More Extra Large Fungi!

Look Up!

A LITTLE PINK PUFF FLOATED BY . . .

Down & Up

THERE IS NOTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD QUITE LIKE OCTOBER IN NEW ENGLAND. LOOKING DOWN . . . LOOKING UP . . . IT'S ALL MAGIC!

Autumn Morning Mist

THE MORNINGS ARE COLD NOW - SOMETIMES IN THE 30s, BUT THE POND WATER IS STILL WARM. I SEE THIS LOVELY SIGHT ON THE CHILLIEST MORNINGS ON MY WAY TO WORK.
THIS AFTERNOON I'LL BE OFF TO SKY LAKE LODGE IN THE BEAUTIFUL MID-HUDSON VALLEY FOR A WEEKEND PROGRAM. I'LL POST FROM THERE IF I CAN. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND!

Paradise City

ANANDA WILL BE SHOWING HER WORK AT THE PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL IN NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS THIS WEEKEND, FROM SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. STOP BY AND SAY HELLO!

Farm Drive By

COOK FARM IN HADLEY IS BEAUTIFUL - AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE CAFE WITH LIGHT MEALS AND THEIR OWN ICE CREAM! I WASN'T HUNGRY THIS TIME, BUT NEXT TIME I VISIT I'LL TRY THE ICE CREAM. I NOTICED A SHELF FULL OF GLUTEN FREE ITEMS IN THE CORNER BY THE DOOR: BREAD MIX, BISCOTTI, AND WAFFLE ICE CREAM CONES! THAT WAS QUITE A SURPRISE.

Express Yourself

SLOW . . . ONE SIDE . . .

SLOW . . . THE OTHER SIDE!

THE KINDNESS SIDE . . .

AND THE PEACE SIDE.

I WENT OUT AIMLESSLY EXPLORING, AND I FOUND THESE WONDERFUL HOMEMADE SIGNS. I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR MORE.

CLICK HERE TO READ A BLOG POST FROM KARINA OVER AT EL BESO. KARINA LIVES IN ARGENTINA, WHICH HAD ITS OWN DEEP ECONOMIC CRISIS IN 2001. SHE DESCRIBES THE THINGS SHE DID TO ENJOY LIFE WITH LIMITED MEANS - CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN ALL DO - AT ANY TIME - WHETHER WE ARE FLUSH, OR BROKE. I FOUND EL BESO THROUGH 36 SHEA, WHOSE PHOTOS WERE USED TO ILLUSTRATE A FEW OF THE "REMEDIES."

E for Effort

I'VE NEVER BEEN A BAKER OF FANCY DESSERTS. THE HUMBLE COBBLER WAS ALWAYS A FAVORITE. IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE, AND HAS WHAT I REALLY WANT: BUTTERY CRUST AND SWEET, COOKED FRUIT.

HOWEVER . . .

THIS IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT ONE MADE WITHOUT WHEAT FLOUR. IT LOOKS GOOD, IT SMELLS GREAT, BUT IT LEAVES A FEW THINGS TO BE DESIRED. I'VE BEEN INSPIRED BY GLUTEN FREE GIRL TO EXPERIMENT - AND I CAN SEE THAT IT WILL TAKE SOME MORE EFFORT TO MAKE A COBBLER THAT MY GLUTEN-EATING FRIENDS WILL SHARE WITH ME WITHOUT HAVING TO BE POLITE WHEN THEY TASTE IT. THIS ONE ISN'T BAD - IN FACT I HAD TO RESIST A SECOND HELPING! BUT I'M GOING TO WORK ON IT. WHEN I COME UP WITH A SATISFACTORY RECIPE, YOU'LL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW! I'D BETTER KEEP GOING TO THE GYM WHILE I EXPERIMENT!

Warm Applesauce Breakfast

I ONCE HEARD OF AN APPLE PEELING CONTEST - THE WINNER PEELED THE MOST APPLES - AND EACH ONE HAD TO BE THOROUGHLY PEELED WITH A SINGLE, CONTINUOUS SPIRAL OF SKIN. I CAN'T HELP TRYING TO DO THAT NOW, WHENEVER I'M PEELING APPLES. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS YOU MIGHT THINK!

CHOPPED APPLES, A LITTLE BROWN SUGAR AND CINNAMON, AND A SPLASH OF WATER . . .

COOK IT UP 'TIL IT'S BUBBLY AND SOFT. . .

ADD SOME GREEK YOGURT . . .

IT'S THE BEST SUNDAY BREAKFAST AFTER A SATURDAY NIGHT PARTY, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! :-)

It's Really Fall

HERE'S ANOTHER LOVELY BLOG LINK: CLICK HERE TO SEE "MY POLAROID BLOG," FOUND VIA 36 SHEA.

Humungous Fungus II

HERE IS THE SAME MUSHROOM SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS POST. IT HAS MATURED INTO FULL TOAD STOOL-HOOD!
TODAY I DISCOVERED ANOTHER WONDERFUL BLOG CALLED "36 SHEA." YOU CAN GET THERE BY CLICKING HERE.

Humungous Fungus

THAT'S A BIG MUSHROOM!
CAMILLA ENGMAN'S 2009 CALENDAR IS AVAILABLE IN HER ONLINE SHOP.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT.
I'VE FOUND SO MANY GREAT LINKS THROUGH CAMILLA ENGMAN'S BLOG. I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL. TODAY I VISITED MY FUNNY EYE FOR THE FIRST TIME. WONDERFUL PHOTOS, AND GOOD ENERGY!

Dark Evenings

I AM TRYING TO SOFTEN THE BLOW. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER THE END OF SUMMER DIDN'T BOTHER ME. NOW THE SHORTER DAYS ARE TINGED WITH SADNESS. CANDLELIGHT HELPS.

I LIGHT THEM EVERY NIGHT.

Hans Silvester, Les Habits de la Nature

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE OMO VALLEY IN ETHIOPIA, AND THEIR "NATURAL FASHION." CLICK HERE AND HERE FOR MR. SILVESTER'S PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS AT AMAZON. I'M SPEECHLESS.

Signs of Autumn's Arrival

Baby Bonham's Shower

WHAT A SWEET PARTY. ONLY SEVEN WEEKS UNTIL BABY BONHAM MAKES HER APPEARANCE!

The Corn is High

PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO LOOK AT THESE ASTONISHING PHOTOGRAPHS. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THEM BEFORE. I FOUND THEM VIA CAMILLA ENGMAN'S BLOG. SO, SO BEAUTIFUL.

Nathan's New Work

HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT A FEW OF THE PAINTINGS NATHAN WAS MAKING WHEN I VISITED PROVIDENCE IN JULY. OF COURSE MY PHOTOGRAPHY DOESN'T DO THEM JUSTICE, BUT YOU CAN GET SOME IDEA. NATE WILL HAVE A WEBSITE UP SOON - I'LL BE SURE TO POST A LINK.

Inspired by Caio

ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND CLAIRE TOOK US TO SEE AN EXHIBIT OF PAINTINGS ON CANVAS AND PAPER AT THE DRAWING ROOM IN EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. THE WORK IS BY NEW YORK PAINTER CAIO FONSECA, AND I AM IN LOVE WITH IT. IT MAKES ME WANT TO PAINT!

LOOKING AT THIS WORK ONLINE OR IN PRINT, YOU MISS A GREAT DEAL OF TEXTURE AND ACTIVITY GOING ON IN THE SURFACE. IF YOU CAN SEE FONSECA'S WORK IN A GALLERY OR MUSEUM, DO IT!

TO VIEW A 1996 CONVERSATION BETWEEN CAIO FONSECA AND CHARLIE ROSE, CLICK HERE.

Beach Boys

POPSICLE TONGUES . . .

SPRAY ON SUNSCREEN . . .

AND SUNSHINE SUPERMAN! :-)
I HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING THESE LAST SUMMER DAYS!

Last Swim of the Summer

WELL, THERE MAY BE A FEW MORE SWIMMING DAYS LEFT THIS YEAR, BUT LABOR DAY WEEKEND IS A BOOKEND ON OUR SUMMER DAYS.