Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

This past week we traveled to Milan, Illinois to celebrate Thanksgiving

with Maggie’s family. The children were looking forward to pulling on

their rubber boots and walking down the hillside and across the field to

Mill Creek, dogs in tow.

Maggie and her brothers grew up messing around in this creek. When

the kids returned, wet and hungry, we listened to their stories.

I headed down to the creek myself after a few chores were checked-off

the list and the afternoon light began to soften. The laughter of adventure,

somewhere around the bend, was muted in the sunlit afternoon.

~ Hal

The Dance

The Dance

What a great week. I sent out my “announcement” and was warmed by 

a slew of encouraging emails from friends and family across the country. 

Thank you!

One of those notes was from my friend Lauri, who sent me a photo in return, 

a wonderful close-up of a juniper branch and berries that she had taken last 

week. Lauri’s photo had a vital, joyful quality that raised my spirits.

I kept that in mind this evening as I took the dog for a walk. When the light

began to fade, I looked over my shoulder and noticed this oak and cloud 

dancing across the sky.

~ Hal

Echoes

Echoes

I can imagine, but I can’t honestly remember what this flower looked like a the height of summer. Maggie cast some handfuls of mixed seed at the back fence in early spring. What returned to my eye was a profusion of beautiful confusion.

Now it has come ‘round again, and everything is turned upside-down, reversed, potent.

~ Hal

Bittersweet

Bittersweet

I guess winter is really here. I stepped outside to examine the 

bittersweet growing to the side of our patio and was pelted by sleet.

I love this plant, it reminds me of our wedding. Maggie and her 

mother gathered bittersweet together and then used it in the flower 

arrangements.

On our patio it grows really well. And at this time of the year, 

entwined with honeysuckle, it is by far the brightest thing seen 

from our kitchen window.

~ Hal

The End of Autumn

The End of Autumn

Today is the first real day of my photo journal project. It seems like a bleak time of year to start taking photos, the glory of autumn is past, although there is still a touch of color to be found.

I had my eye on a few remnants in the garden over the weekend and on Sunday I stepped out the back door to take a closer look.

~ Hal