Knit One, Pearl Two

It's been so hot the past weekend, summer still sending out flares.  But if you take the time and sniff the air, you can smell that sweet, drying out smell that signals August and the beginning of school.  Maybe that is just a Midwest thing, I'm not sure, but the grass and field corn are sending a signal.  The brilliant colors of fall and knitted caps will soon be on their way.

Day 337. Leaves As Cereal

Have you ever noticed the way fall leaves are like cereal?  There's big, brown, crunchy cornflake leaves; tiny little multi-colored leaves like fruity pepples; and all sorts of breakfast food varieties.  Plus, they all sound differently, too, as you walk through them.  I love it! It's a sonorous pleasure of the season.  Enjoy them while you still can; they're rapidly about to move over and make way for snowflakes.

Well, I had a great little clip of Ebert and me walking along, crunching through the breakfast cereal, but I can't get it to upload.  Ah, technology.  It was nice and goofy, too.

Day 302. Even Indian Summer Was Over (Farewell Ice Cream Man) NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Here's another one I started awhile back and abandoned.  I spent 4 hours completing it today (well, the middle of the night--I couldn't sleep).  I was going to call it "Farewell, Ice Cream Man," but after it SNOWED big fat, wet flakes in Illinois yesterday--October 22nd--before Halloween, I thought, "Even Indian summer is over."

Just two Fridays ago it was 80°F (26.6°C), and my friend and I were eating at an outside cafe.  Two days later, Oct. 13th, I took this pictures around our neighborhood.  I like the juxtaposition of the still green trees flush with autumn leaves of brilliant orange and gold.  The sky was so blue, and I even caught catches of summer flowers, still holding on.  Alas, by the end of the week it was turning cold, the furnace was on, and yesterday, I actually wore my winter coat.  Sadly, I'm already reminiscing the last gift of summer weather seen below.

 16" x 20" (Oval)

October 22, 2013

October 13, 2013

Day 247. Fall Is Creeping In

Oh, red-hot summer.  She's still lounging around like she's in a hammock of endless days.  Summer has really been roasting us this past week, giving us a reminder that she's still in control, capable of making us miserable and forcing us to run into the nearest air-conditioned oasis of cool.

But, this chili pepper of a season is slowing being seduced by fall.  He's creeping in without our gal truly realizing she's losing her power.  He's a gentle fellow.  I've seen his presence at the tippy top of our neighbor's maple true.  Hidden among the green leaves, there he is--just a few leaves turning scarlet orange--already!  In August!  And I've spotted other tell-tale signs of his dalliances.  Buckeyes, still in their round, green casings, hitting the ground.  Crabapples and black walnuts beginning to fall to the earth, and an oversized catalpa leaf, golden bown, almost looking like a supple piece of leather.  There they all are, letting us know a change is near.

Keep burning bright, summer girl.  You're starting to fall into a deep nap...not quite yet...but soon.

 Fall creeping in on summer - soon, the world will be more brown than green.

So beautiful--leaf as leather.