Dreischor Windmill

 Recently, I learned that a friend had died. Els Van Baarle was a respected fiber artist and teacher. Some years ago, we visited Els in her little village south of Rotterdam. The last line of her written directions read "My house is the one across from the windmill."  It’s a stately windmill, built in the 1790s. It still works, put into service mainly for special occasions these days. I marveled at the views of the windmill from the old wavy glass windows of her front room. We had a delightful visit. I left with a clearer picture of where her signature colors and designs originated. For the rest of my life, windmills will remind me of Els in her quiet village home.

Golden Afternoon

 This week, we had two perfect autumn days with bright blue skies.  Rain and strong winds had prematurely stripped many of the red and orange leaves off of the maples, leaving the yellows of the beeches, tulip poplars, and ginkos. I scuffed along the path and looked up. The afternoon sun came out from behind a cloud, turning the tree canopy golden. The leaves made shivery sounds in the breeze.  It was a day I will remember when we are in the midst of the grays and browns of winter.

Beauty Berry

 Beauty berry lives up to its name. Such a striking plant would be noticed at any season, but it's especially welcome right now, when flowers have faded and gardens look a little tired. The berries are so shiny that they look like plastic beads. Their satiny orchid-lavender sheen contrasts nicely with the chartreuse leaves. Those leaves will turn yellow any day now. The leaves will fall but the berries will remain, spreading their beauty for a while longer.

Jack-O-Lanterns

 Last year, our neighborhood dreamed up ways for families to celebrate Halloween safely. Kids collected candy already bagged and clipped to fences. Others sent it down tubes made into candy chutes. One of the highlights was a wall of jack-o-lanterns. Last year, the lights only said "VOTE" but this time there was a reminder to get vaccinated, something the younger kids are actually looking forward to doing very soon. I shot this at dusk on October 30. By Halloween evening, the wall was complete, with magic and joy multiplying throughout the neighborhood via a congregation of jack-o-lanterns.