p.s.

I forgot to tell you -

I couldn't find marbles - a set of Chinese Checker marbles - in any local stores, not even in a national toy store chain. (They also don't carry Frisbees!).

I remembered that several years ago I had located on the internet a marble company, a very small business, in Pineville, Missouri.  I looked and, thankfully, they were still in operation.  I ordered two sets of lovely marbles, as shown in this photo of theirs, and received them promptly.  So, if you have lost yer marbles and need to replace them, look here at MarblesMarbles.

Autumn Leaves

I've been sitting at the window this morning sewing hugs.  When I tire of sewing, I sit at the other end of my room and read a chapter or two of the Laura Ingalls Wilder book I bought in July on The Missouri Trip.  Both places in my room have huge windows and I've been watching the leaves come drifting down from the trees - hence the title of this article.  This is the view from the sewing machine.

It occurred to me that I didn't see any red or orange leaves in our forest.  We live on an acre in the middle of the city and the lot is heavily wooded.  I decided to take photos to take you on a tour.

This is the collection at my steps.  I collect crocks, too, and this one has my garden hand tools inside and an old enamelware lid to keep them dry.

Our yard is divided into thirds, east to west.  The first section, behind the house, is mostly lawn - open and ringed with trees. There is a thin band of trees that separate the two parts of the yard.

The second section is our picnic area.  There is a thick band of trees and shrubbery separating it from the meadow in the back.

Lining the very back of the lot are huge Bois 'd arc trees with a few other wild ones thrown in, courtesy of the birds.  

We did have an apple tree, when the kids first moved here 15 years ago, but it was very old and non-productive.  There were also two pear trees, same vintage, of which only one is still producing.  We have a lot of junipers along the sides of the yard and the birds love those beautiful blue berries.
It's a great view and a great yard to be in this time of year.  Especially on a rainy day like this.

Here's a picture of our rabbit Hope.  She lives wherever she likes in the yard.

Mom and I made a trip to Little Rock this last week.  Left on Thursday morning and returned late Friday evening.  My uncle lives in Little Rock and we've tried to see him twice a year.  His daughter now lives with him until she and her husband sell their house in Texas and make their home near him in Arkansas.  I didn't take any photos this trip - didn't even take my camera.  We came along Highway 10 from Little Rock to Fort Smith and it was a lovely drive.  

Since I don't have photos of Arkansas, I'll show you more of our wonderful city forest.

This is one of the most heavily wooded parts of the yard and the kids have a rope ladder up to a board seat in the tree.  They also have a bench hidden in another group of trees at their "hideout".

There's a long pathway through spirea so thick it makes a huge white cloud of flowers in the spring. 

This is the bike and garden shed where I have my rocker for a little sunshine each day and quiet reading.

The End