God made me with little blips that are showing up now - nothing to worry about.  Another lovely meal at my favorite place on this drippy, droopy day.

#3210-3212:: Up in the dark for our long drive through glistening foliage, a marvel of God.  Meetings all day give us a sense of accomplishment as we create solutions.  We stop at some favorite spots to take pictures as we linger on this gorgeous fall day.

#3213-3215:: A lovely end to a fabulous month as we nestle next to the fire.  Gray skies and  stillness envelope us as we wrap ourselves in a blanket of soothing words from God's Word.  I catch up on my monthly blog, which is always fun.  All Hallows Eve - a time to prepare our hearts to remember the saints who are now singing praises from heaven.