Before the Darkest Days

October is my favorite month. Maybe it's because growing up in the South we were deprived of anything resembling Autumn, and now that I live in a place that has actual trees I'm in awe of the colorful transformations that take place during this time of the year. It's the magical colors that happen before everything turns dark and spindly, before the rains come.



This is our last chance to take walks. This is our chance to crush leaves underfoot.



I love watching everything in the garden die. It's cathartic.

It's not abandoning us...

it's not suffering...

...it's composting!

My favorite painting instructor, Laura Ross Paul, always said to squint your eyes when looking at the subject of your painting, and blur the rods and cones in the retina of your eyes so that you can see the shadows and highlights.

This is the best time of year to blur your rods and cones.

This is the spiders' last chance to catch any kind of food.



The squirrels are running around with bulging cheeks. I've got a fussy baby tied around my middle who's about to crash hard any minute now... I'm walking to Safeway where I'm going to cave in and buy Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls in a can.