violet

we have had a series of unseasonably warm and sunny days (even for California) and I am grateful for the variety of plants (mostly salvias) that are still blooming.

violet

that pencil has been taped to her door for months.  and somehow it fits right in with her approach to the world.

violet

veruca salt:  let's be friends.
violet beaureguarde:  best friends.

violet

Hanging out with baby D. while he napped was one of the high points of my day.

end

holly

val

end

this is what a 9 year old boy's pants look like after an afternoon of kickball.

end

i ended the day early with a hot bath.

end

Yummy banana bread from my lovely neighbor.

end

"all passengers must exit the train."  harlem/lake is the end of the line in the evening.

end

chilly autumn night
family eating dinner
don't forget the cats

end

the end of a dinner out with friends celebrating her orange belt.

end

most of the jack-o-lanterns ended up in the gutter this past weekend, awaiting their final trip to the great compost heap in the sky.

end

and just like that, today marked the end of daylight during my evening commute.

treat

val

holly

treat

a tiny cup of {very strong} hot chocolate on a chilly {for California} fall day.

treat

red wine on a chilly rainy day makes my entire body warm.

treat

yesterday's popcorn and a few past-their-prime grapes = tasty snacks for the chickens. 

treat

i ate outside for maybe the last time this season. (that pumpkin pie milkshake was delicious).

treat

I do love a nice bouquet of flowers in my kitchen.

treat

the sorting of the candy has commenced.....

treat

"my costume is so awesome because you made it.  people can tell how much you love me."

treat

trick-or-treating with friends - both hers and mine.

low

 val

holly

low

beer. baseball. cheese.

low

from the library:  american curl cats and ramona quimby, age 8.  my all time favorite combination of books she brought home was the history of elevators and what it feels like to be adopted.

low

the end of the day.

low

on my commute home, i was approached three times by strangers.  one asked me a question about paul simon; the second asked if i liked his hat; the third complimented my skirt.

low

sidewalk camera: converse with cat.

low

i didn't beat the good light home.

low

we get some good chalk art in my neighborhood.  it often pays to look down.

low

i can't believe i am the mother of an 8 year old.  low is definitely not how i'm feeling today....

favorite

 val

 holly

favorite

this red bowl was a gift of sorts from a favorite person and has become the receptacle for many of my current favorites.

favorite

happy news.  sad news.  news that made me pause.  this week has been overwhelming on the emotional front.  and i just remembered that monday is the birthday of not one, but TWO of my favorite people in the world.

favorite

this is Lulu.  She is my favorite chicken.  I used to think she was a bit dim, but I think I was wrong.  She is a bit of a loner and is always the last one in because she just loves to run around. and jump up on things. and eat grapes.

favorite

one of my favorite quotes:  "Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck." :: Dalai Lama XIV 

favorite

although I have become quite partial to spring in recent years, fall is still my favorite season.

favorite

one of my favorite things about the waning light in the evenings this time of year is the appearance of twinkle lights.

favorite

it's quite impossible for me to truly state that pears are my favorite fruit, but their season (here) seems so fleeting and they do photography especially well.

favorite

"mama, what's your favorite color after blue?"  "white."

vibrant

val

holly

vibrant

this is Mimi. she is hysterical.

vibrant

i love seeing the evening sun after a drizzly rainy day.

vibrant

hanging with the chickens in the orchard & enjoying the autumn light.

vibrant

paula always asks me what the current word is.  she is one of the most fabulously vibrant people i know.