59 years ago today my parents were married. Don’t they make a lovely couple? With mutual love shining out from their faces they had their whole lives ahead of them.

The following two photos were taken on their honeymoon in the Adirondacks.

I think my Dad looks like he could have been a movie star, but then again I might just be a wee bit prejudiced.

They were the best parents a child could ever hope for. Loving. Caring. Supportive. Always there to lend an ear or moral support. I miss them so. My Dad passed away almost ten years ago; my Mom I lost a year ago August. Oddly enough, they both died about a week and a half before their respective birthdays.

I’ve had dreams about them lately (as I wrote a few weeks back). In those dreams they were together. Again. Normally when I dream about them one or the other is in my dream but not both. I’d like to think that the meaning behind those dreams is that they found each other through the great expanse of the Hereafter.

Mom, Dad, wherever you are today, Happy Anniversary. I love and miss you both more than you’ll ever know.

While taking photos last week at Skylands (the New Jersey Botanical Gardens) I came across these bees clustered all over these flowers. They must have known colder weather was coming and were all trying to gather that last bit of food. Even though they look like they are being industrious, they were actually quite sleepy. You know me—can’t resist a sleepy bee!

This one I call Cross(ed)-Pollination.

The night before last we had our first frost of the season. It coated everything with white sparkling crystals, turning the grass into a carpet of white. As I stood outside in my robe and slippers trying to capture some photos before the sun rose too high, the only sound I could hear was the crackling tinkle of frozen leaves falling to the ground. My breath puffed out of mouth and just hung there in the frosty air like one of those word balloons in a comic strip. ahhh ... it felt good.

The leaves that had already fallen were rimed with frost crystals like someone had knitted or crocheted a delicate lacy edging on them.

Soon the sun would penetrate the trees and melt it all away.

This is not what I planned to blog about today. I have several other posts I need to be working on but they aren’t coming easily, so this will have to do for now. Now I need to go and shower and get ready for the day. I plan to take some photos before the leaves get all blown away by the windy day we are expected to have tomorrow. Until tomorrow!

Last Sunday we loaded up the canoe and drove the less than one mile to Green Turtle Pond. I just love having this small body of water so close to us. You can see how much the trees have changed at our house in the photo above.

It was a beautiful morning: blue skies and no wind. A perfect day for paddling!

The lake’s surface was very calm and perfect for reflecting the autumn colors.

A few other people were enjoying the beautiful morning too, mostly fishermen. Since Green Turtle is a wakeless lake, only trolling motors on boats are allowed. This makes for a very peaceful paddle.

As we paddled around I couldn’t decide how to place my camera. Should I take the sky and trees or should I go with the reflection? I have to admit that the the reflections won out over and over again.

Either way, the colors were stunning.

Paddling close to the shore I spied this beautiful paper wasp’s nest.

Some trees couldn’t decide what color to be.

We paddled into my favorite part of the lake, the little cove.

And with one last look, our little trip came to an end.