HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: If you are seeing this on Sunday, it means I couldn't post Bouchercon photos...but they will come soon!
This is a squirrel in our back yard--clearly baffled that the green tarpaulin cover is on the swimming pool. Yes, we have closed it, and it means summer is over...but it also means the pool will fill up and soon the ducks will come! So it's a marking of the seasons.
What are you doing to get ready for the fall?
I hope you are having a wonderful time in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute squirrel. [We tend to have more wild turkeys wandering through than squirrels.]
Getting ready for fall . . . John does all the stuff for the house and the yard; we take time for a little leaf-peeping.
I gather any herbs left in the herb garden [this year we still have basil, parsley, cilantro, and rosemary] and dry them.
It’s time for flannel sheets and a quilt on the bed; time for sweaters and coats.
Mostly we just enjoy the changing of the seasons . . . .
I'm spending the month of October enjoying the Halloween season and decorations. I always put out Halloween decorations in the house and have so much fun doing so. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to do a short, three days or so, fall trip. It looks like the leaves are going to change a bit late though.
ReplyDeleteYour squirrel picture makes me realize that I've seen a squirrel again in the yard recently. I'm not sure where they went to, but at least they haven't been getting fried on the transformer and taking the electricity out. Good for them and me. I've seen pictures of the black squirrels around Toronto from Bouchercon attendees. I don't believe I've ever seen a black one. I should have looked for that the time I went to Niagara Falls.
I've been enjoying all the posts from Bouchercon, even if they have made me just a little sad that I wasn't there. But, it's great to see all the beautiful faces of those I know in their element. Looking forward to St. Pete next year and planning on doing Malice for the first time, too.
Glad you're having a great time in Toronto!
ReplyDeleteIn the past hour (4-5 am CDT) a cold front has moved through my corner of north Texas, and we're "bracing ourselves" for a week of mild temperatures. Down here that means highs in the 70s instead of the 90s. More importantly, our low temperatures will start dipping below the 70s into the 50s, which means the thermostat that controls my house will start flipping from AC to heat in the course of 24 hours. It did this the other night for the first time since last spring, and had me bolting out of bed at 4 am to figure out what was burning. It was the dust on the heater coils.
The Reds panel yesterday was a hoot - so much great bluffing!
ReplyDeleteAt home I have yet to put the garden away, but when I left most of the tomato plants were done. Otherwise flannel sheets on the bed and airing sweaters is about all I do, other than close windows tight and look forward to cozy soups and short days.
Hope you had safe travels home, Hallie and Lucy/Roberta — I stayed up way too late after dinner with my publisher, and was delighted to field all of the acclaim for the jungle reds panel! Was such a treat to hear all the enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteI wish everyone could have been there.
I am headed for the airport now… And when I get home this afternoon, I will check in again.
And welcome to any new readers! It was such fun to see you all in Toronto. I hope you enjoy our community… We are so pleased you are here. Let us know, OK?
The air conditioning is roaring in Cincinnati and the leaves on the trees are curled up in exhaustion. No fall color. Tee shirts and shorts weather continues.
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for the great avalanche of leaves to come--in the meantime doing those small, odd jobs that crop up--tidying flowerbeds, clipping the hedges, etc. Glad everyone who could go enjoyed B'con and Toronto--looking forward to seeing all the pics!
ReplyDeleteOur leaves have been falling since August because it was very hot and dry. So the leaf clean up will go on into December. But there were flowers on my tomato plant when I left for Toronto, so it we don't have a freeze.... Otherwise, fall cushions on front porch, fall colors out in the dining room, gorgeous potted mums for porch and patio, and fall wreath on the front door. Oh, and pumpkins!!!
ReplyDeleteNo idea about the weather but the atmosphere at Bcon was warm and cozy and thrilling and horrifying and mysterious!
ReplyDeleteWe are off as soon as julie finds the car. Niagara-on-the-Lake by tea time!
So great to see you! Truly--quite amazing. Love you!
DeleteI'm home from Bouchercon - SUCH FUN - and we saw a fat sleek black squirrel in Toronto. Don't have those here in New England.
ReplyDeleteAnn Mason! So grat to meet you and Julie!!
We loved meeting you too. Just crossed the border and will be home in an hour. I'm full of PEI mussels from the bar in the Prince of Wales. Tearoom was full of proper ladies
DeleteHi Julie! xoxoxo
DeleteNothing fall-ish yet. I'm hoping Gigi's cool front makes a dent in our heat when it arrives later this evening. Normally I put out some Halloween decorations but I'm afraid they'll get "deconstructed" with the work crews around. Can you believe they are working today too? I'm tagging along on a trip to Washington DC next month. I'm hoping for some fall colors there and cooler weather.
ReplyDeleteI'll post Bouchercon pix this week. We have to share the Reds at the Reds Bar!
ReplyDeleteAt the airport heading home and still smiling
The Reds at the Reds Bar? I can't wait to see that!
DeleteYet it looks like the Bird of Paradise are just coming up...
ReplyDeleteLots of Fall work here in our garden in Portland OR, we have now have our first frost, so soon all the Hosta will turn yellow and need to be cleaned, the Maples are turning so leaves will soon fall, the flower beds need to be cleaned up once the perennials turn brown or die back, and shrubs need to be pruned, Hydrangeas trimmed, etc. etc. Soon all the green will be gone and the garden look somewhat desolate. Still, we love Fall, Winter, not so much.
On the way to my sister's house in Seattle I thought"Oh that tree is dying.. wait a minute.. IT'S FALL! Back in FL we are transitioning to the dry season. The outdoor stray cat now named "Major Gray" is allowing himself to be petted. The grass is mowed, the butterflies have migrated; the song birds are next.
ReplyDeleteI am happily waiting for recaps and photos of Red adventures at Bcon. You were splendid in your red scarves.
Halloween decorations!!! It's my fave holiday and I can not wait to put up my giant spider and mini graveyard!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear about Bouchercon and the Reds!
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm one of the few haters of Autumn, and don't get me started on winter! I love late spring and all of summer. I love the green leaves on trees, all the flowers everywhere, including flowering trees, shrubs, etc. I love the warmer weather when I don't need to cover up to go outside to throw out the trash. From late October to late May or early June I'm never warm enough, and that brings on the achiness. I no longer will put myself at risk by driving on icy roads to work, so I take a vacation day when the roads are bad, which means one less vacation day when the weather is comfortable. Having to shovel my car out from under the snow is painful drudgery.
Give me spring and summer any time!
DebRo
Home to thunderstorms, a cold front, and power outages threatening. Tomorrow we will start the fall clean up outside, tomatoes are done so off with their heads. We should be at peak prettiness here but it hasn't been cold enough and the maples didn't get the memo. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteIf you watch Ann Cleeves interview of Louise Penny this morning, that last question was mine. Love being a fan girl!