Cooler Days, Chilly Nights

I forgot to take my Mighty Maple photo yesterday. It was drizzly and blah anyway, so it would not have looked as impressive as this one that I took this morning:

Mighty Maple  Sunday 16 September 2012 



Sometimes I think the sky just can't get any bluer. Of course, that rain yesterday was bringing in a cold front. We went from the 80's on Friday, to only the mid 60's for the daytime high on Saturday. This morning it was 43 when we got up, and even with the bright sun, we only got back into the mid 60's again. What a glorious day it has been. I worked all day, and with the door propped open, and the noises from the street filtering in, it made for an early fall feel to the afternoon. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the cooler, brisk feel to the day. And shoppers were out in full force, which made the day go by quickly. I was in alone, which I often enjoy more than working with someone. Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't like the staff, its just that I think we tend to focus more on the customers when the store rests in our solo hands. Or maybe that's just me. But it was a good day, people in good moods, talkative, easy-going. Spent some time chatting with the man, Mr. Bailey, who is running for Justice of the Peace here in Burlington. He was really nice. I only have 2 more days to go of my 6 day stretch, so I am looking forward to my Wednesday off.

It's now Friday, and I realized that I never got back to posting this entry! The week is nearly over, and it will be time tomorrow to snap another photo of Mister Maple. The weather has been everything from cold rain and wind, the coolest clear night of 39, and today was warm and sunny and mid 70's. But we have rain in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, so the next picture may have to wait. I looked at it this afternoon on the way back from walking the dog to get the mail, and there are so many spots now changing colors. It will still take another couple of weeks before it peaks. I hope we have great colors this year. I better post this now before another week goes by and its still here!

Meet My New Grandson!

Late Thursday night, September 6th, a beautiful baby boy entered this world and brought joy and love to all who were awaiting his arrival! We weren't really waiting a long while, since he wasn't actually due until today, but it was a long wait once we knew his mommy and daddy were on their way to the birthing center. He is just the cutest ever, and I am so very excited to meet him in 3 loooong weeks! I can't believe I have to wait until then, which is when I have those required plane tickets. I feel like I am really needed down there right now to help with cooking and rocking and walking the floor during the night and letting the new mom maybe get more than an hour of sleep at a time. But I know they will somehow make it thru these early weeks. I seem to remember many nights walking the floor of our teeny tiny apartment when my first daughter was born. I think there were many times I was crying about as much as she was, falling asleep out in the chair in the living room, just wishing she would go back to sleep for awhile. Eventually some kind of routine begins to emerge and those early weeks pass into a few months, and things start to seem more normal again. And somehow this wonderful new family emerges and you wonder how you ever lived without this special little person by your side.

This morning we went out to breakfast at our regular My-T-Fine Restaurant, and showed his picture to everyone there, and their first question, seeing it was a boy, was "How did that happen?" Boys aren't a common item in this family! I am from a family of 5 girls, have 3 girls of my own, 2 granddaughters, and a third granddaughter on the way in December. One of my sisters has a son, and he has a daughter. The other sister has 2 girls, and on grandson. So this little guy is something new around here, and it will be so much fun getting to know and spend time with him. I think his first trip up here will be at Christmas, which will be great. But, for now, I can hardly wait to fly down there in 20 days! I hope I'm still needed!

And before I close for today, here are a few Mighty Maple photos:

Mighty Maple on September 8th

 

This one hardly shows any color. It was very overcast yesterday, and you can't really see any leaves changing at all. We ended up with some huge storms in the afternoon, then it cleared up overnight. So I took another picture today:

Mighty Maple on September 9th

 

Still can't see too much. Most of the changes are happening right where that slight split is on the upper left side. But I did get a little close-up of a branch on the far left:

Wait 'till you see how the color spreads! It will be magnificent! Our low tonight is in the mid-40's, our coldest in a long while. The high tomorrow is only in the low 60's, then back to 40 tomorrow night. The colors always seem to change faster when the nights get colder, even if the shorter hours of daylight are what really affects it the most.

 

 

The Day After Labor Day

Mighty Maple on September 1, 2012

 

 

Labor Day weekend has come and gone, which means the non-official end to summer has also passed. We have had glorious weather for the past week, and many visitors to the area commented on that. Beautiful warm, sunny days with cool nights which are great for sleeping. I worked 2 out of the 3 day weekend, but didn't really mind as it was busy and active and most things went well. I was off on Sunday, we ate breakfast at our regular My-T-Fine restaurant, and it was packed. Poor Clair was running her tail off for awhile there. And I was able to take the dogs out for a long, leisurely walk in the late afternoon. It was a nice day.

 

I'm trying to take the picture of the maple tree on Saturday morning as I head out to work. This side faces east, the rising sun, and this is the side that seems to start changing colors first. There are several branches up near the top where it is quite obvious that something is going on. Those aren't leaves on a dead branch. That is the beginning of autumn's color pallet showing her early mark on a season yet to come. Of course, someone also provided that magnificent blue sky as the background! The fencing going along the driveway is for the cows, but they are on the other side now. There are six out there, but Arthur, the bull, is just on loan to see if he does his thing with Beth and Nellie. Guess we'll find out in a few months!

 

Tonight we have a big rain storm going on. No lightening or thunder, just heavy rain, the remnants of Hurricane Issac. Nothing like Irene, which hit here last year at nearly the exact same time. But this year we need the rain. It's hard to say how colorful this fall will be because it has been dry. Last year, with all of the moisture, I didn't think the colors were nearly a vibrant as I have seen them. Hopefully there will be some super pictures to post.