Enjoying the last good {weather} days

I think we have finally reached the end of days that will have any hint of warmth. After a pretty cold/rainy week in early September and a very cool/rainy October we've been dashing outside to make the most of any day that has felt decently warm for the past two months. Here are a few of our fun, local excursions ...

Rolling down hills at the Moscow Arboretum

Hiking Kamiak Butte

Thrilled to be collecting candy with Connor at the UofI Homecoming Parade; checking out pumpkins at the WSU pumpkin patch; and as a lumberjack, ready to trick-or-treat.

 Luke & Lina, taking a break from hiking at Idler's Rest.

The Fall Festival at Phillips Farm (not such a good weather day, but still a fun day of cidering, hay rides, face painting and seeing some raptors)

Enjoying the streets of our neighborhood ...

And back to the arboretum for a sunset stroll.

Putting pictures on the walls ... finally

Although we've lived in this house for over a year the only pictures/decorating that had been done until recently was this ...

... a few pictures propped up on our mantel.

The rest of our walls had been left bare. Not very homey feeling. I finally took on one of the walls and got some pictures from our past put up. Funny how such a small task can take so many months to tackle and yet has already brought me so much joy to see.

I suppose it might not have taken so long if I'd just been willing to purchase nice frames; but I didn't want to spend the money. So instead I scrounged around our garage and basement and picked up a few frames at the dollar store and (surprising myself) I actually really like how it turned out ... the old window, the basket lid and the pieces of junk (I mean ... reclaimed) wood make it feel alive to me which seems to be how a gallery wall of one's life should feel. Alive. 

(Two of these photos were not taken by me, although I was present when they were taken. Middle photo on the window frame (our barn-home in VT taken by Michael Maslowski) and top row fourth photo from the left (Uoleva, Tonga taken by fellow volunteer, Cristina)

Ginkgo Magic

After driving Jason to Spokane's airport yesterday so he could fly to Wisconsin for a 5-day foresters conference, the kids and I made a stop at Spokane's arboretum with his Mom for a little running around time before heading back to Moscow. We were treated to the most magical autumn leaf display by the ginkgo trees.

What I didn't know at the time was that we were actually witnessing a fairly special event ... Ginkgo trees often lose all of their leaves all in the same day or even in just a matter of hours. Thanks God for this special, beautiful gift!