It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood...

So I took pictures of my morning outside with the dogs.  We raked up the leaves from the one of our 21 trees that is about finished dropping her leaves ...

Cue the shower scene music from Psycho... (I wish I could embed the soundtrack  'cause the shower kind of sounds like leaves rustling and the scream... well, it's what I had in my head when I took the picture.)

Oh, alright.  A little perspective.

This is a 90 lb. dog and a 12' by 24' tarp.  When I gathered the ends to drag it down to the street, I couldn't move it more than a few inches.  Even without the dog riding along.  I'll have to wait for the kids to get home to get it dumped in the gutter.  I just hope it doesn't rain before then... that'll at least double the weight of these leaves. 

Without something more constructive to do, I walked around and photographed our fall time yard. 

There are plenty of liriope and holly berries for the birds to eat this winter.  If we ever have one.

There was plenty of talk around town earlier this fall about the dry,  hot summer eliminating any fall color we might get ... Wrong again.  Sheesh.  There were even news features on TV and in the paper about the lack of fall color -- it seems as if they are assiduously avoiding talking about anything that has any gravitas or international importance lately.  Local murder rate and leaves... ggrreeaatt.

Here is the dogwood in my front yard.  Colorful enough for you?  (Well, I did do a color adjust, but on my monitor this is how this tree looks in the yard.  I'm all about full disclosure.)

To me, these Sugar Maples at the end of the driveway look a lot like the roving I'm spinning.  Both make me happy.

And this Maple (Sugar too?) across the street from my back door?  Absolutely singing!

I really do love fall leaves and their colors... the colors in this palette are often my colors of choice for knitting.  I just wish they'd stay on the trees.  Or that they'd blow into the neighbor's yarn...  ***Edited:  YARD!  I meant yard... Thanks Frida.  Yes, it's probably something subliminal.  Snork.

Comments

[Fríða]

hihi, "Or that they'd blow into the neighbor's YARN..." !!!!! is that a Freudian slip, Annie?
best from Iceland
Frida

[Rachel]

"I just hope it doesn't rain before then" It started pouring here about 2 seconds after you posted this. Beautiful pictures today. I especially like the first leaves picture and the berries.

[trek]

21 trees?! We have two maples and that is quite enough leaves for me, thanks.

[Pat K]

21 trees. You have more trees in your yard alone than some neighborhoods around here. Fortunately not my neighborhood, as there are a nice amount of trees here and they are now in full autumn splendor. Lovely pictures.

[Lucia]

What's liriope? Can you make natural dye with it? (That seems to be all I ask about a plant lately.)

Don't you love the so-called news media? One wants to scream at them, "Stop already with the scandal du jour and spend half an hour laying out the basics of universal health care. You might actually educate someone." But no. It's all about the volume.

[cecily]

Oh, how I love St. Louis when fall foliage ACTUALLY comes out! :D

[Julie]

Oh your leaves last so much longer than ours. Of course mine DID blow all into my neighbors yard last week - sorry. I to seem to knit fall colors a lot -

[Alex]

I hadn't had a chance to read your blog in a while, Annie; I enjoyed the posts! I've also been meaning to email the book people about how interesting the last discussion was...

Lastly, your knitting is beautiful. I wish my carpal tunnel didn't hamper me - not to say I'd be able to knit as well as you or Bridgett ever, but a pot holder would be cute... ;-)

[crzjane]

Those leaves look so beautiful! We didn't get really good color this year, in So. Western MA. My favorite is yellow, orange and red, all on the same tree!
Thank you for sharing your pictures.

[Pooch]

Exquisite fall pixs. The colors are amazing! Felt like a walk through the neighborhood.

:)