Neighborhood Color

There are all these bushes around my neighborhood that are stunning right now!  Their leaves change to crimson as the season turns and are now gradually falling off, and it seems they often fall off the tops of the bushes first, leaving this awesome combination of slate grey sticks and brilliant magenta color.  They're all over the ground and it looks like the sidewalks are strewn with rose petals!  I googled around to find out what it is, and I think it might be a Euonymus alata, commonly called the "burning bush" shrub.  Cool, huh?

Afternoon in Central Park

I went to NY last week for a quick visit to see some friends, and had an awesome time.  I love this city!  One afternoon was spent wandering around Central Park, where we saw fall colors, someone taking footage for google interactive maps, an acrobat showing off his muscles and skills, and lots of people lounging around and enjoying the beautiful weather. 

From Our Backyard

I understand why vineyards are a vacation spot.  We have a small trellis of grape vines in our backyard by the apple tree; their scent hangs heavy in the air as they gather in clusters, and picking them is almost a spiritual experience.  Vines and branches are a strong biblical metaphor, after all.  They are such a bold color, and each vine curls and coils into a unique shape as it grows.  Yesterday was a beautiful day in the midst of a week of foggy rain and mist, so I went outside to breath, and harvested a large bowl of fruit!

Shorter Days

The days are starting to get noticeably shorter - the evening lights slants into our kitchen at an earlier hour now.  The changing of the season always makes me feel excited and a little wistful at the same time.

Beach Picnic

 Welcome to the beautiful haven of Beavertail State Park, where the breeze is strong, the waves crash with excitement, and saltwater flies in your face!  As the weather got chillier this past weekend, we packed a fall picnic full of delicious homemade salsas and pestos (chefs pictured in the 5th photo) and went to go sunbathe on the rocks by the sea - only sailboats, fishermen, and lichen as witnesses.  Fall picnics have a very different feel from summer picnics, more exhilarating than lazy and hazy.  What a great place!

Tea Time

This is the first day where there has been a real briskness in the air!  Time to officially break out the scarves and hot beverages.  Check out our cool tea shelf :)