Nature's Boldest Triumph

"Once more the liberal year laughs out

O'er richer stores than gems or gold:

Once more with harvest song and shout

Is nature's boldest triumph told."

                                                              John Greenleaf Whittier

Can you believe I have never made an apple pie?!  How pathetic is that?  Anyway, I've got nothing else to report from the Little Red House today, so I'll just wish you all a happy weekend.  :)

A Little Fun

Don't you love these little white pumpkins?  I'm just having some pumpkin fun today.  Happy Thursday!

A Walk in the Park

It's really starting to look like autumn here, so I thought you might enjoy taking a walk in the park with me.  This park, called Natirar, is about ten minutes from our Little Red House, and we like to stop by occasionally to walk the trails, which wind through a beautifully landscaped former  estate.  

There is a subtlety to the color of these trees.  I love their soft color.  No flames here  yet, just gentle blushes.

Part of the walking path takes us through the woods, where the trees drape their graceful arms over a gurgling stream.  Wearing their leaves of gold, they seem to glow with an inner light.

All too soon, there will be more leaves underfoot than above our heads.  Carpe diem.

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I wanted to tell you all how much I enjoyed reading all about your autumn favorites on Monday.  Thank you so much for painting such lovely pictures with your words!  There was even a beautiful poem among the comments -- thanks, Cheryl!

Vintage Daisies

A little vintage love for you today.  Happy Tuesday!

My Favorite Things

Ever since I was a little girl, one of my favorite things about autumn was the sound of Canadian geese.  Whenever we heard their loud honking, we would drop whatever we were doing and run outside to see them fly overhead.

I'm going to be lazy today, and ask you to help me.  Will you tell me what your autumn favorites are?  I'd love to hear all about them.  :)

Thank You, and a Giveaway

I just wanted to say thank you to all who joined in the civil discourse yesterday.  Although there were differing opinions, everyone was polite and respectful.  You encourage me to have faith in the future.

I want to send you over to my friend Kate's blog -- Chronicles of a Country Girl.  She is a wonderful photographer, and she is having a terrific giveaway.  So if you get a chance, stop by and tell her I sent you.  You'll be glad you did!  :)

Civil Discourse

Warning: political commentary to follow.  I know some of you may not agree with me, so feel free to stop reading now.  

 I will probably regret this, but I just feel as though I need to speak out about something.  And after all, this is my blog, right?  So here goes:

It is with increasing dismay that I am following the presidential election this year.  I am frankly appalled at the bitterness and rancor that this contest has spawned.  We are being asked to join in a culture and class war that will divide us for years to come, just when we need to be united to face our common enemies and solve our pressing problems. 

 It is the politics of fear and resentment, and it is appalling.

 I will be honest with you here -- I did not vote for George Bush, and I do not intend to vote for John McCain.  I think Senator McCain is an amazing war hero, and I honor his long record of public service.  I just don't agree with his stands on certain issues, and he is not my choice to lead the country in the direction I think it ought to go. 

 As far as Sarah Palin is concerned, I'm sure she has been a very effective advocate for her state of Alaska, but I'm afraid I do not agree with some of her cultural views, and I think she is weak in foreign policy matters.  And in a world that is getting smaller and more interconnected every day, foreign policy will play an extremely important role in the years to come.

Each of us has a very important choice to make this November, and I am hoping against all hope that this choice will be made not out of fear or resentment of the other candidate, but out of our hopes and aspirations and dreams for our country.  We must not give way to those who would seek to divide us for political gain.  Rather, we must remember the ties that bind us all.

  And a little of the civility that our mothers taught us wouldn't hurt, either.