Autumn Leaf Of The Day #32

 

“Wild is the music
of autumnal winds
Amongst the faded woods.” 

~William Wordsworth 

 

Today is Family Day, and Half Moon Bay, and possibly San Francisco, awaits! It's an adventure, one that I love dearly, and so I am along for the ride. 

 

By The Ocean Blue And Autumn Leaf Of The Day #38

 

Half Moon Bay, California

October 25th 2022

 

"A soul that smiles in empathy is a soul that blew away the sadness as the wild wilds blew. A soul that parts it's lips is a soul that smiled away the sadness, as the autumn leaves flew ... ."

 

~Jayita Bhattacharjee

 

The pelicans won the day last week, they were everywhere. They were out here in the valley in bigger numbers than I have ever seen, a fairly large group were tucked around the corner in Tiburon, in Marin County, and there were impressive numbers along the coast of Half Moon Bay, Bodega Bay, and Santa Cruz. I have become fond of watching them play. They seem to be an easier bird to get along with, as opposed to, say, a gull or maybe Scrub Jay. Pelicans are so photogenic, that I planning on photographing particular. There was something about seeing that large group of White Pelican's flying over the condo, earlier in the month, that enchanted me. I enjoy all birds so much, I guess we will have to see! 

 

Santa Cruz, California

October 25th 2022
 

~Me

One In A Million And Autumn Leaf Of The Day #36

 

"You return, like autumn, and I fall every time."

 

~L.S.

 

We visited Santa Cruz yesterday, and as you might imagine, it was beautiful but it wasn't the only stop we made, we also stopped in Half Moon Bay as well, and in addition to it's beauty, it held quite a surprise! I was hoping to see some Black Oystercatchers, but I didn't see even one, however I did see about a million (not really a million) pelicans. I saw mostly Grey Pelicans, but I am sure there was a few white ones mixed it, however the big surprise was a single Blue Heron sitting right in the middle of one of the larger groups present. It was one in a million moment, or moment a where's waldo? If you look very close you can see him. The pelicans were making a wonderful sound, so were the gulls. I am still doing some research because one of them was making a laughing sound, and then I began to chuckle a bit, and laughter is the best medicine, right?

 

~Me

 

Your Own Autumn Forest

"An autumn forest is such a place that
 once entered you never look for the exit."

~Mehmet Murat ildan

If you found your own autumn forest, 
would you ever want to leave?

#55 Leaf Of The Day
November 16th 2019
Stockton, California
Nikon

~Mood: Happy
~Me  :)

Punky #57 But Also #29

"Halloween is a day in which some people choose to wear a mask... while others finally feel safe to take theirs off."

~Steve Maraboli

We have a tradition in our house. Alan designs the pumpkin's facial expressions, and I get to clean it out. I couldn't be happier with that arrangement. I love every little thing about a fresh pumpkin, from the seeds to the little strings of beta carotene. Gutting the pumpkin was my job as a kid as well. My dad carved some awesome pumpkins. He preferred the tall flat ones, but I always liked the classic round ones. No matter which one we ended up with, we had fun. Halloween was always my favorite holiday, because it was the one day when my parents didn't argue. Mom ignored it. Dad embraced it and it worked out. Alan grew up in a happy, healthy home, so he has a fondness for the day in the purest sense. We had a good day. He and I watched horror movies, and had our traditional Mexican cuisine, and ate a lot of candy! It was my 57 Halloween, and I am grateful to have made it this far!

 This is Punky #57 of my life, but the 29th of our marriage!

#40 Leaf Of The Day

November 1st 2019

Half Moon Bay, California

Nikon

~Mood: Happy

~Me   :)

Family Day 2019

"Autumn is as joyful and sweet as an untimely end."

~Remy de Gourmont

It was Family Day yesterday. That day we set aside, while we were on our honeymoon, to have with our dreamed about children. Alas, we never had children, but we never missed our annual Family Day outing, because while we never had little ones to share this special October day with, we still have each other. We are a family. He and I and our fur babies. It's a shame cats don't enjoy jaunts in the car the way dogs do, because it would be fun to have them along, sound asleep in the backseat, after spending the day at the pumpkin patch, but they are pretty great to come home to as well, because we are a family!

#32 Leaf Of The Day

October 24th 2019

Grass Valley, California

Nikon

~Mood: Happy

~Me   :)

Autumn, Alan, October, Pumpkins, Sunflowers, Roses, And Pizza

"This is October for me: Withdrawing into my own world, blocking out everything except the beauty of the season, my reflections and my relationship with God, I find that this is enough to sustain me through the long, cold, winter... and beyond... ."

~Peggy Toney Horton

Somewhere In Heave My Mother Is Smiling

Half Moon Bay, California, is beautiful every single day of every year, but it is especially beautiful in October of any year! The town's claim to fame is being the, "World's Pumpkin Capitol!" Which I have to admit there may be one or two other towns in the world who also claim that title, or at least "Pumpkin Capitol Of The World." It doesn't matter to me, I love the town so much, that I simply call it Heaven on the San Mateo peninsula! 

But I have to admit, I love coming down the steep hill, of Highway 92, turning a slight corner, and suddenly seeing, on my left, pumpkin patches as far as the eye can see! There are also a few patches that have roses, and sunflowers! My favorite stop in Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch!

Beautiful pumpkins, a petting zoo, sunflowers, a gift shop, and a bake shop, definitely puts a person in, not only an autumn euphoria, but in the mood for the upcoming holidays of, Halloween, and Thanksgiving! It's an enchanting autumn world, and Alan and I have been enjoying our Half Moon Bay visits, since we first visited Pastorino's, while we were on our honeymoon! I still remember the date, October 23rd, 1990!  

We had such a good time that day, that we named the day, Family Day, so that if we started a family, and wanted to spend our anniversary alone, which is October 13th, we could give the kids a special day for all of us, just ten days later! We chose that, because 49ner's quarterback, Joe Montana, and his family, were visiting Pastorino's that day in 1990 also! It was the first time, that year, they had a chance, to take a day off to be together for choosing their pumpkin! They seemed to be having so much fun together, that it sparked the idea for Alan and I to create the tradition!

As it turned out we never had children. We just didn't, but it didn't stop us from celebrating that special day anyway! We still have a ball, visiting Pastorino's! After we choose our pumpkin, we always head up the coast highway, to San Francisco, and enjoy the best of the city, and after that, it's onto Marin County, for dinner at Gaspare's Italian restaurant! A pizza, and two orders of their heavenly Cannoli! Life is good! Love is good! Autumn makes it all magical! 

We had to celebrate our Family Day, a bit later than usual this year, because I was a little under the weather on October 23rd, but it was okay, October 25th was a glorious day! Warm. Beautiful. And best of all, it was a completely happy, fun filled day! No stress. No politics. Just Alan and I! I only wish our kitties could have come with us. They are our children, and I just know it would have been fun having them choose the official pumpkins of Halloween 2018! Believe me, as silly as that sounds, my Dylan has very definite ideas about pumpkins! Each year we bring several home, and he always chooses one he likes to chew on the most! LOL! 

Alan and I have the life we wanted!

And our life is good!

#39 Leaf Of The Day

October 29th 2018

Photographed October 25th, 2018

Cull Canyon

 

~Mood: Happy

~Me

 

Chasing Autumn

 "It takes a strong man to be with a

 woman full of fire and stars and all of October."

~Melody Lee

Every October, Alan takes me from one autumn tree, to the next, and never laughs as I point at each one and spout the same words, "hey look... a tree!" He loves autumn as much as I do, which is why he proposed to me on a warm, October day, in 1989. As we sat at the restaurant, looking through dates on the calendar, we had thought an engagement of a year would be perfect, as it takes a long time to plan a wedding! We both wanted October 31st, Halloween, as our wedding day, because it's our favorite holiday, but, alas, it was going to be on a weekday, a Wednesday, I believe, so we went with our second choice, October 13th! Perfect! Especially since 13 happens our favorite number!

Some folks might not trust the 13th of any month for a wedding, but I know it was a lucky day for us! It was warm, and the sun was shining so lovely, and all was right with the world! 27 years later, we are more in love now, than we were all those years ago, and that love continues to grow, even as I sigh from autumn tree, to autumn tree, and behave like I have never seen leaves of crimson and cinnamon, and all the other shades that make this autumn sing for joy, and love!Its ridiculous how happy this season makes me, and it's ridiculous how much I'm loved! And it's ridiculous how much I love Alan and autumn, and, well, the leaves!

#24 Leaf Of The Day

October 24th, 2017

Cull Canyon

 Mood: Happy

~Me :)

The Magic Of Pumpkins

"Why not imagine a talk with a pumpkin? Why not imagine going off for a drive with a friendly pumpkin,

 a companion who would not, after all, answer back;

 who would agree with everything you said,

 and would at the end of the day appear on your plate as a final gesture of friendship?"

~Alexander McCall Smith

The Woman Who Walked In Sunshine 

One of the best things about living in the Central Valley is all the summer and autumn fruits and vegetables. Everything is local, delicious, and very photogenic, especially the pumpkins! I have seen some of the most beautiful, and uniquely colored pumpkins this season, than I have seen in many years! They are amazing!

Don't get me wrong, nothing can replace the pumpkins from our favorite pumpkin patches in Half Moon Bay, and we wouldn't give up that tradition for the world! There is just nothing like choosing a pumpkin, on a misty coastal day, but there is something to be said for hunting for just the right pumpkin on a warm Central Valley day! But Half Moon Bay has a really special place in my heart! We will be going down there in a week or so, but I am impressed with these pumpkins too!

Oh well, whether it's here in the valley, or along the coast, it always makes for a really nice day, just hanging out with Alan and searching for just the right pumpkin! And since I was a little girl, I just knew when I had found the right pumpkin for me. Somehow... the right pumpkin speaks to you... like a friend you just haven't met yet! It's downright magical to me. Autumn is full of magic, isn't it?

#16 Leaf Of The Day

October 16th, 2017

Manteca, California

Mood: Happy

Me :)  

Happy Halloween Witches

"Tis the night... the night

Of the grave's delight

And the warlocks are at their play;

Ye think that without

The wild winds shout,

But no, it is they... it is they!"

~Arthur Cleveland Coxe

Halloween: A Romanut

My Season. My Holiday.

Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

Leaf Of The Day

October 31st, 2016

 

 Mood: HAPPY

~Me :)