Savoring the Last Flowers of Fall...

 

I know that the Christmas season is here, but taking advantage of the last few days of November, I wanted to share a few remaining flowers of fall.

Putting two favorites of mine together, flowers and now photography...I had fun messing around with filters and textures on these photos I managed to take in early November.  It's a snapshot like these that increase our appreciation for something as simple as Sweet Alyssum.  It gets its name from the amazing scent of this almost plain flower.  A picture can almost help you to "capture" its delicious aroma and revisit the summer again.  

Alyssum is a staple flower in my garden and pots.  It's not much by itself, but en masse creates a lovely snowscape that often helps to showcase a more flamboyant flower.   

 

 

What could be much sweeter than bringing in a beautiful bouquet to relish the remnants of a season past?  It's no rose but I love the personality of these marigolds.  Lively and robust, they are faithful in late fall to provide plenty of blooms for the last of the scavenging bees
and bug-free bouquets to appreciate more fully after the growing season.  Using a variety of filters and a texture courtesy of Kim Klassen, these marigolds are transformed into a real-life canvas.

 

 

One last photo to leave you with as we enter the world of poinsettias and pine...these pictures
will definitely inspire me when February/March come around.


What will you miss most about the fall?



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Fall-ing for A Covered Bridge...

  Out for lunch on a chilly fall day, my mom and I decided to drive the long way back home and drove by this local park and covered bridge. 

I think fall is the perfect time to visit historic places, something about the color of the leaves and general feel of the season that draws you a bit closer to history.  Even though the day was cloudy and drizzly, I managed to snap a few photos of our fall at its peak.  

 

Here are some wild aster flowers alongside the bridge... I love the beautiful blue color of its petals.  It's not a color you see often in plants, especially in the "wild."

Here's the bridge entrance on foot.  Wood never looked so good against all the golds and reds of the trees.

The bridge was built in 1868 with some repairs through the years...

You know I had to sneak in another flower picture somewhere.... :)

 

 This cantilevered walkway was added in 1992 during a large renovation on the bridge itself.  It beckons its visitors to come and take a walk...and I couldn't refuse the invite!

 

There's a park and picnic area along the shore to the left in this photo.  The bridge always attracts plenty of fisherman in the summer as well.

It's pretty amazing to be driving across a wooden structure...you really need to roll down the windows a bit to capture the sound of the boards creaking as you go across.

Coming out the other side; a burst of sunlight and beautiful fall foliage.

The whole drive around the bridge was full of lots of beautiful trees...ahhh; this is why we love autumn!

Where's your favorite place to visit in the fall? 

Blessings! 

Sharing with these blog hops: Your Sunday Best 
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A Fall Lunch in Amish Country

What is a perfect way to spend a mid fall day?  How about in Amish country?  And eating "home-style" cooking??  Perfect.  That was our destination on a recent Saturday (pre-Hurricane Sandy) and it really made autumn complete for us.  Our "boys" grew up visiting here in the summer and fall and for them it was THE definition of a great family day together.  We've been rather short on those lately between school and jobs...so this was a great family get-a-way!
And where better for us to visit than Middlefield?  A nice sized Amish community about 40 miles south of us.  Rural, country and boasting "Mary Yoder's Amish Kitchen," it never disappoints.

A row of willow rockers are there to greet you...

We've been coming to this restaurant for over 20 years now and it's not only still the same great food, but they've expanded the gift shop so it's a one-stop shop for all your country needs.  They really feature local artisans, Amish and otherwise, so you'll find a little bit of everything...

These rockers are THE most comfortable chairs ever...(at least our guys think so!)

This sign says it all.  You know you've entered into a country dimension with the myriad amount of crafts, food and homespun.  It's an ecclectic mix where you're sure to find something to please.

Little circles of fabric look like flowers scattered in a field...

That turn into this fabulous Yo-You quilt...locally made of course!

And let's not forget the eats...that's the main attraction here.  It was Saturday so it was a hot buffet (including salad bar), all-you-can-eat, baked chicken, pot roast, green beans, carrots, real mashed potatoes, unbelievably delicious!  It feels like you're going to Grandma's house.  I think my mouth is watering...again! (Oh, and we finished this meal with their homemade Peanut Butter Pie...wow!)

Alas, my lack of photo skills for food pictures didn't quite capture how amazing this pot roast with noodles really was!!

If for some reason you're still hungry, then the gift shop offers lots of take home, home made foods.

  

 Couldn't resist these sweet harvest table decorations.  They would make a perfect Thanksgiving table...

 

It really was a great meal and a lots of fun together...on the way out, I couldn't help but take a picture of this pot of mums with only one flower escaping a fall frost.

Our day didn't end here fortunately.  We took our time visiting an Amish vegetable stand, stopping at a local cheese factory to pick up a pound of their own Colby-Jack Habanaro Cheese and finishing up in another little town at their general store.  Another really cute place to see and holding lots of memories for us all.

It really felt like autumn for us and good thing too because the hurricane really has left us feeling very winter-like, with most of the trees stripped of their leaves.  

Well, thanks for reading and sharing a part of our day. Sorry I have no peanut butter pie to offer you all, but if you ever have the chance to have a piece...you won't regret it!  Blessings!

What's your favorite fall memory? 

Like more autumn photos?  Check out Fall's Floral Postcards .

Linked to these blog hops...Your Sunday Best     Simple and Joyful: Fall Festivals   
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