Day Two Hundred Sixty Nine

Random Pictures From The Day With Shelby And Elijah

Shelby and Elijah spent the day with us while their parents went white water rafting on the Ocoee. Since it was scheduled to rain the whole day, I guess Holly and Jerry figured they were going to get wet anyway. The kids dug out blocks they almost never play with and built castles and towers.

McDonald's is a great place to hang out on a rainy day. You can eat a cheeseburger (after peeling off the cheese), then play like a monkey on the indoor playground. I'm glad these kids choose apple slices over French fries. After McD's, we hit DQ for cones with sprinkles.

Shelby spent most of the day creating Halloween art. She was especially proud of this spider and its web that she drew and colored. She drew a ghost with mean red eyes, and it kept freaking her out every time she looked at it.

The rain stopped late this afternoon, and we ventured out on the back porch. Elijah wanted to swing, but the tree swing was soaked and the ground too muddy, so he settled for a ride with Shelby and Grandpa on the porch swing.

I snapped this picture when Neil said, "The sun is out!" They all had to turn and look. Sunshine has been at a premium these last couple of weeks.

We blew some bubbles to amuse ourselves. And it always does. Elijah was trying to blow the biggest bubble ever!

I could almost hear the angels singing when the sunlight popped through the clouds. What a glorious sight. By then, it was on its way down. Tomorrow is supposed to be dry.

The four of us got into a nasty pillow fight just before supper. Lots of giggling as these two just kept swinging at each other.

Neil and I got out of the way and let them go at it. Shelby landed the most head shots. By the time we finished supper, they were running out of steam. Holly and Jerry picked them up around 7:30. They were exhausted from their rafting (apparently after all the rain, the Ocoee was a raging river) but they had a great time and want to do it again. I'd love to have some pictures of that! Good times, great memories!

Day Two Hundred Sixty Eight

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

For me, anyway. Ornamental gourds like these are just a few of my favorite Autumnal things.

Day Two Hundred Sixty Seven

I Almost Ate The Whole Bag

You have to try these. I had them last year when they first hit the shelves with the other Halloween candy, so I already knew how awesome they taste. Brach's Milk Maid Caramel Apple Candy Corn (made with Real Milk, as if that matters!) Since I have zero willpower to resist such treats, I grabbed a bag of these while we were at Super D drugstore this evening. Serving size is 22 pieces at 130 calories. Not so bad. Unless you eat half the bag before you realize what you've done. Just about made myself sick, but it was totally worth it. Check 'em out!

Day Two Hundred Sixty Six

I've been known to toss a rotting pumpkin or two under the bushes surrounding our deck out back. With all the rain we're having lately, I guess it's no surprise a pumpkin vine would be growing out of one of the hundreds of seeds that landed there.

The vine has the cutest little curls and pods and fuzzy stems.

The vine started growing only a couple of weeks ago. It's a shame it couldn't have started earlier. I might have had some home grown pumpkins by now.

And totally unrelated to rogue pumpkin vines, I noticed this huge praying mantis enjoying the day while perched on this pink flower growing in the back yard. I think it may have been a female because it looked like it was about to deliver a bunch of baby mantises. I'm just glad it didn't jump on me while I was taking it's picture.

Day Two Hundred Sixty Five

The Wind And The Leaves
by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
(published 1918)

“Come, little leaves,” said the wind one day,“Come o’er the meadows with me, and play.

Put on your dresses of red and gold;

Summer is gone, and the days grow cold.”

Soon as the leaves heard the wind’s low call, Down they came fluttering, one and all;

Over the brown fields they danced and flew, Singing the soft little songs they knew.

“Cricket, good-by, we’ve been friends so long! Pretty brook, sing us your farewell song;

Say you are sorry to see us go. Oh! you will miss us, right well we know.

“Dear little lambs, in your fleecy fold, Mother will keep you from harm and cold;

Fondly we’ve watched you in vale and glade: Say, will you dream of our loving shade?”

Dancing and whirling, the little leaves went: Winter had called them, and they were content.

Soon fast asleep in their earthly beds, The snow laid a coverlet over their heads.

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This is the first poem I can remember hearing. My mom's dad, George Bain Gailbreath, taught me the first stanza and I've never forgotten it. I always thought that was all of it and figured it was something he had made up. I never realized until today that it had other verses and was made into a children's song. This old poem is full of melancholy, because as beautiful as Autumn can be, it makes me sad for the little leaves that have already begun to change and fall. Now that I've bummed everyone out, Happy Fall, Y'all!!