Don't forget to change the channel sometimes

I keep up on the news (thanks, public radio!), but even when delivered without hype and hysteria there is much over which to be disturbed.

Yep.

So I don't look at it, much less think about it, steadily. I start each day contemplating heavenly things, then tackle work on or off the place, tune into the Chuckie Channel, bask in autumn's awesomeness, spend some time on my mental-health mustang, try new recipes, spin or knit some yarn....

Yesterday morning I headed out to do chores and was arrested by the morning light streaming through the Sunset maple leaves beside the house.

I really didn't expect to capture it just as it appeared – so often the camera sees it differently – but I got lucky! Here is more of that lovely (if less dramatic) autumn light this morning:

Chuckie continues to charm, wanting to be near us wherever we are.

I think he wonders why the dogs get to come inside with us – maybe that's why Chuckie sometimes turns into Chucky....

The dogs, on the other hand, wonder why I always come in smelling like him.

"Love on ME, Mommy!"

We're getting some more needful tasks done outside. On Sunday, Rick and I worked on getting old screw holes in the barn roof caulked (I was the inside spotter-of-pinholes and location-caller; Rick was on the roof). Yesterday Rick rented a box scraper to grade areas around the barn for better drainage and smooth the driveway:

When I can fit it in, I'm spinning away on Blake's roving with my birch 'Egret' Jenkins Turkish spindle. Like its namesake, this spindle is a big, slow but steady flyer.

That's it for now from . . .