Thursday Delights
My post today is full of Thursday delights, not because they all happened on Thursday (they didn’t), but because I get to share them with you while I play along with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color and the rest of the group who join in with her I Like Thursday posts. You can find us all listed with links over at Not Afraid of Color.
Our area’s fall colors are in full display, so we snuck out to enjoy them a bit this week. It all started with our family renting a pontoon for a day on the Mississippi. The weather was perfect. Tundra came along, and as you can see, he enjoyed the spray of water in his face and the wind in his ears!
Back home, this is my view as I drive into town. That burst of color is on “the hill” which is part of the St. Olaf College campus. It is one of the first areas to show off its fall colors, and it never disappoints.
We took a late afternoon walk through a nearby nature center. Here are a few photos of our walk.
The sumac was brilliant, framing the lovely fall colors of the trees.
The milkweed releasing its seed almost looks like a small field of cotton.
I spied these little mushrooms. One had been a bit of a tasty snack for some critter.
We finished up the day with a drive around an area lake, and were rewarded with a pretty sunset.
We stopped at an apple orchard, too. My favorite apples are the SweeTango. If you aren’t familiar with them, you can read about them right here. I linked to the FAQs page – scroll down to read about its origin.
The SweeTango are just for eating. For baking, I picked up some Haralson apples. I use them to make apple crisp. My favorite apple crisp recipe makes a large batch, but this recipe for two is pretty close to my favorite (minus the pecans).
The Weekly Wilbs
Don’t let this photo fool you. While Wilbs spends a lot of time snoozing, he has been really busy helping me in the quilt room this week. When he’s not rearranging everything I’m working on, he’s also on home security duty. We have a couple of stray (we think our neighbors who moved left them behind) younger cats who keep coming around. Wilbs has quite a bit to say about that – not all good. If that doesn’t keep him busy enough, making sure we are aware it is 4 am and soon time for breakfast is high priority, too!
I’ve enjoyed sharing a few of my Thursday delights with you today. What has delighted you this week?
Wendy
Gnome in the Forest
22 Comments
Cindy Pieters
The fall colours are pretty, ours have also started. Wilbs has a busy life, but the 4 AM wake had me chuckling.
The Joyful Quilter
SweeTango are good, but I believe our favorite are Snapdragon apples. Thanks for sharing your beautiful nature photos, Wendy! Sorry that Wilbs is so anxious for breakfast that he wakes you guys at 4 AM.
Vicki in MN
Your pontoon ride sounds delightful! We have done 3 local bike rides this week with the nice afternoons. Some trees are showing their fall colors.
texasquiltgal
Your fall colors are gorgeous. That looks like a fun boat ride for Tundra! And I guess Wilbs decided not to join you. 😉 I’ll have to look for Sweet Tango – I like Honey Crisp for eating and Braeburn for baking, but when I get a craving for pie I will use just about any kind!
Now you’ve got me worried about those poor strays who were probably left behind – that just breaks my heart. We’ve been feeding a few strays (down to one now) for a couple years. I need land for a cat sanctuary!
The Morning Latte
How fun to see the fall colors! Nothing much changing around here yet. (I know I’m probably crazy but I planted a sumac tree in our front yard just for the color. This year we have two saplings from it that we’ll plant in the back yard where they’re less likely to blow seeds around!). I’m jealous of all the fall things you’ve been doing! Pumpkins, apples, boat rides! Wilbs is just exhausted by all of your activity and clearly famished from his breakfast being a little late. Chloe did a similar thing the other early-morning, and when I forget to give her a treat when I get to the sewing room, she rubs all over my legs and then starts pawing at them–and the claws aren’t quite kept in!–until she gets them. (I have the light scratches to show for my disobedience!)
Barbara J Stanbro
That apple crisp for two looks good. I’m saving that one.
Judy B
Lovely photos of your pontoon ride and nature walk! Fall is my favorite season! SweeTango apples sound yummy ! I’ll look for them! Why is it those kitties need to start “frap-ing” (Frantic Random Activity Pattern) at 4am? It’s still dark, for Pete’s sake!
Cocoa Quilts
Love the fall colors! My favorite thing in Michigan was jumping on the pontoon in the fall and doing a color tour around the lake!!!
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
It sounds like you really took in the change of season and fall colors in a great way! Wilbs does look pretty serene when he’s napping, but I suspect he can let you know his opinions loud and clear. 🙂
Kathleen McCormick
The colors are beginning to change here, too. What fun you must have all had on the pontoon! I hope those strays find a home soon and leave Wilbur alone!
Needle and Foot
Fall color is the best. It is just starting here. You are ahead of us there – I love the drama of the colors throughout the season.
Diann@ Little Penguin Quilts
Tundra’s ears made me smile! Pretty fall colors are starting to pop up – I love seeing your photos. I haven’t heard of SweeTango apples, but will have to look for them. Wilbs looks like he was working very hard keeping your house safe and needed to rest up for the next shift!
laura bruno lilly
Sumac and milkweed – harbingers of Fall. Gone much too quickly!
Rochelle Summers
How nice to be able to get out and have some fun on the water…probably the last time this year. Those fall colors are lovely. I’ve been looking at the trees around here and watching the colors fade to yellow and pink. Pretty soon it will be time to rake. You might be able to get some cat traps from the Humane Society to trap those kittens and get them to where they can be adopted. And Wilbs will be happy they are gone.
Sandra Walker
Glorious fall photos and what a good idea to head out to view them on a pristine lake! Ours here are just beginning; the maples are what I like to call, ‘dipped in orange and red icing’ as they turn slowly on their outside leaves first. I am so glad you got and kept Wilbur; he’s just such a bright (haha, double entendre not originally intended!) spark in your posts, and obviously your home.
Helen
This is simply a lovely post beginning to end… a gentle reminder of things beautiful and peaceful.
quiltinggail
Beautiful pictures of your area! The colours are supreme!
And Wilbs … he would NOT be popular at 4 am around here! 🙂
Sally
Such beautiful colors. The mushrooms are pretty, too. I wish I could sleep like that!
Jocelyn Thurston
Beautiful photos and looking so much like here. We had Sumac lining the long driveway at the farm and this time of year the reds were always so pretty. I’ve not heard of those apples but I did read they are breeding them to be sweeter as our sweet tooth continues to grow. Wilbs is so comfy always…if those folks left their cats that is so wrong, very upsetting to me.
Texas Quilter
OH I would have loved to be on the Pontoon boat with you and puppy! Your pictures are very pretty and my favorite is the sunset on the Lake! Have a great week-end. Hugs
marissthequilter
Lovely photographs of the changing season. Enjoy your autumn time
Janine @ Rainbow Hare
That is delightful! I enjoyed your seasonal photos 🙂