November is here, nights are drawing in and I'm seriously thinking about hibernating but actually that's a bit of a cop out. Because what you get with dark nights is the ability to makes spots of light and how lovely that can look. I had the experience of really feeling that this was the hard slog into winter and of course we have had a bit of snow and temperatures plummet and the scramble to get snow tires. (You wonder why it is so important, don't they have salt? But actually when the roads are cleaned up after the storm....well then it all starts to make sense and you have to be a proper girl guide and "be prepared".)
So for next November I will make sure, snow gear is bought early and that snow tires are fitted early. But not forgetting the most important bit! tea lights are bought in bulk, for all those opportunities to light those little spots up and bring the most important element to those long nights, some simple good cheer!
November is the cross over really of the seasons here and my pictures surely reflect that
This is a sneak from the last days of October....and a peak at a building in nearby St Jacobs. I loved the bricks and the painted sign. But look at those golden leaves.
This is Elora, another town near by. It is full of charm and by the Grand River and deep gorge that it runs through. It would have had a huge mill on the river and I'm sure I've a picture somewhere of that one....But for now this is how the town looks.
Around Fall Elora gets ready for Halloween and the town is dotted with these great Halloween sculptures
Pretty scary
Love this the watcher and the damsel
Just skipping along and not a care in the word. These sculptures were all around downtown Elora and so lovely
This guy was in their park and immensely tall, like the BFG from Roald Dahl
Ah Blessed Ginkgoes
But those leaves are tumbling
The first snow signs just at the very end of October, snow on the roof tops
Arty shot of where I volunteer at, Clay and Glass Gallery...it is a very cool building
Frosty mornings are coming
But the trees are valiantly showing still
Beautiful contrast
The leaves on mass drop from our ash tree out the back of our house
This is the front path to the house and I am so pleased that I took this shot...because now as of 18th November that is not how it looks.....
More like this!
But I digress and this is how the streets looked all golden and black branches. My favorite
Halloween house in Waterloo and I wondered if they painted the door orange for the occasion, surely not..
Everyone wanted to see the house and this is the front door from the street
I love blue spruce. Hard not to really and this sits at the side of our drive on our neighbours side. I liked how it looked "decorated" with the leaves that fell from the trees around. It contrasted with the fresh green/blue of the spruce. But after all yellow and blue is a classic combo
Golden maples on the street outside the house
This baby, Japanese Maple is right outside Isaac's window
And there would be the mix of leaves on our drive. Such vibrant colours and interesting shapes
I spotted these one wet Monday morning. They are waiting for trash pick up. I thought they looked rather funny. Pumpkin head and the one below looks like it all got a little too much for him.....or if this is a hide and seek game, well we can see you pumpkin!!!
More amazing mixing of leaves and this is after the rain and they are just so bright
Now bear with me. There is a house that every morning Louie and I walk past on the way to the bus stop and although the light is horrible in this picture, that Japanese Maple was a natural wonder. I thought that and the red trunk just well, it caught my eye
So the few days later when all the leaves came off that glorious autumn show and thet completely cover the lawn, I wondered what it would look like next....with
Snow!!! Red truck and snow just wow and this was in a matter of a week!!!!
I put a bird feeder out and here are some of the visitors, a chickadee
and a wood pecker
Did I mention that the leaves haven't fully dropped? So we get leaves and snow at the same time
This morning shot and sunlight was a welcome sight. That blob is snow cradled in the leaves
So this is my Canada shot... speaks for it self really
I was on a house tour and this is the view from one of the houses...wow. That is the Grand River and it is aptly named. Every window in the house, including the bathroom had floor to ceiling windows of that view. Pretty snazzy
Early morning snow and blue light
Frosty snow remnants
Our walk to the bus stop and that figure is Louie, I better catch him up!
Now that is what I call serious snow man/head building.!
Did I mention that Winter is Coming!!!!!!
I hope that you have enjoyed this first delve into Winter. It is very interesting seeing how light and lack of it changes everything and of course next is the biggy....so better get those candles lit and that freezer filled.
