Flowers from beautiful daughter.
One of many days out with my girlfriends.
My adorable girls in the pumpkin patch, the Gods are smiling down on them!
Littl’urchin and I in the cornfield.
Littl’urchin growing up FAR too fast.
Dogwood leaves clinging on for dear life!
The last gasp of the dahlias.
Daughters’ swop-shop, the first of many. Everyone brought ten items of clothing and simply swapped them. SO much better than buying new. Did you know that millions of tons of clothing and accessories go into landfill each week and that the dyes and chemicals seep into the soil and water polluting it?
No, not a haunted house, just my front gates in the mist.
The atmospheric view from the lounge.
Stylish gilled woodland mushrooms, growing on a stump in the garden.
Glowing orbs, an installation from The River of Lights Festival.
This was my favourite, Submersion by Squid Soup, what a great name!
And Finally…
I’m soooo glad that Curly cat hasn’t left the house for the last few days.
It’s like Armageddon outdoors given it’s November 5th, and the three dogs have been really panicking. I have Classic Fm playing as they have a special programme, created in partnership with the RSPA, running all week, playing music that helps soothe pets. I was skeptical but am truly amazed as it really is calming them down, even Annie! Who knew!
Firework season now runs for weeks and as soon as it dies down it all kicks off again at Christmas and runs into early New Year.
I’m totally up for banning fireworks, the panic, anxiety and stress they cause pets, wildlife, horses and livestock is horrendous. Horses, bulls and other livestock have died impaled on fences, deer have been driven into roads only to be hit by cars, and birds fly into buildings, cars and windows in a blind panic; they also fly too far out to sea and end up falling into the waves exhausted.
Bats and owls die as a result of the explosions and many animals flee so far from their homes they never find their way back, and hedgehogs and other creatures, drawn to the security of unlit bonfires are burnt alive.
Chemicals from fireworks pollute and poison the waterways, and the creatures and water birds that ingest them. Many animals also end up tangled in firework wreckage.
Fireworks and Chinese lanterns are also responsible for untold fires. I’m amazed they are still legal. Many stores have stopped selling them and some now only sell the quiet ones.
We really do have to stop putting ourselves and our trivial entertainment first. The animals and environment are paying far too high a price for our utter, reckless, selfishness!
I’m often ashamed to be human!
Fireworks and animals don’t do well! Isn’t she just…Littl’urchin already has a mind of her own! Thanks Chloris. xxx
I agree about firework night, my dogs used to freak out every year. I love your baby pictures, she is growing quickly. She is adorable.
Good to hear fireworks aren’t available for individual use in your part of the world. The endless bangs drive us all crackers here! Littl’urchin loves the plaza lamp! It fascinates her. Thanks Linda.xxx
Well, I’m a great fan of fireworks, but I really can’t get my mind around what you’re describing. Our fireworks are limited to the civic shows put on by professionals, and they’re limited to certain occasions like Independence Day, or summer weekends at the bay. They’re so colorful, and quite fun. But my city — and many others — have banned them for individual use. In some unincorporated areas they are legal, but they only can be purchased at certain times of the year — they’re something to enjoy occasionally, rather than a weeks-long ordeals of noise and smoke!
I love the mix of photos here. I smiled to see that little purple lighted ‘thingie’ with all the rays on your table. I remember that from last year, or from whenever you got it. Has your little urchin spotted it yet? I’d think it would fascinate a baby.
Your little urchin is truly adorable, and squid soup looks/sounds like such fun!
Thanks Jason, how quickly babies grow, I’d forgotten! xxx
Beautiful photos! Fall is such a lovely time of year. Frost got all my dahlias several week ago, so I dug up the bulbs and stored them for the winter. Hopefully they’ll still be in good shape when I replant them next spring. (I find dahlias to be a particularly tricky flower to successfully raise.)
Thanks Sheryl. Funnily enough, my dahlias have managed to survive a couple of frosts, I do need to get them out now though. Hope yours survive!xxx
Great post and fantastic images. Spring here but I feel for the poor animals, the cats and dogs around the neighbourhood. A lot of people are calling for bans on firework sales. Public displays on the following weekend maybe. But the inane bang,bang,bang in the neighbourhood. Got over that decades ago.
Thanks Peter, yes, it’s that repetitive banging that drives animals and people crackers!!! The smoke in the air is awful too, here’s to a ban coming in soon!!! xxx
Great post 🙂
Loved the photographs of your daughter and the little-one … absolutely fabulous.
The weather certainly has been atmospheric recently, and more to come! Yuck!
Your daughters swop shop sounds an excellent idea, hope they go well.
Enjoy your November, it’s hard to believe that Christmas is only 47 days away.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. Oh, the weather, wild,wet and windy here, you simply want to snuggle up and not move. 47 days until Christmas…..struth!xxx
First, I totally agree – let’s stop this November 5th firework madness which seems to go on for two weeks! Cruel to animals and humans a like.
What a fabulous bunch of pictures….LOVE your spooky front gate and Little Urchin is growing like a weed….a very beautiful one:)
Sending lots of autumn love. Janet XXXX
Thanks Janet! Yes, it’s certainly time for a ban, I hate how long the firework season runs. I can’t believe how quickly Lttl’urchin is growing, nine months next week! Love and hugs.xxx
Such happy and beautiful pictures of your girls!
Love the autumn colours in your garden, how beautiful!
Though I love to watch fireworks, I totally agree with the ban. The air and sound pollution they caused and the fear they caused to animals are far too terrible for anyone to ignore.
What a good idea that is, to swap clothings!
Thanks Jade. Yes, it’s time fireworks were banned, at least the loud ones! Maybe start a swop shop re clothes…..great for the environment.xxx
Lovely lovely photos of your two gals … especially the one of the two of them amongst the pumpkins. We have just spent a week with our daughter and granddaughter and I just wish she could stay a cute two year old forever.🌞😍
I totally agree about fireworks … they are a disaster for all animals and all the other complications. Fireworks are now banned in all states in Australia.. at first people bought them illegally from states that were slow to ban them ..& eventually all states came on board. Now it is blissfully quiet all over Australia all year. Keep lobbying for it! 🤞(our biggest problem is live animal export trade …an appalling trade. )
Thanks Gerrie. Goodness, to think your grand is two already, where does the time go??? They are adorable aren’t they? Delighted to hear fireworks are banned in Australian states, the peace and quiet must be wonderful! Yes, I’m always signing petitions re live animal exports, a dreadful business!xxx
Some fascinating pictorial compositions. Where and when were you wandering through sweet corn fields?
I’ve never been much of a fan of noisy fireworks. My limit is a sparkler. I jumped out of my skin when a huge blast hurtled down on unsuspecting me; I’d also forgotten in was the 5th November. It was just turning from afternoon to the start of a winter twilight, so, not even dark. Just as I remembered the date, there was another horrid blasting noise.
The smog in India was a symptom of Firework Diwali celebrations. It is a celebration that lies very close to November 5th over here. Many celebrations seem to include a large dash of fireworks now.
Xxxx
Thanks Menhir. We have several cornfields nearby, it’s so tempting not to pick a few ears of corn! I sympathize re thehorrible bangs, they seem to get louder every year. Hubs and I found a six foot long rocket stick, that’s industrial sized rocket. Our garden is always littered with firework debris, I’m thankful they haven’t landed when the dogs are out doing their business! Goodness, Indian cities can certainly do without fireworks, that smog was dreadful! xxx
Your comments on fireworks are spot on. I hold my breath when I hear them going off. For the wildlife and for my straw roof!
Thanks Jess, goodness yes….forgot about the threat to straw roofs!xxx
Looks like a festive and merry autumn from these photos, Dina. Daughter and her babe are both precious! So happy they are near.
I’m with you on fireworks. We don’t, of course, have Guy Fawkes, but it’s bad all summer. I hate the trauma they cause.
Glad you and your buddies are continuing to gather and celebrate life. Good for you.
Your home looks gorgeous, as always, from dahlia to lounge. If I were Curly, I wouldn’t leave either!
Sending love,
K
Thanks Kitty. Oh, how awful having fireworks all summer, what a nightmare! The sooner they’re banned the better! Poor Curly, he is so very old now but a real trouper who is still happy to fight off invading cats! Love and hugs to one and all.xxx
Super photos of your family and the atmospheric weather you have been having.
I so agree about fireworks, the wildlife must wonder what on earth we are doing, the sooner they are banned, the better, let’s have a peaceful life for all.
Your daughters swop shop sounds a wonderful idea, I’ll have to see if I can interest some people down here.
Thanks Pauline, the weather is pretty grim at the moment, wild, wet and windy! Fingers crossed for a ban and soon¬ Oh, good luck sorting a swop shop, certainly the way to go.xxx
Love your girls – aren’t baby grands delicious?! Love the photos too – so atmospheric. It’s good that more and more people are prepared to change the habits of a lifetime in order to take better care of our planet.
Thanks Gill, oh yes, who knew how wonderful grands could be! xxx
What a fantastic photo of your girls, living in the moment and full of joy. Yes, the little one is growing growing growing! I just heard about an after-Halloween event at the local university — they take pumpkin donations for their engineering students to practice launching using their trebuchets. I guess that is a form of recycling! Good for your girl for trying out the clothing swop. Sounds like a lot of fun.
I had no idea the impact of fireworks in an area with a lot of wildlife. Here in the city and suburbs of SoCal, the concern is more for fire. Most cities in my area don’t allow aerial fireworks sale.
Wish I could join you for those cozy views of your garden 🙂
Thanks Anne. I’m laughing re the pumpkin trebuchets!!! Who knew??? Oh …..yes, I can see why fireworks are banned there, the fire risk is a major issue!!! The garden is most mysterious in the Autumn, all moon, mist and shadows.xxx
Our dahlias have fallen foul of the frost and so been dug up,
I signed a petition about banning fireworks – at least they could remove the bangs. Apparently there is supposed to be an exclusion zone around Yorkshire Wildlife Park but people ignore it . It must be a nightmare looking after all those animals for what amounts to weeks of bangs.
We’ve had a few frosts but the dahlias seem to have survived. I am surprised! Yes, there are lots of rules around fireworks but they are completely ignored. It’s far too hard to police the regulations. It is awful seeing the effect of fireworks on the animals. Thanks Sue.xxx
I am so glad you have written this about fireworks, I was thinking the exact same thing last night and wanting to blog about it but wondering how it would go down. I totally agree. If we are really committed to being more sustainable then fireworks, particularly loud noisy ones, should not be for sale.
Thanks Sustainablemum. Glad you feel the same. I can’t believe they are actually still legal given the damage and distress they cause.xxx
Good post and lovely pictures. I agree with what you say about fireworks and banning them.
As for your last sentence me too. xx
Thanks Flighty. Hopefully a ban will come soon, it would certainly make sense.xxx
I feel exactly the same about fireworks, it’s terrible that animals suffer so much for our own enjoyment (thought I must say that I don’t actually enjoy all the bangs either, they seem to get louder every year). Archie used to be a nervous wreck but he’s going a bit deaf now and he’s beginning to cope a bit better. Lovely photos, they’re like a little snapshot of your life just recently.
Thanks Jo, the bangs do make you jump, they seem to get louder each year. Many children with special needs are afraid of fireworks too. Poor Archie, I’m glad he wasn’t too stressed. I do hope the loud fireworks are banned soon!xxx
I love the photo of your daughter and Littl’urchin in the pumpkin patch; so cute and the lighting is beautiful. That swap shop is a brilliant idea – I hadn’t thought about the chemicals and dyes causing pollution. The River of Lights Festival looks excellent too. I heard about the music to calm pets on Classic FM. Hamish seems a bit deaf these days so, luckily, the neighbours’ fireworks didn’t seem to bother him. It’s good to know that it worked for your pets though. xx
Thanks Veggiemummy. I really didn’t expect Classic FM to sooth the dogs. Annie gets really anxious so I was impressed that the music calmed her down substantially! Good to know Hamish was fine!xxx