We know we've neglected the blog these past few weeks, but if it makes you feel any better, we haven't been posting much on Facebook either. It's just the quiet season. The light fades earlier and earlier at the end of the day, and the arc of the sun barely clears the tall pines on our southern boundary. This has been a long and beautiful autumn, the kind of season that takes its time unfolding between the hot summer and cold winter. Our deciduous trees are still sporting leaves in reds, oranges, and yellows. The hillsides are dotted with burst of flaming trees, without any discomfort of actual fire. The word beautiful cannot be overused these days.
We've seen some great sights lately, some we were even able to photograph, like this 5-point buck eating right out of our birdseed feeder, as a Facebook commenter said, "like a pez-dispenser." But we didn't get the photo of the large bobcat that walked down our driveway on November 12th. It looked quite a bit like this
one. The sight of it was so thrilling, I went back to our bobcat archives and put together a little photo display of "
bobcats we have known." Once we've seen one bobcat, we know we'll see them again. Animals are funny and predictable that way about territory. They're here. That's all we needed to know. Not sure when it will come around again, but we suspect as soon as we put up our chicken house next spring, he'll make an appearance. We can't wait, and we plan to make that chicken house absolutely bobcat- skunk- coyote- fox- and hawk-proof as possible.
We've noticed that on a fairly regular basis, Roger and I both think about calling his mom to check in with her or tell her something. We didn't realize how much she was a part of our daily lives until she was no longer in it. We were supposed to have a birthday dinner for her at our house on the 25th last month, and we had planned to spend Thanksgiving with her this year as we did last in her assisted living facility dining room. The calendar is marked with things that will never be.
And then there is Delilah. Fifteen days on the planet and melting hearts while she sleeps.
We know we've neglected the blog these past few weeks, but if it makes you feel any better, we haven't been posting much on Facebook either. It's just the quiet season. The light fades earlier and earlier at the end of the day, and the arc of the sun barely clears the tall pines on our southern boundary. This has been a long and beautiful autumn, the kind of season that takes its time unfolding between the hot summer and cold winter. Our deciduous trees are still sporting leaves in reds, oranges, and yellows. The hillsides are dotted with burst of flaming trees, without any discomfort of actual fire. The word beautiful cannot be overused these days.
We've seen some great sights lately, some we were even able to photograph, like this 5-point buck eating right out of our birdseed feeder, as a Facebook commenter said, "like a pez-dispenser." But we didn't get the photo of the large bobcat that walked down our driveway on November 12th. It looked quite a bit like this one. The sight of it was so thrilling, I went back to our bobcat archives and put together a little photo display of "bobcats we have known." Once we've seen one bobcat, we know we'll see them again. Animals are funny and predictable that way about territory. They're here. That's all we needed to know. Not sure when it will come around again, but we suspect as soon as we put up our chicken house next spring, he'll make an appearance. We can't wait, and we plan to make that chicken house absolutely bobcat- skunk- coyote- fox- and hawk-proof as possible.
We've noticed that on a fairly regular basis, Roger and I both think about calling his mom to check in with her or tell her something. We didn't realize how much she was a part of our daily lives until she was no longer in it. We were supposed to have a birthday dinner for her at our house on the 25th last month, and we had planned to spend Thanksgiving with her this year as we did last in her assisted living facility dining room. The calendar is marked with things that will never be.
And then there is Delilah. Fifteen days on the planet and melting hearts while she sleeps.
Beautiful, breathtaking captures, Robin! And what a beauty the little one is!! How much joy she must add to your lives and enough to ease the pain of your loss. Have a lovely week ahead!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
love the photo of the sunlight streaming through...and of course Delilah! I marvel at the little smile she has on her face -- pure contentment.
ReplyDeleteYes, strange the loss of someone so familiar, so present that you incorporate them into your lives so thoroughly. I'm sure you'll have those 'uh, wait a minute' moments for some time to come. I made a little shrine for my favorite g'ma when she passed -- it made me feel close to her. I kept it up for quite awhile. I'd light a candle for her at dinner time and toast her memory.
Enjoy your wildlife and your roaring fires (contained, safely). It's a great time of year.
Each post a joy to read. Thank you. :-) P
ReplyDeleteMy mom has been gone over 6 years and I still think at times of calling her, but not often anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe house my parents lived in since the late 70's is now Dad's house, not Mom & Dad's.
Delilah, OMG, she's a beautiful baby and I don't say those things lightly (and you know some babies are not so cute!). Lucky girl. Lucky you.
lovely photos. beautiful baby!
ReplyDeletei've been thinking a lot of my dad lately, and he has been gone since 2003. think of him pretty often, anyway, but i saw someone i know through him last week, for the first time since the funeral. things come back. i think that's ok. it is a lot less painful after a while; and kind of a joy to know how much he is still a part of me, and still real to others. the loss is not total, which is how it feels so close to losing someone. xoxo
delilah is so sweet! i love those little legs in the air. :)
Very little leaf colour here anymore. Lots of greys and browns and tans of tree bark and wild flower stems.
ReplyDeleteYou two really do have a constant feast for the eyes. So glad you have a resident bobcat. I know how you appreciate them. Your chickens will be so tantalizing.
ReplyDeleteI still think of things I want to tell my Dad and it has been years.
Delilah is astoundingly beautiful and I love the frog outfit.
Swell photos and writing; and that baby girl radiates peace and beauty!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pics!
ReplyDeleteDelilah---beautiful, smiling in her sleep.
ReplyDeleteYou took some really great photographs as if you commanded the sun to shine just so! Oh, and sweet little Delilah! A fitting new beginning as another so recently came to an ending.
ReplyDeleteShe is so Delilahtful!
ReplyDeleteI love this season of gold light.
I love your post about it too.
You and your bobcat posts!
:)
Beauty found along the way... Not a picture I took, just one I love. The tree is as radiant as each of us is meant to be... And, as with us guests in this strange world, it takes patience to see that radiant sight, to bring it out. Without the shadows and the wetness of autumn, the radiance wouldn't be what it is.
ReplyDeleteI thought the princess was supposed to kiss the frog not wear it! She is beautiful! The thanks you can give for your mom's good life will be a special part of your holiday, I am sure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice way to ease into winter.
ReplyDeleteDelilah is so beautiful and looks adorable!
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