Whew! It sure has been a while since I posted anything. The end of summer/beginning of autumn brought a type of hectic I just wasn't entirely prepared for. I've been writing like a ...I dunno...an obsessed writer? I must have used up my supply of metaphor for the week: I've been writing a lot is the point I'm trying to make. Regardless of how fast the speed-of-life is moving, there is always something just around the corner to leave me completely joyful. My squirrelly pal [pictured above] has been amusing me daily.

He has a daily routine. He shimmies up the pole,

does a trapeze dive for the feeder,

grabs a handful of food then swings back and forth (upside down) while he chews! When that mouthful is done, he gets upright and does it all again! I tried to tell him he might choke, but being that I'm not fluent in Squirrel I was never really able to get my point across.

Another delight just outside my window are the birds whose food my squirrel has been eating. Chickadees are plentiful and apparently they're also always hungry!

This pair stopped by a few times in October. I'm new to actually caring about what birds are doing and what song they sing and although I suspect this is a common bird, I can't find it online. I'd appreciate it if anyone has a spare moment and might be able to drop me a line to let me know the name of this bird.

Roma Tomatoes!

This is the first tomato I've ever grown and picked! It finally came up in August. I'm so excited and terribly impressed with the gorgeous color. I used it (and others from Cub Foods since my plant had only produced one at the time) to make my fabulous Bruschetta. Perfecto!

Light Show

Last night I was treated to an amazing light show. Lightening was flashing repeatedly...never more than 10 seconds without lightening. It was entirely unaccompanied by thunder or even rain (at least from my perspective). My son (Hunter) and I spent hours with a camera and a tripod enjoying our attempts to get the perfect shot. In fact, he had a system: He'd politely ask The Universe for guidance in getting a beautiful picture, then wait to feel moved to begin the "opening of the shutter." Between the two of us, we were able to capture some awesome images. I have to say, though, that never in my life have I been able to capture any natural image in such a way that it perfectly conveys the beauty of seeing it first-hand. I think that may be where a spectacularly talented painter might have a leg up on a photographer. Maybe I think that way because the only thing I can paint is a wall!