Autumn at the Lake -- Saturday Morning

A crisp, cold Saturday autumn morning at my lake seemed like the perfect time to take a walk down Hotel Road and Hermitage Road and see how long I could last in the 30-degree cold.

Standing at Hotel Road and Creekside Drive, looking toward Hermitage Road.

It would definitely be beautiful this morning, as far as color was concerned.  I heard a tap-tap-tap, and looked up to see a woodpecker in the tree below.  You'll have to look closely to see him as I didn't have my telephoto lens with me.  He's almost at the top of the main trunk, with a red head.

I stopped on Hotel Road right where it meets Hermitage Road (the main road out to Route 3), and looked up.  Oh, yes, the colors were beautiful!

Up Hermitage Road is a nature preserve--actually, the preserve covers a good sized space along Hermitage and Hotel Roads--and this morning it was still and peaceful, with a few pops of color.

 Crossing the old railroad tracks beyond the nature preserve.

Wildflower along the railroad tracks.

I lingered a while, then came back to the nature preserve, below.

As I made my way back to Hotel Road to turn and go back to my parents' cottage, I paused for this shot below.  It's the best one from my morning walk, with a variety of colors and trees, with the leaf-lined road curving to the right and to my parents' cottage.  I know the lake is there, just around that corner; that makes this particular photo that much more meaningful.

Back to life,
Christine

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Autumn at the Lake -- First Day

I got to come up again!!  Since my parents came home for three weeks or so in September, they asked me to accompany them back up for their early October close-up-the-cottage trip to my beloved Lake Bonaparte.  Of course I could go!  I'm no longer homeschooling, football games weren't on the radar until the end of the month (photography client--I get to shoot a home game!!), and Fernando was home, trying to drum up business for his company.  He gave me the go-ahead, and so I'm here!!

The lake from our dock, looking left (generally south).

The lake from our dock, looking right (generally north).

So blue, so cold!  And so good to visit during autumn's peak color.  I can't wait to go out searching for colors.

My parents' lake home (lake is to my back).

I braved the cold to huddle on the dock with my coat and a blanket to capture this evening's sunset.  Summer sunsets can be plain and cloudless; there is usually more activity with the change of seasons, and even in winter.  I was hoping for a beautiful one tonight, and the Lord didn't disappoint, painting his sky with blues, whites, and oranges for me.

A good sunset can last 45-60 minutes, and this was a good one.  Fortunately, I prepped my parents so that they knew I may come in late to dinner if sunset conditions were optimal!  They understood, and let me do my thing--my dock date, as I call it.


Back to life,
Christine

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Early October in My Garden

Today I sweet-talked Fernando into helping me dig up the green bean plants in my garden.  He's such a great worker!  Thomas had dug out a tomato plant or two recently, and it looks like this year's winter garden prep will be done one phase at a time.

In the photo below, you can see some red Early Girl tomatoes on the left.  They're still ripening in the warmth we continue to experience, so I'm letting them remain on the vine as long as possible.  I hope to have tomatoes through the end of the month, and if I'm really blessed, into November as I have in some years in the past.

Below is the overview from our pool deck.  I love taking my garden overview pictures from up there, but I know that it may come to an end after the 2013 "pool destruction" winter and the past year of having to let it sit there while we struggle just to make ends meet in our home.  A season for everything...

Later, we had fun inside.  I took a phone picture of Thomas working diligently on a drawing of something car- and/or mechanic-related.  I don't have a clue.  He has a really big brain!

We also shared a rousing game of Settlers of Catan, Allie included!  It's nice to have another girl in my home.  *happy dance*

A hard day's work definitely earned us a fun night of play!


Back to life,
Christine

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End of September Garden Harvest

My garden is still in harvest mode, this late in September!  When I checked on my tomato plants, I found this huge caterpillar...

It's a tobacco hornworm, and it will eat through tomatoes at a voracious rate.  Three tomatoes were a loss because of this little booger.  It's not so little, either--it's huge.  It also has some decent camouflage--I didn't realize I was taking pictures of its rear end until I looked it up and noticed the red spike on the back end.  Little stinker.  I broke off the branch it was hanging out on, and set it on the picnic table for a few extra pictures, then left that dude to fend for itself.  Not in my garden, bro!

The Alpine strawberries were still producing, as you can see below, and I got a nice handful for a morning bowl of oatmeal tomorrow.

Harvest:  a nice colander of Garden Peach (yellow) tomatoes, Early Girl tomatoes (still going strong!), a few plump jalapenos, a handful of Alpine strawberries, and a nice bunch of green beans.  You can see I'm going to have to work on harvesting the parsley, too, as it's surrounding my colander like a jungle!

I'm thankful that the Lord blessed this year's harvest.  We may not have much money while Fernando's business is struggling to get off the ground, but we have fresh food for now and for a little while, too.  There's nothing like real food from your own garden!


Back to life,
Christine

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Down at the River

Today found us in Princeton, Illinois, at the site of the Captain Swift Bridge, the only two-lane covered bridge in Illinois.  No one was jumping off the bridge; we were next to it, along the Big Bureau Creek, to witness the public baptism of two young men.

Big Bureau Creek was muddy-looking this afternoon, and seemed to be rather shallow.  But you need only a few feet for a baptism, so it would work.  Turned out there's a deep channel a little more than halfway across, and the guys stood almost chest-deep in water--plenty for today's ceremony!

Lakota was baptized first, then Robin.

We had a time of prayer over these two young men who publicly dedicated their lives to Christ.

The B. family brought an old pump organ, so we had an accompaniment to our singing!

We all signed the baptism certificates as witnesses.

It's amazing and praise-worthy to see young folks declaring their allegiance to Jesus Christ because of a heart saved by His blood!


Back to life,
Christine

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Birthday Week-End

The culmination of my birthday week was a lovely Saturday spent at Pamela's house, where she had invited several ladies for brunch and uplifting conversation and time together.

The ladies humored my need for a photograph.  :)

Back to life,
Christine

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Birthday Week -- Bubble Tea

Toward the end of my official birthday week, Sarah (adult daughter of one of my church friends) invited me over to teach me how to make bubble tea.  Sarah and her sisters all pitched in, and I watched, asked questions, and learned how to make this Taiwanese tea-based drink.

Cooking up the boba (black tapioca balls) on the stovetop.

Sarah made the tea earlier, and once the boba were done (was done?  Is boba plural??) she mixed it all up and served it in glasses with fat straws (the tapioca balls are large!).

What a fun afternoon!


Back to life,
Christine

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