Put on a hat & coat

L to R: Luna, Trixie & Emma

Finally getting cold here... the first chilly day of Fall so far this season 48F/8C. We might have frost in the garden tonight. I have covered the tomato plants with a sheet as there are still many cherry and yellow pear tomatoes on the vine. Not much seasonal leaf color but the maple leaves are starting to fall. I think the plants are really out of their natural annual rhythms; the sunshine angle and duration is autumnal but it was 76F/24C just two days ago.

Seasonal preparations are ongoing here. I made a coat for my daughter's dog, Luna. Both my dogs have furless bellies, so I got creative with the sewing machine. I suppose the dogs don't really need coats, but they seem to appreciate their warmth, even wearing them to sleep. Dogs do keep track of who gets what, so now Luna won't feel left out of the "pack" when she comes to visit.

Woodland Escape

As tensions mount over our "crazy" political & health care situations here, it had became clear I needed to plan another escape to cope with all the bad news. This has become my ideal coping option for problems beyond my "sphere of influence."

Daughter and I just returned from a one-day getaway campout at our local Klondike Park. This area had been a silica-sand quarry and there are lovely white sand beaches around the lake. This park is in the heart of our local wine country and we paid a visit to the Yellow House Winery in Defiance, MO (see http://yellowfarmhousewines.com/) on the way to the campground. The weather was cool and crisp, just like autumn should be, and some of the leaves had begun to turn color too.

I have been so excited about camping since my return from the Wyoming/South Dakota trip, and I wanted an excuse to go tenting again. My youngest has never camped, so we had a "girls" overnight escape where she got to learn setting up a tent, meal prep and campfire basics. We hiked lots, and I know I feel calmer after being out in nature and so does she. Simply disconnecting from the media, and the continuing stresses/worries associated with Presidential decisions was a relief...