Outside My Kitchen Window

I spotted this guy yesterday. Poor fella, I think he's as tired of the heat as I am!


I also think he was very smart to find a cool block wall to lay his belly on for a little while.


He reminded me of our pet squirrel, Sam. You can read all about him (and all the other pets I grew up with) here.

No Place Like Home

Home is where one starts from.
- T. S. Eliot

I took a trip to Fresno over the weekend. I enjoyed every minute of it! Saturday night I had dinner with Dad, Barbara, Kim, Rodney, Krysten and Lauren. We laughed, talked over each other, got caught up, and just enjoyed being together. I was at home.

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.
- John Howard Payne

Sunday I walked into Truth Tabernacle. I love that place! It represents the first 27 years of my life. I sat with my Aunt Joyce and Uncle Ken. I saw more friends that I can name, especially because I know I'd forget someone! I saw some of the cutest babies - an itty bitty, beautiful girl who is six months old and a handsome, strapping boy who is 15 months. I listened to the choir sing and heard a long time friend preach. I was home.

Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action.
- Mother Teresa

Monday night I picked Les up at LAX at midnight. He had been to Tennessee for a visit. He saw his parents, both siblings, one brother-in-law, two nieces and a nephew. He had been home but I was glad he was back home with me. Tonight we'll be in church at Victory Tabernacle in Burbank. I'll be at home.

The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
- Maya Angelou

Can "Home" be more than one place? I think so. I hope you have more than one place that you call home. Places you can go and be who you are.

If Home is Where The Heart is ...
by John McLeod
If Home is where the heart is
Then may your Home be blessed
A shelter from the storms of Life
A place of rest,
And when each day is over
And toil put in its place
Your Home's dear warmth
Will bring its smile
To light the saddest face!

And someday, I'll plan to go Home forever!

Just Over in the Glory Land

I’ve a home prepared where the saints abide,
Just over in the glory land;
And I long to be by my Savior’s side,
Just over in the glory land.

Chorus:
Just over in the glory land,
I’ll join the happy angel band,
Just over in the glory land;
Just over in the glory land,
There with the mighty host I’ll stand,
Just over in the glory land.

I am on my way to those mansions fair,
Just over in the glory land;
There to sing God’s praise and His glory share,
Just over in the glory land.

What a joyful thought that my Lord I’ll see,
Just over in the glory land;
And with kindred saved, there forever be,
Just over in the glory land.

With the blood-washed throng I will shout and sing,
Just over in the glory land;
Glad hosannas to Christ, the Lord and King,
Just over in the glory land.

Timing Is Everything

I should have known this would happen...

I posted about Fall Food.


I posted about Fall Candles.

I put out my Harvest decorations.


I bought a new brown and green suit, suited for Fall.


I received four catalogs in the mail yesterday, with Fall/Winter clothing and Christmas gift ideas.


We had record breaking temps yesterday! According to LATimes.com "The weather system created a rare, furnace-like heat, even along the coast, and set all-time records of 113 degrees in downtown Los Angeles and 111 at Long Beach Airport."


Yep, should have known this would happen. Time to start praying for rain!

Fall Favorite - Candles

One of my favorite things about Fall is candles! I love the Fall scents. I burn candles at other times of the year, but these scents just seem to "work" in the Fall! Here are three that I have out at my house right now:

Yankee - Hazelnut Coffee
I am not a coffee drinker, but I love how this candle smells! It's very warm and inviting.


Slatkin & Co. - Vanilla Caramel
This is burning in my house as I type! Don't have time to bake, but want the smell? This candle is the answer!


Aromatique - Cinnamon Cider
This is one of my all time favorites! The smell is very strong. I can light it and pretty soon the entire house smells wonderful!

I've also had a few "dud" candles in my time. This one had absolutely no smell. No matter how long it was lit - nothing. I was ready to throw it out when inspiration hit!



I went to Joann's and bought three little Fall flower arrangements for 99 cents each. I burned the candle until I had some melted wax, blew it out and put the pieces in! New use for a candle with no smell!



Do you have a favorite candle scent?

Friday Foodie - Fall Favorites

Fall has arrived! We're having fewer hours of daylight, I even needed a jacket when I ran yesterday morning (I'm trying to ignore the triple digit forecast for this weekend.)


My Weight Watcher leader gave us a great tip last week. Start eating your holiday favorites now. You CAN have mashed potatoes in October. Cook a turkey breast (a small one is great in the crock-pot). Go to your nearest Cracker Barrel - you know they'll have all your favorites! Bake some muffins or light your favorite Fall candle to enjoy the aroma. Ask your kids what their favorites are. Enjoy a meal with just your immediate family.


Why do this? So you don't put yourself into a food coma on the actual holiday! You know what I'm talking about... "oh, mashed potatoes! sweet potatoes! green bean casserole! yeast rolls! I haven't had these since last year!" as you pile your plate sky high. Pecan pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie! Go here if you want to see what that will cost you.


When the actual holiday rolls around, DO NOT tell everyone you're on a diet even if you are. Just quietly fill your plate with one layer and eat slowly. Enjoy your family and friends. Treasure the people, not the plate. Hold your cousin's new baby so she can eat her meal while it is still hot (all the moms say Amen!)


I will forever cherish the memories of Thanksgiving last year. I have no idea what I ate, but I can still see our family sitting around, watching Grandma as she held her youngest great-grandson while he slept, not knowing it would be her last.


Enjoy the food, but cherish the people!

Samson, Success or Failure?

I'm wrapping up "We Fall Down, We Get Up" for now...

I taught our youth Sunday school class about Samson a few months ago. I learned quite a few things as I prepared the lesson. Some of the commentaries I read made me question my opinion of Samson.

The story of Samson is found in Judges, chapters 13-16. I'll admit, I usually think of Samson as a failure. Although he did many great things, defeating the Philistines repeatedly, he certainly didn't live up to his potential and he loved Philistine women! I've wondered what they looked like compared the Jewish girls he knew. I think it was a lot like what happens in local church - the girls are godly and beautiful, but some boy thinks a worldly girl is much better.

We do not know how old Samson was when he began to judge Israel, but it was at the end of his 20 years of judging that he ran into the harlot of Gaza and Delilah. In other words, he was old enough to know better.

What made Samson so strong was the Spirit of the Lord. Several times the phrase "the Spirit of the Lord came upon him" is found. It is in each of those instances that Samson did a great thing.

So why, when Delilah asked "Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee" did Samson finally reply "There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man."

His strength came from God – his hair was an outward sign of the Spirit of God and his devotion to God. If he had told Delilah, "There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb, but my strength comes from God almighty and no man can take it away,” the Philistines could not have defeated him. As soon as Samson believed his strength came from his hair and not his God, it became true. Somewhere along the way Samson forgot where his strength came from.

But that is not the end of Samson. After the Philistines put his eyes out, he spent time grinding in the prison house. We don't know how long this went on, but Samson must have had plenty of time to think. Think about the prophecy before he was born. Think about the many victories. The Philistine women. His failures.

"Let's call for Samson to celebrate how our god, Dagon, delivered him into our hand!" What a mistake those Philistines made that day. Samson, broken and humbled, did what he should have done all along "And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life. " (Judges 16:28-30)

The final assessment of Samson's life is found in one of the greatest chapters in the Bible. Hebrews chapter 11, that great chapter of faith. After Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and others, we find verse 32: "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:"

Samson, mentioned in the same sentence as David and Samuel. Samson, who got it right in the end, found the strength to get back up by calling on the Lord. Not such a failure after all.

Demas, Fellow Laborer, Departed

Continuing my theme of "We Fall Down, We Get Up..."

We know very little about Paul's fellow laborer, Demas. He is mentioned in only three verses:

Colossians 4:14 "Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you."

Philemon 1:24 "Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers."

2 Timothy 4:10 "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia."

Can you imagine going on Paul's missionary journeys? Being a fellow laborer with Luke, the beloved physician. With Timothy, Titus and Mark?

So what happened to Demas?

"Having loved this present world," conjures up images of parties, drinking, women. Perhaps the pull of wealth was too strong. The Roman empire was going strong. Wealth and prestige were available for a price. Persecution of Christians was high.

Several commentaries said that Demas may have left because he didn't want to go to prison with Paul. He was concerned only for his health and safety. Did he get discouraged? Was the cross too heavy?

I don't know which is the correct interpretation, only that Demas forsook Paul. I feel sure he was prayed for and given the opportunity to stay if he would. But he departed.

I do know that many people leave the church "having loved this present world." They may say the pastor preaches it too hard, or people haven't treated them right, or no one appreciates them, or a multitude of other excuses. But the truth is they love the world more than they love the things of God. 1 John 2:15 says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

I've known many young people, who have been raised by godly parents, who just want to "see what's out there." "I'll be back when I'm older." Sadly, some never make it back. They fall and don't rise again.

It's truly a sad statement "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed." I want my departure to be when the Lord calls me home! So I'll keeping getting up when I fall.

David, A Man After God's Own Heart

What a life that David lived. A shepherd boy. Giant killer. Man on the run from King Saul. The great Psalmist. Finally, King of Israel. He brought the Ark of God back to Israel, rejoicing every step of the way.

But David was not immune to sin and its pull. When he should have gone forth to battle with his army, David stayed in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11 records David's adultery, his effort to cover it up, and finally his hand in the murder of Uriah. What a spectacular fall. The final verse of that chapter says, "But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD."

The very next chapter brings the man of God to David. "Thou art the man" Nathan rebukes David.

2 Samuel 12:13 shows us exactly why David was a man after God's heart. When he was confronted with his sin, he didn't deny, he didn't point fingers at anyone else. David said, "I have sinned against the Lord."

A fallen man has a choice. He can stay down, denying he is even fallen, or he can confess. Because "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

One of David's most beautiful Psalms was written "To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba."

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

David's affair with Bathsheba was not the end of his reign, the best timeline I could find has it right in the middle of his 40 year reign. But he repented, God forgave him, and David got back up again.

We Get Up

Last week's "We Fall Down" post generated more comments than usual. And Bob Carlisle's song has been on continual play in my head. So I decided to spend some time on the second half of falling - Getting Up. I had worked on this post, but it was still a draft when we went to a Fellowship Meeting in Thousand Oaks on Saturday night. Elder Morton was the speaker and I wish y'all could have heard him! It was outstanding as usual, but it also went right along with this theme.

His text was I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." His title was "A Spirit of Repentance." The first step to getting back up is true repentance. Not crocodile tears, not being sorry because we were caught, but true repentance.

While he was preaching, Elder Morton said, "Calvary is enough! It doesn't matter what you've done! Calvary is enough! God doesn't want anyone to be lost."

I had those same thoughts last week. When we say, "I can't get back up," "I can't go on," or "I can't be forgiven." What we're really saying is, "The blood of Jesus isn't powerful enough for what I've done." We may not say it out loud, but that is what is being said. Because if we truly understood the power of the Cross, we would never doubt again. Yes, we will still fall, but we would grasp the nail-scarred hand that was reaching down to us and allow it to pull us back up again.

I remember praying with a young lady a few years ago. After praying for a while I told her, "You can make it. You can live for God." Her response haunts me still. I can still hear the anguish as she replied, "I hope so." She was so full of doubt, afraid of her own weak flesh.

I believe getting back up is a decision. It takes faith, but it can be done. The next time you're tempted to stay down, look yourself in the eye and say, "The blood of Jesus isn't powerful enough for what I've done." If you can say that, you can stay down. But if you want to get back up, shout it in the face of your despair, "The blood of Jesus IS powerful enough, no matter what I've done!"

HE is faithful and just. He WILL forgive us and cleanse us.

I'm not done with this topic, there are a few people in the Bible I hope to write about in the next few days. Some who fell and got back up. Others who stayed down.

Friday Foodie

This is a two week Friday Foodie - one recipe from last week and one from this week!

Last week we had a touch of Fall in the air and that made me want Pumpkin muffins! I had my spice cake mix but could not find canned pumpkin anywhere. Did you know there has been a damaged pumpkin crop? Well there has! As I stood in the grocery store trying to figure out what to do, it hit me! Here's what I made:

Spice Muffins

Makes 18 muffins
1 Spice Cake Mix
1 15 oz. can Sweet potatoes in light syrup


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Grease cupcake pans. Mix ingredients and pour in prepared pan. Bake according to mix instructions for cupcakes, using the full amount of time (approximately 25 minutes).

Remove from oven and enjoy while still warm!


Yes, I used sweet potatoes in muffins and they were SO good! They had a lighter consistency than the pumpkin muffins but they really hit the spot.

Nutritional info: 129 calories / 0.28 g fiber / 1 g fat / 2.6 WW points. (The pumpkin muffins are 2.4 WW points each.)


This week I tried a recipe from Parade Magazine in the Sunday paper. It sounded so good, but the calorie and fat count was really high. 410 calories with 30 grams of fat for a bowl of soup is out of my range! I looked over the ingredients to discover the only truly fattening item was coconut milk. Did you know 1 cup of coconut milk has 552 calories with 57 grams of fat? I didn't either!! I substituted low fat vanilla soymilk and 2 tablespoons of toasted coconut for the coconut milk and made a wonderful soup! And I cut 19 grams of fat PER SERVING!!!

Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup

Spicy Relish
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1/2 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into a small dice
Salt and fresh black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sweet Potato–Coconut Soup
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into a large dice
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (Substitute 1 1/2 cups light vanilla soymilk and 2 Tbsp. toasted coconut to reduce calories and fat)
1 Tbsp clover honey
Large pinch of ground cinnamon



1. For relish: (You should actually start this after you add your sweet potatoes to your pot of soup in step two) Heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add red-pepper flakes; heat for 10 seconds. Add the diced sweet potato, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 15 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook until diced potatoes are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the parsley.

2. For soup: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock and water; bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

3. Transfer mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Return to saucepan; simmer over low heat. Whisk in coconut milk, honey, and cinnamon. Cook until thickened and warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls; top with a spoonful of the spicy relish.

Serves 4. Per serving Original recipe: 410 calories / 30 g fat /4 g fiber / 10 WW points. Per serving Revised recipe: 331 calories / 11 g fat / 8.9 g fiber / 5.8 WW points.

I don't know what the original "full fat" recipe tasted like, but this was really good! There were so many different flavors from sweet to spicy! And we used the points we saved to enjoy some wonderful yeast rolls!

Why Do I Run?

Our Weight Watchers leader "rapped" this little ditty a couple weeks ago! I could relate to it so well!

Why do I run?
'Taint no mystery -
Wanna have a good
Medical History.

Doctor told me
Runnin' is great-
Helps them blood cells
Circulate!

Great for the lungs,
Great for the ticker,
Can't nothin' getcha
In better shape quicker.

Feels so healthy
Feels so sweet,
Pumpin my arms
And flappin' my feet.

Moldin' my muscles
Firmin' my form,
Pantin' like a pack mule,
Sweatin' up a storm,

Keeps me youthful,
Keeps me loose,
Tightens my tummy
And shrinks my caboose.

Beats being sluggish,
Beats bein' lazy -
Why do I run?
Maybe I'm crazy!!

by Ed Cunningham

So now you know Why I Run!

We Fall Down

Last week Les uttered a prophetic statement. We had just finished a ride on Las Llayas. We had made great time going downhill. He said, "You know, one of these days one of us is going down on this."

Uh oh... Yeah, that was me yesterday. We had done our ride to the "Y" together. Les had continued on. I had turned around. Less than half a mile from the "Y" I hit a patch of sand, going faster than I should have been. You cannot break in the sand. Before I knew what was happening, I was out of control, going faster, and heading for a tree! Before I hit the tree, I went up a small embankment that slowed me down.



Whew!

I stood there, checking my bike and my legs. Minor scratches on my legs, but no blood gushing anywhere. I was okay, just a bit shaken up.

Hmm... what to do now?

I knew it would be 30-40 minutes before Les was back to the "Y". So I got back on my bike, went down the two miles to the cattle crossing and turned around and went back up to the "Y".

I got back up.


Bro. Weeks preached an amazing message at our church Sunday night. His title - "What Nickname Would the Church Give You?" His text was Acts 4:36, "And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,"

If I asked you about Joses, you might have to think a while. But Barnabas (Joses' nickname) is known for many things in the New Testament church. He is the one who reached out to Saul after his conversion while others were afraid of him. He ministered in Antioch and later traveled on some of Paul's missionary journeys.

We are all known for something. In can be positive or negative. But we are known for it. Church gossip? Preserver of unity? Prayer Warrior or Tale Barer? Quitter or Fighter?

As I was thinking of my fall and Bro. Weeks' message, I thought of the song by Bob Carlisle, "We Fall Down."

We Fall Down

We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
And the saints are just the sinners
Who fall down and get up

It's not a matter of IF we will fall, but what we do WHEN we fall. Proverbs 24:26 says, "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief."

Fall down, but don't stay there!

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown

I finished this post last night and scheduled it to post today. Then I received this quote in my daily email from Runner's World that I had to add:

"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else." - Steve Prefontaine, American middle and long-distance runner

Youth Alive 2010

Another Youth Alive is in the books! And I'm still trying to recover from an extremely busy four days!

It all started Thursday night at our church. I didn't get a single picture because I was on the platform. Friday night we moved to a rented building - our church cannot seat all the young people that come to this event! Pastor Ben Weeks from Lake Park, Georgia was the speaker this year. His preaching blessed us in every service, along with his wife and daughter singing. This picture is from Sunday night - they were singing a song that his daughter wrote!


The Friday night crowd. Full to the balcony! (Hi, Mary!)


This truck carried all the sound equipment from the service to Knott's Berry Farm Friday night. This is a HUGE job!


Just like last year, Les assisted the sound technician - which meant we didn't ride a single ride! We did sneak out and have some chicken at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. The food was delicious!


I loved reading all the history of the Knott family and how America's first theme park came to be. I remember coming here as a kid in the 60s!


I snapped a few shots of the park on our way back to the theater.


The roller coaster I didn't get to ride...


I tried to enlist some help, but these guys wouldn't budge...


And these ladies weren't dressed appropriately for Alive at the Park!


At about 3:00, the singers and musicians started gathering as the sound men were doing their final checks. The platform was ready...


The doors opened at 4:00...


At 4:30 we started our program, on 9/11, with four marines...


We'll never forget!


This was the only "action" shot I got! I was running from one end of the back stage to the other! (Hi, Josh! Thanks for your help!)


Thanks to everyone who came, helped, sang, played, and worshiped! It was a great time!

Youth Alive Service Times

Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.

Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
Hall of Liberty
Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn
6300 Forest Lawn Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(Mass Choir practice at 5:00 p.m.)

Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Taking a Break

Youth Alive starts tomorrow night!!! With that being said, I probably will not post again until Monday or Tuesday...



I've got a lot to do, but I'm looking forward to a great time with the entire gang! Hope to see you there!

The Promise of Fall

After a weekend of triple digits, it's a cool, overcast morning here today. I'm sure we're not done with hot weather yet, and the first day of Autumn is still a few weeks away, but it always seems like Fall when Labor Day is behind us. A few trees in the neighborhood are starting to change colors already and pumpkin muffins are starting to sound really good! Of course it also means the holidays are around the corner with family gatherings and good times.

"A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake
and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made.
The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds,
no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air."
- Eric Sloane


"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting
and autumn a mosaic of them all."
- Stanley Horowitz


"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
- Albert Camus


"Come said the wind to
the leaves one day,
Come o're the meadows
and we will play.
Put on your dresses
scarlet and gold,
For summer is gone
and the days grow cold."
- A Children's Song of the 1880's