demolition

The top of the house got dumped into the bottom of the house.

 I'm so glad not to be in charge of cleanup!

Along the Hudson River

A feather bath...

A journey

And to think this beautiful Hudson River starts at Lake Tear of the Clouds, a tiny lake no more than 3 feet deep that catches the rain that becomes the trickle and then the gathered force of tributaries and eventually tumbling into this great body of water that eventually loads it all into the Atlantic Ocean.

the inevitable

Sometimes we're so busy we don't see it coming.

But those tiny little sanderlings always seem to move just in time, without ever facing the wave.

Finally

The house was demolished today.

 There is nothing there but old memories piled in the cellar waiting to be hauled off by someone who knows nothing of them. Over 60 years of bringing up a family, who have since brought up their family and are now watching their children bring up their families. Wow that's hard to get your mind around let alone my words. None of this is easy to express. But there are 5 beautiful great grandchildren who belong to the future of this family and that makes it all feel better. 

So today is a celebration of happiness, of creating a life that counts for something so much bigger than us. I want to hold on to the memories of the past but I shall keep them in a quiet place and  I'll go visit them when I'm tired in the late afternoon. 

But mostly I'll be too busy being in the now and being happy. More to come.... 

wave back

Dahlias are quite friendly. They are forever waving hello.

This is windy wave.

This is shy wave

This is I'm glad to be alive wave.

Dahlia time

The first thing I see are the edges, crisp and vibrant and worthy of my total attention. But then I'm pulled into the center where it's warm and out of focus and nurturing. This Dahlia feels like the beginning of a new day. 

not so little

Do you remember this family of swans from last May?

 They were so well taken care of and lived a lovely life at Smithers Pond.

 Mom taught them all sorts of important things.

They learned a lot.

And now they are on their own. I have photographed two of the not so littles. They look just like a grey version of their parents, they have gotten so big! I wonder where the others are, hmmmm.

I'll be ready when I'm ready

And I my friend, will do what I want, when I want, and if I want. So there you have it...

on the ready

Just tell me and I'll do it...

in and out of the garden

I love Hydrangeas. They fill up my garden with promises of heavy blooms in the summer. I can barely cup their blossoms in my two hands, my fingers don't touch, they are all spongy and delicate and pop back at me after a gentle squeeze. They grow over the path and go after my legs when I walk by. I'm not the only one who loves them, the bees are pretty wild about them too.

They are beautiful in the fall when they begin to dry and change into old fashioned mauve and cream colors. They don't pop back anymore, they have become fragile and delicate. It's time to scoop them up and bring them into the house and put them into a vase with no water. They are in retirement and have nothing to do now but relax and show off their worn petals.

living on the edge

Staying tucked into the familiar feels safe but venturing out alone opens new worlds. 

Have a seat

Come join me and my memories, lets talk about where we've been and what we've seen. Let's talk about what makes us happy and who we love.

Go ahead you start....

dinner hour

I was looking for the young osprey siblings during the early evening. I could hear their incessant calls but I couldn't see them. They were still wanting help with dinner from their parents, not sure whether their parents had any interest in feeding them. It's time to grow up and find their own way. They are both big and healthy, I'm so happy about that.

But our resident black crowned night herons and blue winged teals are very busy foraging for their food! There was a large gathering of birds, all greeting each other, fishing and otherwise busy. I was wishing I hadn't left my tripod at home. 

What a calming way to end my day. 

a word from Tully

She never said a word about what I did. She has begun her September thing and never mentioned one woof about the fact that I climbed to the first ledge of Noonmark. I'm just now able to woof about it. That is a long way folks and I'm not getting any bigger you know. Passed a few labs on the way who were pretty impressed with me.  Mom only had to pick me up when my leash got caught on some fool thing. My tongue has just finally stopped hanging out of the side of my mouth. I may even have lost an ounce or two. I feel pretty light headed actually. 

Just thought you'd like to know...

Happy September

I love September, I feel like everything can become new again. The frog in our pond stays quieter for longer on his lily pad. And the lilies become denser and more saturated as they fall into the blackness of the still water. Nights are cooler and the flowers in the garden get a bit weary. As a matter of fact so am I, I'm off to take a nap.