Saturday in the park

 I am proud to tell you that Denver has the 13th best park system in the U.S. according to a survey conducted by the Trust for Public Land. And it's something we don't take for granted.  

Today we decided to take a lesser traveled (for us) path and went to Sloan's Lake, a man-made waterway- ostensibly for the beauty and pleasure of the residents.

 

In more water bountiful states they might consider this a pond but in Colorado, a semi-arid state, a trickle becomes a stream, a stream becomes a river, etc. etc.

 Walking around the park, we had glorious late fall temps and blue skies. Quite a crowd of folk (although not as crowded as some of the city's more popular spots- spots we usually avoid) were walking, running, biking, talking... Well, you get the picture. 

I was busy snapping photos so you could enjoy the scenery.

Whispers of time

Fall in all it's glory

 reminds us that Time

with it's inevitable

inexorable 

force

moves on day by day into and through
the next season

Reminding us 

that the flower's bloom is as fleeting as life itself

  and should be savored

If you must know...

I am just phonin' it in tonight (like I've done a few other nights/days recently- so what's new? What was I thinking to join NaBloWriMo this year? And yes, I am an overachiever.). I had a busy, labor intensive day. My shoulders and feet hurt- my ankles are swollen and even my ribs are sore. So this one is going to be a picture that I took recently that captures autumn for me this year (and every year): 

I moved this flower outside to have it framed in gold...

(I should add as an addendum- it's not really phoning it in when I post pictures. I always takes me longer than I thought to select one, edit it, adding my name to the picture, etc. If I really wanted to phone it in, I'd tell you I was phoning it in and leave it at that, wouldn't I?)

Comfort Food...

Last year at this time, I was out walking on a cloudy cool Friday and took these pictures. I was amazed at the brilliant colors that still lingered along the path I took though winter's first nip was in the air. This year, the colors are just as brilliant (as you have seen from my header!) but Indian Summer tarries so long that one would almost wonder if it will ever end.   As much as I might wish the blue skies and brilliant sunshine will never fade into winter's dimness, alas, the forecast tells another story. And I have a few favorite recipes that ease the chill that sets in my bones as the nights grow colder and the days grow brisk. Wednesday the weather is predicted to tank pretty abruptly and we will probably make a vegetable soup for the first time. But what I would really like to be making (if I didn't have to work that day) as the sky grows cloudy and the possibility of the "S" word sneaks into the weather man's script is a family favorite:

Chicken Pot Pie: 

1½ c. cheddar cheese

3c. cooked, diced chicken (you can cook broil or microwave three chicken breasts fairly quickly to make this amount, then quickly chop it up!)

½ c green pepper

½ c. chopped onion

(Sauté both onion and gr. pepper in 3 T. butter)

1 can of Cream of Celery Soup (or chicken)

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

3 oz mushrooms (opt.)

½ c pimento (opt)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Put into unbaked pie shell (recipe below). Cover with pastry, pinch securely. Cut slits into top for steam to escape. Bake 45 min. or until crust is golden brown at 350 degrees.

Crust:

2 ¼ c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2/3 c. Crisco

7-8 T. water

Put flour and salt into bowl. Cut Crisco into flour with fork until it pieces are pea-sized. Add about half of the water and mix until well blended. Continue to add the remaining 3-4 T. until the dough is moistened. Divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough. Roll from center to edges to 12” circle.

 To transfer to pie pan: Fold in half, then into quarter. Lay gently into pie pan and unfold.   

 And as long as I'm making a pie crust, an apple pie sounds good! The crust is the hardest part and all you needs are some apples! This year I have some waiting in the kitchen that were given to us (making me feel sooo guilty) but if I were to buy some for a pie, I would buy several different types of apples for the best ever apple pie! Some tart, some sweet, some crispy, some softer. Yum! Maybe I'll get busy!!! 

pieces of sunlight

Framed by cobalt blue
it's brilliant yellow beams to the earth.
a quiet breath causes it to shift then shimmy

breaking off 
as silent 
bits of
gold

make their way
to the ground for my feet to tread on
pieces of sunlight...

The Road Goes Ever On

Our day in the mountains gifted me with a camera full of gold and green and memories to cherish. The sun was golden warm and the path was quiet. We headed out listening to the call of hawk and the song of sparrow. The laughter of a little boy filtered down the road behind us and we turned to see a father and son pell melling it down the path, the tot almost head-over-heeling as he came near us. The father slowed the boy down, warning him not to interfere with picture taking, but of course we weren't bothered. They galloped off and I watched them head off into the hills, the song of Frodo and Bilbo taking hold in my head. 

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on

Out from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

Let others follow it who can!

Let them a journey new begin,

But I at last with weary feet

Will turn towards the lighted inn,

My evening-rest and sleep to meet.
~J.R.R. Tolkien

Ode to Fall

Delicately dancing in, the fall began with colors splashed about like a child had spilled bits of paint.

 

One can almost imagine the imp dancing about, a bucket in one hand and paint brush in another. While bending over to quietly paint a leaf at the top of the tree, turning to and fro, angling this way and that, the bucket wobbles and bobbles, tips and tilts, and with each jolt a dollop of paint slops over the edge of the pot and onto the nearest leaf so that soona leaf here, a limb there, reds and ambers, gold, mustard and maize begin to appear amidst the lush green growth that have been with us for for the breath of a time called spring and summer.

 

 The days are yet temperate and we take advantage of the lingering sunlight for lengthy walks. 

Delicious days. . .

I often go walking on the every other Friday I have off after I drop my son off at school-- I take my camera with the intent of adventuring and finding the world in a different light so that I can write about it. 
Today I will not compete with his quiet majesty.