Summer coming to an end...

As I look out at the woods behind my house & see leaves starting to change colors & fall to the ground I realize Summer is coming to an end.  The change of seasons isn't bad, each season has its own beauty & blessings, it's just a change… and I look forward to each change, since each brings new activities, new foods, new sights… and of course new challenges.

As the challenges in my gardens come to a close, the challenges in homework start up… This Fall I will be doing double-duty again in teaching, I will continue to teach the Young Adults fellowship & will assist with a Women's Fall class as well… Kitty likes this… she goes from watching me through the windows (as I putter in the garden) to being by my side in the Office as I work on my homework…

Oreo likes the Office Chair… the one that normally sits at the computer… but I gladly sacrifice it to her for the company - it can get very quiet when I'm here alone studying…  I loved the way she was curled up in this photo, with a paw reached out toward me… It's not unusual for her to reach out & touch me gently with a paw to remind me that she's there...

She was sleeping so soundly… she's getting older, she's 12 now, and she sleeps more than she used to… but she's still a very healthy cat (according to her Vet she's quite young for her age)… she's always been sweet & docile, and that's not changed… She's got the softest fur I've ever felt on a cat, she's wonderful to snuggle with!!

(Can you tell I like my cat??)

Ok, where was I?  That's right, Summer coming to an end…. so as its ending of course we're trying to get to all those Summer activities we hadn't gotten to yet, or hadn't gotten enough of yet…

We went to yet another outdoor concert, these are coming to an end… this time we saw Classic Brass Inc.  This group has as one of its members the conductor of the band Jeff is in… Jeff was excited to see his conductor play Trombone (Jeff's main instrument).

Picture as we drove to the Apple Orchard...

We also went for an early visit to an Apple Orchard (a typical Fall activity), no Sweet Tangos yet (perhaps next week)… but we picked up some tasty cooking apples…  Right after we decided to go over to Stillwater, its a town along the St Croix that's very picturesque (but I didn't take pictures this time)… we mostly wandered down the main street & in and out of Antique shops…

To end our Summer with a bang we went to ValleyFair, a local amusement park (no pics here either)… we had a ton of fun riding roller coasters (they have several) & other adrenalin pumping rides… I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this sort of thing…

Today is Labor Day, and today we're simply hanging out around the house… we're going to rest a bit before Jeff goes back to work…

Goodbye Summer!!  See you next year!!