fall

~ finally some fall color! ~ 

Fall color has been even more elusive than usual around here this year.

There are countless trees shedding crunchy brown leaves, of course...

But where is the color? The crisp air? The show that is supposed to be fall?

I'm sad to say I can miss my very most favorite season just by blinking.  

Then the other day I was driving down the main neighborhood street to my house,

and in between all the huge, crunchy trees, some beautiful colors caught my eye!

There stood a smaller tree, with it's little leaves like gems of fire and rubies!

The sun was hitting the top of the tree just enough to make it glow,

and the turquoise sky behind was the perfect backdrop!

You can't get much better than that! FINALLY!

Ah, now how lovely is that contrast? 

Leaves in their vibrant stages, on a canvas of green.

I just can't get enough of the beauty that is fall.

Now, I know ours can't hold a candle to a "real" fall -

and I hope someday I can see several up close and personal.

But no matter what, remember: always find joy in the little things!

Cuz the little things are really the big things :)

scenic sandpoint

Peeeeeps! A day late (and always a dollar short), I am finally swooping in to publish my Friday post on Saturday. In other words, all the Sandpoint photos that were supposed to be available for your viewing pleasure yesterday, you may commence viewing today. For the last 3 days I've been a co-chaperone up in Big Bear for 28 girls, ages 14 to 18, out of who knows how many hundreds of boys & girls from the 7 LDS church's in our city. It was a joy, it was a blast and it was exhausting! I love those girls - they are all so different and all so awesome :) But now I'm back and it's time to see some beautiful Sandpoint pics before I officially put myself out of commission.

The photo you see above was taken as I was driving home from church one Sunday. There is really nothing that unusual about it, but the sky was so beautiful with the fluffy clouds against the bright blue background...... For me it was as much about the moment as it was about the beauty.     

The *adorable* photo of the two fawns above is NOT one of my photos. However I had to include it because it is so reminiscent of our back yard in Sandpoint and a very special occurrence that happened there one morning.

One morning not long after we had moved there, I woke up very early. The sun had barely started to rise, and I went into the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table where the bay window looked out upon the back yard. I could just start to make out the shapes of the wild flowers and trees. To my surprise, I even saw some cute, furry bunnies here and there, nibbling on grass. Then out of the corner of my eye, to my amazement, I saw a tiny fawn walk into view. It was the sweetest thing I had ever seen! Still young enough to have it's spots, it walked along nibbling grass with the bunnies. Then quietly and seemingly out of nowhere, came another fawn - a twin! - to join it's sibling in the misty morning grass. It was every bit as precious as the first. I knew their mother would be close by, carefully watching over them, but I never did catch a glimpse of her. I watched them with delight until they were gone as quietly as they came. It remains one of my very most favorite captured moments in time. 

One of my all time favorite photos - it's the road that leads up the mountain to our home at the top.

About half way up the mountain, if you looked to the left, you would see this amazing view. The little city of Sandpoint down below, on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille (pronounced 'pon-der-AY') - the largest and deepest lake in all of Idaho. In fact, the only access to Sandpoint, and northern Idaho, is by crossing Lake Pend Oreille by bridge. The next 3 photos below are similar views from a similar vantage point as fall arrives - note the trees changing and the snow starting to dust the mountains. And of course the sunsets were spectacular.

This last photo is an off-shoot of Lake Pend Oreille located behind one of the main streets of town - so pretty.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone! xoxo

fall comes to southern California - it's about time!

Finally! December 18th and the thermometer actually dipped into the 30's at night and the 50's during the day. I know it's just a pretend fall but I'm sucked in every year anyway. So it gets at least an "A" for effort. The pics above and below are what "fall" looks like in southern Calfornia. Hurry and look and burn it's image into your brain, because it will only be here for maybe a week. Maybe. I had to search the neighborhood for this tree, and when I finally found it I actually got out of my car - in my pajamas and slippers - and took a few shots so I could fondly remember how in 2008 we had a whole 48 hours worth of fall. At least long enough for me to cut my roses back and wear a sweatshirt for a day. Sheesh.

Happy Friday Photo of the Week!

I leave you with a beautiful photo taken personally by moi :) This photo is of the winding mountain road that led up to our house in Sandpoint, Idaho. Enjoy your weekend!