Autumn has Fallen...

It's the end of fall here in upstate NY. These photos were taken a few weeks ago, when the colors were at their peak. Now, we've seen the first of the evil white substance that shall not be named and it's getting cold and the trees are shedding their beautiful raiment at an alarming rate.


This was an experiment to see if I could focus on the reflected image. I'm kinda happy with the result.
One of my favorite stops on my way to my parents house. The water was almost still... and the reflection was so pretty. I love the way the shadow played on the trees, creating a double skyline, almost.

This is the pheasant that has come to follow my parents around like a puppy. They think it was raised and released- several government programs like that around to increase the population of certain species- and so it was no so afraid of us. He came within 2-3 feet of me, showing very little fear.



Have a happy Halloween, everyone. May all you have more candy than the lil ghouls can take from you.

Soundtrack for a 20-something Date

This is the cover of my latest CD compilation. I've been on a few first dates lately, with no forthcoming second dates, and I decided, instead of calling them "first dates", I would dub them "free meals". This is pretty bluntly the truth, and it saves my ego just a little.

So, I was thinking... there are songs that pump me up for a date and songs that soothe my rejection afterward and songs that generally put me in the mood for relationships. Why not put some of those songs together on one CD for me?

And I did. Behold- "Free Meal".

1. SexyBack- Justin Timberlake This song pumps me up, gets my energy flowing and reminds me that I'm a sexy lady. Gotta put a couple of those vibes out on a first date, right?

2. Where Are You Going- Dave Matthews Band I would love to have a man feel/think/say/sing these things to me. My favorite line "wherever you go, there I belong". It's about just being with each othere in a way that is simple, yet devoted.

3. Falling for the First Time- Barenaked Ladies This is a song about contradictions that are the reality of life. "Everyone perfect is lying, everything easy has it's cost.... " but it's not cynical, ending "... maybe the worst is behind".

4. So Pure- Alanis Morissette I have loved this song for years, particularly because it starts, "You from New York, you are so relevant" and I overidentify! It's a song to dance to with abandon.

5. Somebody- Bonnie McKee A song about waiting to find the one, knowing he's out there, waiting for him to show up.

6. These Words- Natasha Beddingfield This is the "I Love You" song from Ms. Beddingfield. I am (impatiently) waiting for the day when I can say this with as much enthusiasm as she sings it.

7. Life Less Ordinary- Carbon Leaf Great band, great song... A life less ordinary is what I want, and the point of view in this songs smacks of hope even after rejection.

8. Stay- Dave Matthews Band This song is about love in a simple sense, very tangible and fun and it's a song that makes me sing at the top of my lungs.

9. Suddenly I See- K T Tunstall I'm taken with this woman's voice ("Black Horse and a Cherry Tree") and this song is so... real. She sings about a woman who affects all she passes, so beautiful and good, and "suddenly I see, that's the way I want to be"... and it's the way I want to be.

10. Milkshake- Kellis Just 'cause. High energy, sexy, fun.

11. Knees of My Bees- Alanis Morissette The man Alanis describes, or at least the impact he has on her is what I want. Also, I like the aliteration of "you make the knees of my bees weak".

12. Shine- Collective Soul Almost a prayer, it's a request to find love, the true kind of love.

13. Unwritten- Natasha Beddingfield I love this song. LOVE it. It makes me feel like I can do anything, I just need to be who I am.

14. Gotta Jibboo- Phish Total nonsense, makes me want to dance, especially because I think of my sister and her husband and how they dance to it. Makes me happy.

15.Born to Fly- Sara Evans I belt this song out at the top of my voice. If I could find somewhere to do karaoke, this would be my signature song. The release in this song, the hope... *sigh*.

16. Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy- Big & Rich Irreverent, sassy and fun. Makes me laugh.

17. Let It Be- Beatles This ends my collection, because, no matter what happened or how good or bad my date was, I have to let it go and keep moving forward.

There you have it.... and I've spent the last few days listening to it, over and over....

Alpacas on Parade

This is an alpaca. Actually, it's two alpacas, but you know what I mean. Last weekend, I visited a local alpaca farm with a friend of mine. My friend wants to raise her own herd of alpacas. They're fairly docile, friendly and such cute animals...

I'm not sure of this girl's name, but she's a young lady alpaca. She was pretty good about letting lots of little kids pet her. One lil man, must've been between 1 and 2 years old, wandered around behind her in his courageous exploration of the barn and she was instantly curious. She wiggled free of her owner and followed him, finally "kissing" him on the head! It was ADORABLE!!! The owner says she loves little kids because they are smaller than she is.


I believe this is Gretel, one of the sheep (and if someone knows what kind they are, please tell me!!! It's on the tip of my brain... ) who was also VERY friendly. She didn't want me to stop petting her.

It was a beautiful day to be out in the country. The leaves are just starting to change and the scent, the earthy perfume of autumn was filling my nose... The smell of fall always makes me feel young again, nostalgic for that first month of school, of coming home in the golden hours of the afternoon when it seems like nothing can be wrong with life...

May your autumn days be golden and crunchy, your autumn nights be chilly and snuggly, and may apple pies always fill your table.

Oh look at how she listens

She says nothing of what she thinks

She just goes stumbling through her memories

Staring out on to Grey Street

She thinks, “Hey,How did I come to this?

I dream myself a thousand times around the world,

But I can’t get out of this place”

There’s an emptiness inside her

And she’d do anything to fill it in

But all the colors mix together - to grey

And it breaks her heart

How she wishes it was different

She prays to God most every night

And though she swears it doesn’t listen

There’s still a hope in her it might

She says, “I pray

But they fall on deaf ears,

Am I supposed to take it on myself?

To get out of this place”

There’s loneliness inside her

And she’d do anything to fill it in

And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now

It feels like cold blue ice in her heart

When all the colors mix together - to grey

And it breaks her heart

There’s a stranger speaks outside her door

Says take what you can from your dreams

Make them as real as anything

It’d take the work out of the courage

But she says, “Please

There’s a crazy man that’s creeping outside my door,

I live on the corner of Grey Street and the end of the world”

There’s an emptiness inside her

And she’d do anything to fill it in

And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now

It’s more like cold blue ice in her heart

She feels like kicking out all the windows

And setting fire to this life

She could change everything about her using colors bold and bright

But all the colors mix together - to grey

And it breaks her heart

It breaks her heart

To grey

"Grey Street", Dave Matthews Band