After getting home from our road trip at the first of October, most of the month was spent getting the yard all in order for winter.  A few flowers are still blooming along with the gorgeous ornamental kale.  The Mountain and valley really put on a show of fall color.
October 31 was our official move in day a year ago.  What an amazing, blessed year it was watching this yard show off its stuff.  Every time I walked outside I was in awe how this yard just seems to have been prepared for ME.  There was always plenty to do with pruning, transplanting, adding to, but plenty of time to wander and enjoy it all. 

 I found the perfect workout road.  Downhill going and uphill coming back, with enough of a level path to catch my breath before I get home.  And I found a pair of deer!  I have seen them a few times in the same spot.

downhill going...

 These little guys always remind me of the fall we moved out of Portland to the 'country' when I was in the third grade.  We filled jars full of them and stuffed them full of grass to eat.  I don't remember what we did with them after that, maybe Mom dumped them out before they died and we caught them all over again the next day.  I want to think that is what happened and not that we dumped out jars full of dead ones.

uphill going home...

Once I had the yard finished up for the winter, Bonnie and I took a drive up to the Grist Mill.  We made it just before the leaves were falling.  Too bad the water chute was turned off, but that just gives us a reason to go back.  

Maria and Alison came out and we got all crafty.  We tried to copy a little how to video we saw, turning a tomato cage into a fall tree.  Trouble is I could not find any fall garlands and the video made it look like you only used two, So theirs turned out really skimpy and mine was nothing special since I used a fir garland.  We need a redo.  But we had a fun time trying!