Sky Watch - Post 97

It's a gorgeous, bright, not too chilly Autumn day today. Perfect weather! Not a cloud in the sky this afternoon, so this photo is a Sky and Tree watch. I've been keeping a close watch on our neighborhood trees, monitoring the color change daily. My neighbor has a Sycamore tree in her front yard (the brown-yellow-green leaves on the left of the photo). The tree beyond is also a Sycamore, but the leaves have a more reddish tint. I love Mother Nature!

Sky Watch was created by Dot and is now brought to you by our friends Klaus, Sandy, Fishing Guy, Ivar, and Wren. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursdays to see sky photos from around the world. You'll be glad you did.

A Mule Story - Post 96

Whodathunk that a sweet, gentle blog such as mine would receive an award such as the one above? My erudite and clever blogging buddy rhymeswithplague received this award back in August, and per instructions, he passed it to others, among them myself, a most unworthy recipient. But, thanks, anyway, rhymeswithplague. I've taken a long time to acknowledge my award publicly, and I apologize.

As I thought about the award's title, it called to mind an experience of my days on the farm. Our next door neighbors (if you can call almost a mile away "next door") had a huge gray mule which was used to pull whatever farming equipment needed to be pulled. Occasionally, J.D., one of the younger teenaged boys of that family, would put a bridle on the beast and ride over for a visit. As I recall, we were the only kids of their ages for about 5 miles, at least.

I once had an opportunity (I use the word jestingly) to ride this behemoth. He stood about 17 hands at the shoulder, which was about the same height I was at the time. I had to stand on a barrel in the yard to get up on his back. And, "back" it was... no saddle. Although I was tall, I was skinny. I weighed only about 90 pounds, soaking wet. The mule probably didn't even realize I was there... until I kicked him in the ribs to get him to "go."

To my remembrance, that's the only time I ever "kicked ass."

Post Script: Yes, I realize that technically this mule was not a true ass, but its donkey daddy was an ass. I suppose this mule was only half-ass.

Today's Flowers #12 - Post 95

End of Summer Hydrangea

I do love hydrangeas; when they first begin to open in late spring and are "unripe;" when they're fully mature in midsummer, and now, when they begin to dry on the bush. Each stage of their lives has its own beauty.

Today's Flowers is a weekly Meme created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

Camera Critters #29 - Post 94

What'cha doing outside, Mom? Huh? Huh? Huh?

From the left: Squeak, Sweetie Pie, and (hiding in the shadows) Missy.

Camera Critters is the creation of Misty Dawn. Check out this week's other critters here.

Woolly Hollow State Park - Post 93

This morning dawned bright and sunny, with very coolish temperatures and a brisk wind. Shortly after noon, taking advantage of the good weather, my daughter, granddaughter and I hopped in the truck and headed to Woolly Hollow State Park, located about 50 miles north of here. I hadn't been to Woolly Hollow in years, and found the site much improved from my last visit. In fact, it wasn't even a state park when I last visited, having achieved that status only in 1973.

Woolley Hollow got its name from William Riley Woolly, who moved to this Faulkner County location in 1851. He homesteaded some acreage, and while the original family home has not survived, the one room cabin built in 1882 by W.R.'s son, Martin, has been moved (about 1 mile from its original site) to the park, and has been restored. I can't imagine raising a family in this small building, but it was probably considered a very nice home in its day.

Daughter and granddaughter on porch of Woolly Cabin

There's a nice split-rail fence around the "front yard" of the cabin (not original, I'm sure) that lends to the overall ambience of the site.

In looking around the park, we saw several trees that, at first, we thought had huge fungi growing on them. Closer examination revealed that the white, bulgy stuff is some sort of wound dressing, put on the trees where good sized branches have been torn off. It looks like expandable foam insulation, but I don't really know what it actually is.

Most of the trees on the park site are Oaks, and I noticed more change in color in them than in the Oaks in my neighborhood, which are showing hardly any color at all. That may change quickly, however, since it's supposed to get quite cool tonight. The bright yellow foliage below caught my eye. I don't know why just one branch of a tree will change color and the rest stay green.

As I wrote above, there was a brisk wind this afternoon, and these scarlet leaves fell from a tree almost at my feet. There are still green leaves attached to the same small branch. It's a wonderment. Aren't they beautiful?

The park surrounds a 40-acre lake, Lake Bennett, named for the first director of the Soil Conservation Service. The dam creating the lake was built by the WPA and CCC in 1935. The lake provides swimming and fishing, and there are kayaks and paddle boats available. Power boats are not allowed. The photo below shows the fishing pier and a long, narrow dock where the paddle boats are tethered. When I took this shot, a woman and two boys were walking between the boats.

My not-quite-four-year-old granddaughter loves to fish, and her mama brought along a small fishing pole and a few worms. She didn't get even a nibble, however, although (carefully watched by Mama) she did get the bobber wet.

The shallow upper end of the lake was sporting some colorful trees which provided a frame for my photo of what I call "diamonds on the water," which were caused by the aforementioned brisk breeze.

The more protected edge of the lake was full of weedy growth, which provided some nice reflections, I thought.

I got to breathe a lot of fresh air and (as Abraham Lincoln said on one of his blogs today) "dance on sunshine." Following an active child around for a couple of hours was more exercise than I've had in a while. I should sleep well tonight.

Just about time to head for home. I got a couple of parting shots looking across the lake toward the earthen dam. It's really a pretty place this time of year, and I'll bet it's pretty in the spring, too. Another excursion may be in order.

Until next time, Woolly Hollow!

Can It Really Be Fall? - Post 92

Dogwood branch

While I was outside this morning looking for a Sky Watch photo op, I spied my neighbor's dogwood tree and was captivated by the beautiful leaves. Dogwoods and Bradford Pears are almost the only trees in our neighborhood that have begun to develop much color. The same neighbor's Sycamore tree has only a few bright gold leaves on it, and even the maples are just now beginning to display the beginnings of their fall glory. Arkansas trees can be very beautiful in the fall, but it sometimes takes a while for the color to develop. Then, with the first hard freeze, it's all gone... overnight, in most cases.

The branch pictured above hangs almost over the fence which divides our lots. The tree trunk on the right is inside my yard.

Sky Watch - Post 91

October 23 Sky

East, West and South skies here are mostly overcast today, but I did find a spot of blue looking across the street to the Northwest. We're in for some rain later this evening, I believe. It hasn't been cold enough, yet, for the leaves to show much change in color; here in central Arkansas they're still mostly green. I did spot a branch of dogwood in the back garden next door that had some beautiful color and got a photo, but no sky was showing, so that's a post for another time.

Sky Watch was created by Dot and is now brought to you by our friends Imac, Klaus, Sandy, Fishing Guy, Wren, and Tom. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursdays to see sky photos from around the world. You'll be glad you did.