Each evening as it get’s dark I hear the geese flying overhead and love to listen to their melancholy calls. You can just about see them in this pic.
As the hour has gone back it’s now dark at four thirty. I love autumn but the long dark evenings can be depressing and leave little time to garden. It also means I’m constantly walking dogs in the dark, which results in me constantly finding hedgehogs. This week alone I’ve found three under-weight baby hogs. On one occasion I actually found two while walking Sam and Annie. It was incredibly difficult getting hogs and dogs home, let me tell you, but somehow I managed it! All three are doing well though, so it looks like I caught them just in time.
I’m still walking Oscar and Charlie and I have a sneaky feeling the walking will be extended beyond the month as the owner isn’t recovering as quickly as planned. I wonder how many miles I walk in a week…..I normally enjoy walking as it allows a little time to think…..but I’m limping at the moment as I managed to cut my big toe while walking home bare foot….please don’t ask!!! But, hey, dogs don’t care about stuff like that, they still demand their walks.
Pinatubo Crater Lake, Manila
Last week, Hubs went to Manila in the Philippines on a business trip, and will be away for another week. This has me thinking about technology and the amazing advances that have come about over the last twenty years. Then, we didn’t even have mobile phones, now, contact is varied and instant.
Every where hubs goes, I can go too. I get to see the cities and the countryside. I can gasp at the traffic jams and potter through the shopping malls. He sends me pictures and video, then at midnight my time, and morning for him, he pops up on skype and I can see and speak to him. Amazing when you think about it.
Here’s one of the pics he sent me, I watched a VERY scary video of how he was driven throughout the night in a jeep through the most rugged countryside and rivers to get to see this….whereas I can just enjoy it with a glass of wine, from the comfort of my chair. The jeep he was in actually broke down three times….and was repaired with nothing more than a hammer, by a masked guy who looked like a Kung Fu expert! Health and safety don’t seem to be an issue over there.
This week I released another three birds in my garden. I’ve lost count of how many have started their new lives here…..it’s lovely to see them go, but also very nerve racking too as some aren’t quite ready and don’t fly properly which means I have to re-catch them. These went off beautifully.
Herbie has been hibernating for weeks now, but I do open up his hog house occasionally to check he’s OK. I leave him food and water each day in case he wakes up for a few days. He seems happy enough….so lets pop his lid back on.
There you go….all tucked back up.
I actually have a chilli plant still producing fruit in here. The others finished weeks ago. My cuttings are all doing well too and I’m starting to pot up tulips for a little spring cheer before the seedlings get going next spring.
I let Sam and Annie have a few runs on the new lawn this week. The poor grass didn’t know what hit it! Huge chunks of turf were torn up….so I think they’ll have to run in the front over winter!!! Having a newly turfed lawn is like having a new carpet, you can’t stand to see a single fluff on it for the first few months. I’m out raking the leaves off the lawn every day….I can’t seem to stop myself. Anyone with any sense would wait for the leaves to fall….
The front lawn however is a different story, soon you won’t see the grass for leaves here. The colours this year are stunning, the leaves positively glow!
This is the road outside. The cherry leaves are very vibrant.
And finally…..I’ve finished decorating the hall, landing and stairs. Only the bedrooms to go now, but they may have to wait until next year when I do the lounge and study.
And here’s a few of my “Oasis” paintings, I’m working on a set of forty for an exhibition next year.
loved the leaves… and your paintings too.
Thank you Shimon, I am so pleased you like my paintings….I haven’t had much time to work on the exhibition as so many other painting projects have come up.xxxx
Your paintings are lovely. Do you have an art website somewhere?
Thanks Karen, I do have a website but it’s under construction. If you would like to see some of my work you could google Dina Cuthbertson which would throw some of my published work up. xxx
What fantastic vibrant paintings, a complete antidote on a gloomy winters day.
Thank you Annie.xxx
Thanks Kegs, I have learnt my lesson re walking berefoot!!! And my toe has finally healed..
I DO love the lawn but it will need a little tlc over the winter so the dogs wil have to run in the front, and if they wreak that just run on the beach. I do wish the nights were lighter, it makes outing with dogs so much easier.
Herbie seems to be doing well, I am keeping an eye on his weight though, if it drops too much he will have to come in, but so far so good. xxx
Phew. What a lot of things you have going on. I don’t know why I’m surprised. You always do ! LOL :))
Pity about your toe. That will teach you to go barefoot. Ha, ha. It’s not funny really. It must have hurt. 🙁
The lawn has bedded in really well and looks verdant. Hope your playful doggies don’t trash it.
And those paintings are so bright and colourful. I hope you do well at the exhibition.
I loved the pic of Herbie. What a sweetie, all curled up and cosy in his box. Sleep tight little ‘un ’till next spring…
Another very enjoyable post. Keep up the good work. Oh and interesting to hear about what your hubby is up to. You are both a busy pair. 😀 xxx
What nice artwork! Forty paintings is a lot of work, but then you seem no stranger to work. Your new lawn looks terrific. My dogs are hard on the lawn as well. Hope you hubby’s trip goes well. I started Skyping with my sister who lives in Ireland. It is so great to chat and not have those horrible phone bills.
Isn’t skpe amazing? and costs nothing! Glad you can contact your sister!
I am hopelessly in love with my new lawn but the dogs are rather determined to destroy it. I’ll have to keep them off it over the winter.xxx
Fifty years since JFK was assassinated today. Such a sad occasion.
Yes, there are lots of programmes covering the subject on TV at the moment.xxx
I recognise your garden now when I see it. You are still busy with your animal friends. I see the colours of autumn at your place. We have had the spring blossom here, though the weather has been up and down. Won’t be long until Christmas.
How lovely to have spring blossom, I’m really looking forward to spring and my new garden flowering. Thanks Peter.xxx
A lovely post – I often think about the geese and the thousands of migrating birds flying overhead in the dark – amazing.
I’m sorry about your toe, I hope your dogs show you some sympathy!
It is marvellous that you can keep in touch with your hubs and his adventures – modern technology is incredible, really. So different to when I was a student and I wrote long letters to all my friends and family with a phone call from a box twice a week to mum and dad!
And your paintings are beautiful. How wonderful to have talent like that – and how exciting for you to have this exhibition coming up!
It is amazing to think of all the migrating birds isn’t it, you wonder how they survive, I find it even stranger to think that butterflies can make such mammoth trips too….
Lol, dogs have hard hearts when it comes to walks, hail rain or snow, they still want to go. The damn thing is finally getting a little better!
Letter writing seems to be a dying art form now doesn’t it, such a shame, I always enjoy a hand written letter, I can’t remember when I last received one.
Thank you so much re the paintings, you are very kind….xxx
It must be a relief to get the hall stairs and landing done, that’s a horrible job! It’s looking really good and the perfect place for your paintings. I love the idea of an oasis in the desert, the colours in them are gorgeous!
Oh I do agree re painting the hall landing and stairs, some of the walls are almost impossible to reach and involve long wobbly poles which invariably end up leaving blobs of paint on the ceiling!
I find the idea of oasis’s in deserts fascinating, such contrasting environments. Thanks Rusty.xxx
You do have to wonder where we will all be ten years from now, maybe 3 d holograms instead of phones? Or will we have inbuilt computers in our hands….It has moved so quickly hasn’t it.
The sound of geese is wonderful, almost other worldly..
Yes, the paintings are mine…..thanks Janet.xxx
Wow, there’s so much in this post.
First, yes, isn’t it amazing how different our world is today re communications. When I first moved to the States in 1966, the only ay to communicate with through letter writing, a telegram in an emergency and if you did make a call….(still no satellite at that time – big cable under the Atlantic) connections were terrible and it cost an arm and leg!
Geese honking in the Autumn is one of the most poignant sounds ever….when I lived in the States….I remember so well the feelings I had every year when I heard them….and now of course we have loads of Canadian geese here.
Yes, Dina, being ‘lawn proud’ comes with the territory,although I did have to laugh.
How lucky the hogs, and birds are that find their way to you…..and take care of that toe:)
I love the Oasis images…are these yours? :)xxxxxx
I’m very sad you didn’t go into more detail as to why your toe is sore! The colours are gorgeous this autumn, I’m enjoying them now before the frost comes in!! x
Hahahahaha…..We shall keep the dreadful details secret!!!! The trees are gorgeous this year.xxx
GOOD GRACIOUS SB … how on earth do you do it all?? I am needing a lie-down just reading about everything you do!!! and it’s not stuff that you can just do in a few mins either … respect that woman!!!
Gorgeous pics of fabulous autumn leaves. And yeah, don’t let those dawgs wreck your new grass!!!
Lol…..just wait until you start the gym, it’ll be ME needing the lie down! I must admit though, the extra walking is sending me to sleep like a baby each night…..daughter came with me today and was complaining of frostbite in her toes, very dramatic she is, but it WAS cold. Thanks Gilly.xxx
The dogs will have fun raking around in the front garden leaves. Let your new green carpet settle in peacefully, it will reward you. It is looking good already.
Nice to see Herbie not doing his stuff, but doing it as he should, if you see what I mean………
You have been busy with the decor; it’s looking nice.
Hope your toe is better. You really know it when the foot doesn’t operate the way you want it to. Take care of those toes.
The birds seem to be happy.
TTFN
xxx
I will have to keep the dogs off the new turf, a few practice runs show how easily it will tear, it does need time to grow strong roots. Lol yes….it’s good to see Herbie doing his natural thing, that little hog has done so well, I do admire him!
Oh yes!!!! A cut toe is a nightmare, and the more you limp the more pressure you put on the other leg…..sighs….and dogs still have to be walked!!!!
The birds went off perfectly, wonderful to see it was. Thanks Menhir.xxx
Oh Dear…Will have to watch all that ‘Barefoot Contessa’ stuff…. 🙄
Especially now with Hubs being away…;)
Lovely autumn pic….AND…
Love those paintings……so vibrant! Hugs! :)xx
Lol, I’ve learnt my lesson re carrying my high heels home, the amount of times I have stubbed my toes over the years….
Thanks for your lovely comment re the paintings.xxxx
Oh, Dina, your paintings are so bright and colorful, just stunning.
Glad your husband is safe and able to share so many of his travel experiences with you, almost as they happen! Isn’t it wonderful?
Herbie looks so peaceful; hope all his dreams are lovely. And the lawn/gardens look beautiful, too: with and without leaves.
Peace as your birds take flight and peace, too, in the blessings returned to you.
Why thank you for your wonderful comments re my paintings. This series is all about imagining a little bit of heaven amonsgt a desert….it’s very impressionistic but I wanted to capture a mirage in all it’s many forms as I would imagine them.
I am enjoying seeing all the wonderful places hubs is visiting, and am constantly amazed at the many types of technology we have at our fingertips…
You just can’t beat seeing wild birds go back to where they belong! Thanks Kitty.xxx
Technology has made amazing strides – a few years ago what we take as normal now would have been thought of as science fiction. I hate the ‘short’ days too. I would rather leave the clocks as they were in summer and have it darker on a morning and lighter in the evening.
My father always said that whatever the human mind could envision could come to pass. I have no doubt that science fiction has affected technology, back in the day I was reading about cordless phones well before they appeared!
I’m with you on the lighter evenings!!! Thanks Sue.xxx
Another busy, interesting and enjoyable to read post, and lots of good pictures.
I’m well impressed that you’re doing a set of 40 paintings!
Take care. xx
Thanks Flighty, it’s a little like the writing project that you and Elaine are undergoing!xxxx
Poor old you – all that walking with a bad foot – you’ll be fit enough to enter the next dog walking Olympics I should think. My cherry is still hanging on to its leaves but your pictures are lovely all that gold on the pavement. Great oasis pics – forty eh – whew that’s a lot of painting.
Hahahaha….I certainly am getting fitter by the day, my thighs are like bricks!!! Our cheery trees are usually redder, but this year I’ve seen so amny gorgeous golden leaves, some have taken my breath away.
I’ve completed about ten in the series now so like you re the writing, upwards and onwards eh?Thanks Elaine xxx
Glad you can stay connected with your husband during the times he’s away through the wonders of technology. It’s reassuring yet you also get to know about the difficult stuff such as travelling with the jeep on rough terrain. The lake in the crater looks like a tranquil place. Your paintings are beautiful. Hope the cut on your foot heals quickly with all that dog walking.
You are right about worrying when watching scary video coverage, my heart was in my mouth watching the trip he took to the volcano. The place is beautiful but remote. I enjoyed the view from my armchair!!!!
My foot is healing by the day, a good lesson in wearing in high heels before a night out! Thanks for the comment re the paintings.xxx
The short days bother me also this time of year. I hate leaving the office when it’s dark. Luckily for me I have no dogs to walk. Why are there so many underweight baby hedgehogs?
Our Spring was really late this year, so the hedgehogs first litter was late, which pushed back the autumn litter. Hedgehogs have to weigh an absolute minimum of 600 grams to successfully hibernate, 800 is the ideal. Most of the autumn litter weigh between 300-400 grams so have no chance. Thanks Jason xxx
There’s been so many geese flying overhead this year, I’m sure there’s more than previous years. Some fly so low that you think they’re going to crash land, but of course they don’t. What a gorgeous photo of the lake in Manila.Technology has come on so quickly, hasn’t it? Glad you’re able to stay in touch with your hubby whilst he’s away. No wonder Herbie is hibernating, he’s so snuggly in his little home. I may join him if this week’s forecast is right, I really don’t fancy the colder weather at all. Your paintings are beautiful, such gorgeous colours.
I think there are a lot more geese this year too, ours are flying low as well, their calls do suit the season so well don’t they?
I must say that lake does look wonderful, apparently at certain times of the year people can swim in it. It’s astonishing how quickly technology is moving, I wonder what the next twenty years will see….
We had snow today so I think I shall have to join Herbie….sleeping is the best way to get through winter. Thanks for your kind words re my apintings Jo.xxx
Oh, those paintings of yours look gorgeous! I’m not surprised that you use such vibrant colours. I think the bottom right is my favourite of the three.
Ah, Sam and Annie. You don’t have any idea how good you have it being allowed to romp on the new turf! I’m babysitting some Carolina cherry shrubs for my friends until their new patio garden is ready. The cats LOVE walking through the potted “forest”.
Your brilliantly coloured leaves remind me that my tree hasn’t started to drop them yet. They tend to go from green to mousy brown, however, not this golden glow!
The image your husband sent of Manila looks so calm and serene. Not at all like what so many there are dealing with in the aftermath of that typhoon. Glad that technology is allowing you two to stay in touch.
I’ve just read your last post and think you simply HAVE to keep that hedge for the cats, the FUN they are having with it……moving it would be like stealing Christmas!!!!!
Manila escaped the typhoon but so many of the people there have family in areas that were hit hard, Hubs is amazed how well everyone is coping and trying to go about their normal lives…..I hope more aid arrives there soon.
Thanks for your lovely comments about my paintings. xxx