Happy Halloween!

 

A jack-o-lantern carved by one of my nephews. Such a great gap-toothed smile! And here we have a pint-sized giraffe on candy patrol. I was very impressed with his restraint, though I must say we both ate a lot of candy ourselves!

State fair goat

Another shot from last year's NC State Fair. I love how you can get "up close and personal" with the goats and other livestock! I've heard that goats possess personalities the way dogs do. I would say this one is of the out-going and inquisitive sort, wouldn't you?

Canopy overhead

Walking around the neighborhood today I looked up, and this is what I saw. Such amazing colors, and again a crisp blue sky. They say we might have some snow flurries this weekend. Before Halloween??

Fall colors still abound

Fall colors are still in full swing, including this gorgeous maple tree whose picture I took yesterday. The afternoon was a little chilly, but I love the canopy of tree branches over the sidewalk, especially when the leaves are so colorful.

World's largest pumpkin

While this is the runner-up pumpkin weighing in at 1,807 lb, I hear the the NY Botanical Garden is showcasing a world record-breaking pumpkin weighing 1,818 lb! That's almost 1,000 pounds more than the biggest one at the NC State Fair last year.

State fair pumpkins

While this photo is from last year's NC State Fair (going on now), the pumpkins still impress today with their remarkable size. The largest one, in the center, weighed in at 864 lb. Huge!

Beautiful fall colors

 

The leaves are definitely changing, and the beautiful weather this weekend with bright blue skies, wispy white clouds, and a crisp breeze meant my camera was out at every turn. I love fall days like these. Several nearby maples were so vibrant I couldn't stop taking pictures.

Horse of chalk

 

Chalkboards aren't just for kids! Recently I drew this horse and then thought he looked as though he could use some attention. I haven't ridden in a long time, but I'm thinking maybe I should get back in the saddle...

Maple syrup in action

A trip to Vermont is not complete without treating oneself to maple syrup, which is exactly what I did this weekend. The drive was beautiful, with lots of color in the trees, and even though many towns and roads had been ravaged recently by hurricane Irene, almost all routes were open and businesses were bustling. Fortunately that included my favorite spot on Route 9, home to the little calf I drew so many years ago. They even had a new one—he was a little under the weather, but they assured me he'll make a full recovery.

Chesapeake buoys

Finding beauty in the everyday is often easy on a shoreline, especially when there might be a crab pot nearby. Many buoys seemed to be bobbing in the water just off shore, but this batch was on recess and posed beautifully for the camera.

Double rainbow

This past weekend on the Chesapeake Bay we were treated to 2 rainbows coming straight up out of the water—the colors of the one on the left were so intense at the base. But what I'd never seen before were the bands of light coming off the rainbow toward the imaginary center, sort of like the spokes on a wheel; you can see them here if you look closely. Spectacular.

October promotion

 

With fall comes Vermont maple syrup and leaves changing to yellows and oranges. So our October promotion features 25% off Vermont Calf and Cucumber Blossom note cards; just enter code "OctPROMO" at checkout. Offer ends 10/31.