fall | Change Is Hard

Pretty picnic area

Katie made me feel guilty enough to make sure she got to go on an adventure this weekend. Knowing that it was going to rain most of Sunday Katie and I headed over to a park late Saturday. We were introduced to this park by Katie’s doggie friend Peep last spring and it’s taken us all this time to visit it again. Because we went on the spur of the moment we couldn’t coordinate with Peep this time but we’re pretty sure we’ll be able to get together again this fall.

Katie and Peep

This park has a lot of trails through the woods and I figured I’d find a trail head and we’d just walk for a bit. The first place I parked turned out to be the parking lot for disc golf so it was a bit too busy for us, but the picnic area was pretty. The second place we stopped was also a picnic area, but it was empty and had a trail leading back into the woods. So we were off!

Exploring

It was a lovely afternoon; no bugs and lots of sunshine.

A walk in the woods

There are a couple lakes at the park too, and we walked down through a boat launch to explore a fishing dock. It moved and squeaked a bit as we walked on it making Katie jump at first. But after she figured out there wasn’t anything scary there she was happy enough to be near the water.

Fishing dock

Mostly though we walked on the paths through the woods and enjoyed being out in nature. Lots of squirrels chattering and chipmunks squeaking, but Katie was very good when we did a little recall.

Recall!

She loves doing recall when we’re at a park. But I only do it once, and only if she is focused on me. She didn’t let a little chipmunk distract her. She’s a very good girl.

And she wants to know what we’re doing next weekend. I don’t know little one…but I’m sure it will be fun!

Riding home

September 28, 2013
by dawnkinster 19 Comments

Photo challenge – saturated.

This week the photo challenge from WordPress is to provide a photo that represented the concept of saturation. The post was talking about saturated color so here’s just a tiny piece of the color in my yard at this time of the year. The garden is trying so hard to be spectacular, as if it knows frost could arrive at any moment.

buzzzzzzz….

Of course before I read the complete instructions I was thinking more along these lines:

Saturated!

I guess the flower is prettier. But don’t tell Katie that, she gets her feelings hurt easily. Don’t you know.

Light

September 27, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

I’m being ignored!

Hi guys! I’ve missed you!

Katie here. Have you noticed that I have not been featured on this blog for days and days? Months maybe? Well. I’ve noticed it too, and let me tell you I’ve been telling my Mama off. After all, what in the world is more important than me? Right. NOTHING! That’s what I’ve been telling her too. Even Dad noticed that she hasn’t written about me!

Tonight when she finally got home from work she said we’d go on an adventure. Yea. Right. She says that all the time and then do you know what happens? Absolutely n.o.t.h.i.n.g. So when she got my leash down I was all excited. And you know where we went?

Big purple flower. Yawn.

We went on a walk around the yard.

Little purple flower. Double yawn.

Yea. Exciting isn’t it. My own darn yard. And she made me pose next to flowers and stuff. This did not feel like an adventure at all. I have been gypped once again.

So I stole a tomato out of the garden.

Yum!

Cause I deserve it.

I want a real adventure!

September 16, 2013
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

Sunday adventure. No dog involved.

Sunday my rambling genes took over and I left the house in early morning. I took the camera, not knowing where I was going or what I was looking for. It wasn’t a pretty day; the skies were grey with low hanging clouds. Not even interesting low hanging clouds. Rain threatened.

As usual when my heart is tugging me toward the road I headed north for awhile. After an hour or so I knew I was in farm country and headed west on a smaller highway. I saw the soybean fields were turning yellow and then I knew what I’d be looking for.

You guessed it.

Red barn, green roof, yellow field.

Barns in fields of yellow soybeans. (Make sure you click on the photos to get all the detail.)

Along the way I also saw other stuff, some of which I even stopped to photograph. Those will have to be displayed in future blogs. Because this one is about barns and yellow soybean fields.

Red barn…yellow field.

Of course some of the best photos I have only in my mind as there was nowhere to stop. I was usually out on a freeway thinking “DARN! There’s another great shot!” But when I got off the freeway and meandered down dirt roads I found plenty of picturesque stuff.

Yep. It’s another barn in a soybean field. Pretty, isn’t it!

Ummm…red barn…you’ve got the rest…

Obviously I thought so.

Not a red barn, but still pretty.

September 14, 2013
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

Frosty morning

Garden beauty

This time of year we here in Michigan are always threatened by an early frost. Just when late blooming dahlias are at their best the weather turns cool and those dastardly weather people start making noises about frost. Wednesday it was in the 90’s (32.2 C) here. Last night we were warned it could go as low as 38 (3.33C) in the city, maybe colder out here in the country. So after supper Katie and I went out and cut a few of the beautiful blooms, bringing them in to save them from the cold.

New variety

Katie had to go out this morning at 5:30 and I could see there was frost on the roof of the car parked in the driveway but I haven’t been out now that it’s daylight to see if the frost killed any plants. We covered the tomatoes with sheets so they should be fine. Meanwhile I have these lovely flowers inside to enjoy. And Katie and I saw a shooting star when we were wandering in the cold earlier.

Pretty amazing

Flowers and shooting stars. Not a bad way to start the weekend.

Summer memories

September 5, 2013
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

Tomato Thursday

What? That’s not a popular concept?

Huh.

After years of no crop we almost gave up and didn’t plant any tomatoes this year. Still…it’s hard to give up on the hope for fresh homegrown tomatoes. So husband planted 6 plants.

Guess it worked out.

Yum!

Katie loves tomatoes. She heads right out to the garden to see if she can pick any for herself whenever we’re outside. She’s feeling a bit put out that her dad picked so many for us. If any were to accidentally fall on the floor she wouldn’t complain about cleaning them up.

She’s still waiting.

waiting….

September 4, 2013
by dawnkinster 16 Comments

#1300

This is the 1300th post on the blog. I wanted to write something meaningful, heartfelt, something about one of my favorite causes. But instead let me tell you about today’s morning trip out into the 6 a.m. darkness to find the perfect spot.

I had been dreaming about my mother. I lost the dream when I woke to find Katie standing on me asking to go out. But I was thinking about mom when I clicked Katie’s leash onto her collar and we ventured out into the cool morning air. The stars were out. I glanced up and saw Orion’s belt, my representation of my mom, in the sky. I don’t think I’ve seen it all summer and it felt good to have her overhead again.

We walked down to the end of the driveway, Katie, mom and I; Katie sniffing her usual places where other dogs leave her messages. I was watching the sky and thinking about mom when I realized Katie wasn’t sniffing anymore. She was staring intently over at the neighbor’s yard. “That’s just our shadows silly girl” I told her. And I moved a little just to prove my point.

And then we heard this; you only have to hear the first few seconds to get the effect. The sound was just over our property line…perhaps 20 yards away. Katie didn’t even bark back. She looked at me. I looked at her and together we hustled back to the house.

We were creeped out, but not as much as if Katie’s dad hadn’t heard this last week when he was out with Katie around midnight. He described it and found it on youtube for us to hear. So I wasn’t so surprised once I got my heart rate back down and could think about it. I don’t think the fox would have come toward us. Katie wants to go back outside. But I’m not taking any chances.

Not till the sun is up anyway.

Wordless Wednesday

August 21, 2013 by dawnkinster 12 Comments

January 27, 2013
by dawnkinster 27 Comments

Four seasons

I thought you might like to see a local farmer’s field. Really. It’s the prettiest field, with a gentle set of hills and a fringe of trees. I look at it each time I drive by, and it’s a little different every day. So a year or so ago I decided to stop and photograph it once during each season. Click on the photos to see the detail…and enjoy the seasons in Michigan.

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: fall

Wordless Wednesday – after the rain (click on photo for details)

Adventuring we go