Ghosties and Ghoulies and Skeletal Beasties

Baloo and I stumbled across a graveyard while walking through Old Mission. 

Headstones boasted advertisements of openings for new residents.

The inmates were out enjoying the gloomy, rainy, blustery day. 

While the bird might not have made it out of its cage, it did make it out of the ground, so I'm sure that was something to crow about!

Canine companions are always the best and well worth taking everywhere! Baloo took particular interest in this skeletal dog. He didn't know quite what to think about it. 

At the Old Mission Inn, the carriages were out and running again this year with plenty of business.

Ghoulish covered wagons were rolling through town, too. 

Finally, ring around the pine tree had a whole new and ghostly twist.

I always love seeing people having fun with Halloween. I hope you're enjoying a fabulously frightful day!

Happy Halloween!

Creepy Things

As Halloween approaches, it only seems fitting to share a few creepy things. 

Like slightly surprising and well camouflaged wolf spiders that suddenly scuttle and startle a person.

And slithering milk snakes that people often think are scary and poisonous, even though they aren't.

And whatever strangely transparent and ghostly wormy thing this is! (I found it really fascinating, since I'd never seen one before and it's a bit eerie to see its inner workings on display.)

Of course, no creepy collection would be anywhere near complete without the classically ominous crow!

A Backyard Beastie

Those of you who have ordered from Stampeaz recently might recognize this little fellow. 

This rascal (who seems to take delight in teasing Baloo - a dangerous pastime) was the model for my most recent package inclusions. This is the pose I used for the carving, so you can decide whether or not I captured the pert mischievousness reasonably well, or not. Of course, Baloo is still trying to capture the pert mischievousness whenever he has the chance!

Sunflowers

One morning a few weeks ago, while walking across the big field with Baloo, I saw this lone sunflower glowing brilliantly in the early sun, so I took a picture and we continued on our way. 

A day or so later, we walked the other side of the field and took a trail that led near the single sunflower sentinel. Taking a closer look, I discovered that the sunflower wasn't alone after all. 

It had several small, busy friends diligently doing their pollination work.  

I have to admit that I found it humorous that the large bumble bees were working on tiny vetch flowers, but the enormous sunflower was tended by these tiny bees. 

I particularly enjoyed the intricate spiral designs in the center of the flower and I know that the finches are appreciating the now mature seeds as the days (finally) begin to cool. 

Time has a Tendency...

...to flutter by when one is busy! I've been wanting to post something new for a while now, but finding the time to download pictures from the camera and get them ready to put in an entry has been a challenge.

I finally got a few pictures ready to go and the subjects seem appropriate, as they flutter by, too.

Baloo and I kept seeing lovely little butterflies and moths as we walked the trails.

Some were quite striking, in spite of their diminutive size. 

Others were positively tiny and very shy. I love the feathery antlers on this one!

Uncommon or numerous, teasing or shy, they were all delightful to see and try and sneak up on to photograph. Several species eluded me entirely, although there are a few others I'll share in another post. These pictures are from a few weeks ago and the winged beauties have flown south for the winter, but we'll look forward to seeing them again when they (and the sun) return to the north country.