Yates Mill from the Distant Shore

SmugMug Daily Link

Donnie took me back to Yates Mill today.  He knows how important it is to me this time of year to try to capture the mill with the fall foliage.  This time the boys were with us.  Donnie spent most of his time wrestling with the boys as we walked the mill pond path freeing me up to take the pics that I wanted.   There are a lot of briers along the pond's edge, and at one point, I was totally entangled in them.  Thankfully I got myself back out with only one scratch on my left hand.

I think we are near peak color.  As you can see, the maples, dogwoods, and sourwood trees were a vibrant red today.  No interesting bird sightings today, but the comp and color made up for that!

SmugMug Link

Before and after Yates Mill we were at the boys' basketball evaluations.  We'll get a call this week about what team they are on and then practices start shortly thereafter.  Neither of them has much experience and some of the other boys looked really good, but I am sure they will improve a lot like they did with baseball this past year.

SmugMug Link

SmugMug Link

Joey is in orange below.

SmugMug Link

Johnny is number 6 below waiting his turn to dribble and shoot.

SmugMug Link

They do their best to build the teams with players of all skills to even things out.  That way it stays fun for everyone.

Teamwork

SmugMug Daily Link

If you needed some work done around your house, wouldn't you want this crew to show up?  The wireless signal form downstairs is often weak upstairs, so Donnie decided to add a router upstairs.  Sounds simple, right?  Well, not so much.  He had to drill a hole through the garage foundation to get the cables (Satellite and cable) into the house in a new spot.

SmugMug Link

The cables then went along the garage wall and then up through the ceiling into the floor, storage area, wall, and attic of the bonus room above.

SmugMug Link

Once in the attic, the cables then came back down in the wall right behind the TV where Donnie installed a new outlet.

SmugMug Link

We were in trouble for a minute pulling the 'snake' out of the wall where the new outlet is.  Donnie was in the attic pushing it down, and I had my hand in the wall trying to pull it out, but I couldn't reach it.  My wrist was too big to turn flat inside the wall.  Johnny to the rescue.  His arm and wrist were small enough to make the turn, grab the snake, and pull it out.  Teamwork!  I wish I had the picture of his face after he did that.  Too busy in the moment.

Not only did Donnie do a great job installing the new router and relocating a poorly installed satellite cable, but he also gave Johnny the pride of helping and learning some new things.

On the Farm

SmugMug Daily Link

This is  another picture I took while Donnie and I were out enjoying the fall weather on Tuesday.  In my opinion, we don't see enough farms like this still thriving.  I was very pleased to come across this one and have a decent vantage point to safely take this picture from.  There is another interesting barn over to the right, and if we pull up a little farther next time, I will try to compose the shot to capture that barn as well.

Color Along the Water

SmugMug Daily Link

I was off yesterday, and Donnie and I had a chance to take a walk in the woods near this pond in a new location we hadn't been to before.  It was very pretty as you can see.

This cutie accompanied us on our walk.

SmugMug Link

This sweetie less than a year old let me say hello too.

SmugMug Link

Other cows in the field were enjoying their hay.

SmugMug Link

An Autumn Place to Reflect

SmugMug Daily Link

On the way home from Yates Mill on Sunday, I asked Donnie to stop into Lake Wheeler and let me get out at Simpkins Pond for a few minutes.  The two parks are quite close together.  I always like how the leaves float near the water's edge this time of year.  I caught this image with the pretty leaves over the bench and thought it was both pretty and calming.

SmugMug Link

I roasted a chicken last night, made bone broth overnight, and have prepared chicken soup this AM.  We'll be having that for dinner.  The greenery is parsley.  I love the colors and the inviting aroma of soup on a chilly fall day.

SmugMug Link

Basking in the Late Day Sun

SmugMug Daily Link

Another shot taken at Yates Mill on Sunday.  Donnie and I spotted this sole cormorant on a log not too far from the distant shore where I took Monday's daily photo.  I loved that he was so close, but he was in the shade.  No enough lens or light to get a quality 'real' shot, so I thought I'd boost the color a bit.

I also created this B&W version.

SmugMug Link

Crystal Ball

SmugMug Daily Link

Donnie and I got invited to an Oyster Roast last night at our neighbor's house.  Curtis will be 50 in December (1962), and he was in a celebratory mood.  I loved the decorations, lights, and festive mood and took a few shots.  You know I couldn't resist that crystal ball.  Orange rope lights in front of it created the lines of lights in the globe and on the wall.

SmugMug Link