Serene Scenes AND TBT Treats

Something kept gnawing at me to take my regular camera with me on yesterday morning's walk, but I left it behind.  

Shame on me!  

The cell phone camera would be okay, I thought, if anything unexpected greeted me while heading up the road.  

I thought wrong. 

No way could the cell phone capture the full extent of a late October morning sun casting its brilliant rays and enhancing various animal-occupied pasture scenes along the west side of the road. 

I was soon regretting my decision to leave the camera at home, but thankfully the sun held out for me to grab the camera at the end of my walk and go back in the pickup to snap photos from where I had just walked. 

So, yes, as virtually everyone has noted, we've been granted a super autumn this year. Colors have held on longer than usual, it seems, and instead of dwindling with the loss of leaves, they have intensified. 

I keep thinking we've seen the last of it all, and then morning walks like yesterday's throw that assumption in the ditch. 

Our continued fall splendor has, indeed, been a blessing.  

Today the rains begin, and they're scheduled for the next five days.  So far, we've received just a mild wet down over night. 

I wouldn't mind that pattern to continue because I can still accomplish fall projects outside with a light drizzle. 

Yesterday involved more leave raking and pick up, along with pruning.  The pruning of dead flowers and excessive shrub growth will be time-consuming---probably off and on over the next couple of weeks. 

Another project involved transferring a lot of "stuff" from the area beneath the lean-to on our shop building.  

We have two RV's to store this winter. That's because we never did sell the new old motor home.  

Lots of good bites but no follow through; plus, we advertised it only when we were sure that we'd be available to show it.  That was not very often. 

So, we're hoping it will fit below the lean-to and that we can sell it in the spring.  

The brand-new R-pod, which has never left the yard this year, will go inside the shop. 

It's a busy time, doing all those pre-winter projects, but I did take time yesterday afternoon to check out the new digs at the Schweitzer stoplight corner for both my stockbroker and for Starbucks.  

In both cases, the facilities are impressive.  While purchasing my coffee, I even learned from a staff member, after commenting that "this must be the biggest Starbucks in the Sandpoint area," that it's the biggest Starbucks in the state of Idaho. 

It's a nice place for hanging out, and I have a feeling I'll be stopping by on a regular basis. I also have a feeling the place will do VERY well if and when the Schweitzer season begins. 

Once again, it's Throwback Thursday and almost Halloween, so I pulled up some photos from a few Halloweens past here at the Lovestead. 

We may not have the numbers, but we do have fun-loving trick-or-treating regulars.  The first group are granddaughters of my friend and classmate Ruthann.  

All are lovely young ladies. They used to live right in the neighborhood but have since grown up (one is in college) and moved a few miles away, clear over there on Colburn-Culver.

Next we have Larissa, who is growing up fast, but we can count on seeing her every year. 

Of course, having Wood and McNall and Lippert bloodlines, she always has a busy night on Halloween, stopping by all the aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.

Finally, more trick or treaters from the Wood-McNall clans.  They promised me several years ago that even when they're 18 and older, they'll show up.  They've been pretty good at keeping that promise too. 

Hope they make it this year.  I have had the candy and have hidden it for a couple of weeks.  Of course, Bill will be happy if they forget to come this year----all the more for him. 

Happy Thursday, and congratulations to my friend Mow and all her Kansas City fans.  What a way to start the Series!