No Flash

This flower looked drooping dead this morning. Four petals were sticking straight up and the rest sagged toward the stem.  I cut off a few inches of stem and immediately stuck the flower into fresh water.  It revived itself.

I was curious how it would look with flash and without flash using my little old point and shoot. I held the flower up to a light to keep the flash from flashing.  Obvious difference.

Gotta Smile

 I'm thankful that most problems don't last. 

Most things heal. 

Most things get better. 

And when circumstances don't improve right away,  bright colors and happy people sometimes help.

Thankfully.

Autumn Roses

 I was going to write a slightly depressing and cryptic post about empty buckets, but then mine was filled.  A comment on my cousin's blog led me to her daughter's blog.  I read all her posts including one about trials.  She insisted that her readers watch this Mormon Message by Elder Holland.  It was exactly what I needed to watch.  Her husband also gives her roses which is incredibly sweet and reminded me of the roses right outside our door.  I'm thankful for my cousin's awesome grown-up daughter. 

I cut off a rose bud and stuffed it in a vase.  Then I became fascinated by the shadows it was creating on the wall thanks to sunlight from the kitchen window.  It's been a partly cloudy day, so truth, sunshine, and roses were just what I needed.

Leaf Blankets

 It seems a pity to rake up all these beautiful leaves.  This is the "before" shot.  I raked up half of these after I took the picture.  I love walking on them.  They are soft and smooth because we've had so much rain.  When all these were on the tree and turning yellow, they were gorgeous.  I imagine when they start to decompose and mix with snow, they won't be so nice.  Otherwise, I wouldn't touch them.  I'm guessing this is only 1/2 of what was on the tree.  The other half has yet to fall.  Maybe we'll get some dry weather and they'll turn crunchy.  They'd be fun to play in if they dry.

The leaves from the bean tree aren't so pretty, but they are nicer to walk on than dirt.  I suppose if I have time, I should rake them up too.

Beautiful Tree

 I don't remember ever seeing a tree so covered in vines that is also thriving. 

I had a friend from New Hampshire who would go on and on about how much more beautiful fall was there in the east than here in Utah.  Since I've lived in and visited states in the northeast, I know what he was talking about-- the vast quantity of beautiful, colorful trees.  But there's that old saying about how if you focus on one tree you won't see the forest.  Well, here, we can focus on individual trees for the lack of a forest and we can feel very very good about it.

This tree is at Sugarhouse Park.  I am grateful to live where there are so many safe, accessible, beautiful, familiar places.