Puppy pictures!

I hear the geese go honking by this evening. What a lovely sound of Fall. ...and just received new pictures of our puppy! Six weeks old this coming Monday. What a sweetheart! "What's my name?"

Out and about

Marge and I took a ride out to Laura's outdoor exhibit today. A big display of all her wonderful artwork. You must go take a look! Then on to the Indian Prairie Public Library, also in Darien, for the Midwest Collage Society's "Alphabetica II" exhibit. A thoroughly enjoyable morning!

A new season

It's fun! It's exciting! It's a job! Besides teaching my class on Wednesdays at The Center, I am now the children's art teacher for kids grades 4-8 on Saturday mornings there. Back to the "drawing board" finding ideas and making lesson plans. I just want them to have fun and like me. I want them to go home happy with what they've done.


And it's raining today! I love this all time of year. The air is cool and I see some leaves starting to change.


"The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, the hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze."


John Updike, September

School Days

Yesterday was Danielle's first day at preschool. She's a school girl for sure! She loved it! Even with the surrounding sounds of crying little boys. Made herself at home and was made a "line leader". Today, her and Dan and I shopped for school supplies. She wanted the "shiny motorcycle black and pink Hello Kitty" one, but Daddy suggested the "pastel pink Princesses" one. She went for it! Oh Daddy!

"The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many." Oliver Wendell Holmes

Yesterday's Labor Day

Julie's scarlet marigolds

Yesterday, Julie and I went to the Frankfort Fall Fest. Browsed around, bought a few treasures, had a brat and a citrus shakeup for old times' sake and that was that. It was so hot! Dripping hot! But...where were all the nasty yellow jackets? Some, but not swarms like past Labor Day weekends. It wasn't that I missed them; just a question in my mind asking what is happening now that is affecting even them?

We found a very pleasant pianist/composer, whose music soothed the sultry day. He is Bradley Joseph. He also has CDs to play for dogs, cats or birds when you leave them home alone. Hey, Doris! May be the answer for "Captain Destructo"! http://www.bradleyjoseph.com/ The CD that I bought is "the journey continues...", soft piano to calm, compose and renew. I must bring it to the next retreat at The Center.

Cleaned "Jackie's" bowl this morning and she was in a bit of a tizzy. After that trauma, I think she is sleeping. Her and I will get used to this. Won't we?

September

"By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather
And autumn's best of cheer."

Helen Hunt Jackson, 1830-1885