Grab a leash!

There are rainy, damp days when it’s the last  thing I  want to do,

and the only thing she wants to do.

Go for a walk!

So I grab my favorite trench & umbrella and she grabs her leash & collar and off we go!

Sounds all civilized I know.

Trust me it’s not.  She has me all twisted like this before we step out of the house!

Once we’re outdoors, she behaves!

There are others watching you know.

The little ones are often scooped up when she comes barreling down the sidewalk.

The brave little ones show no fear.

Problem is, she doesn’t like loud or fidgety little anythings.

She does love the big guys though. 

She thinks they’re all horses!

She is so very kind and mothering and will let us know if anyone is loose or lost.

Really, she whines and paces.

Last summer she befriended a young kitty.  They were besties until Mean Old MR. rolled up the “Welcome. We feed hungry kitties” mat!

Here is a nice Mr. 

Maybe he’s going to post a picture of that little guy to the www.  I bet he’ll be back home with his master before you know it!

This MR. man looks nice too.

Seeee how he’s welcoming that sweet little Pug into his house?

This one knows she's not going far…

Walks are for exercise and for socializing right!

Then there are those who prefer to ride.

Ahhhh, meet Mr. Happy Go Lucky!

What do you want to bet his motto is…

Hey everyone sitting around the nice roaring fire!

We’re home!

That was great Mom.  Thanks.

Here are a couple of wonderful books to give as gifts or enjoy by the fire when you and your best friend come in from a walk.

                                                      

Before I close…

Get to know Monty the horse and Tyler the dog in a moving story below…

It’s a beautiful story.  A fine father tells how writing about his only daughter's adventures with her horse Monty and dog Tyler has helped him keep her memory alive...
Read more about them here.

 

This blog post was written very very late at night in honor of all dogs and The Gracie Porter Collection.

It’s a great place for all good blog dogs to come, sit & stay!

Autumn Jewels

Nature’s bounty is abundant, beautiful & all apparent!

Casey Sills

I grew up out west where temperatures are mild & seasons quietly flow from one to the next.  This time of year in Kentucky, we feel a crispness in the air & see a transformation of astounding color. 

A favorite family tradition is the Autumn harvest of Apples!

 

Antonis Achilleos

Fresh Winesap from the orchard to fill a garden urn or Crispin for a handsome centerpiece in the library. With the bright greens, varying textures and fresh fragrance of the fruit, this gorgeous combination will long outlast a fresh floral bouquet.

Veranda

With their abundance, it’s not surprising that they have migrated beyond the kitchen and can be found in unexpected places throughout my house.

 But the best way to enjoy these sweet-smelling pommes is fresh from the tree!

I love the sweet & aromatic Monroe,

or a crisp green Crispin,

or a venerable old cultivar, the heirloom Winesap.

Flickr

There is nothing like biting into a beauty that you have just reached up & twisted from the branch of the tree! Tools of the trade that apple aficionados swear by are available for us to harvest our own.

Here is the pick of the crop!

This wooden Orchard Ladder by Peter Baldwin has a pointed top that rests in the crotch of tree limbs.

Fill wooden market baskets & give them to friends!

Felco’s classic 25-inch-long Lopper from Gempler's will cut branches up to 1.5 inches in diameter.

 Lower fruit into picking baskets with a front release skirt from Oescoinc.

The curved blade of this 14.5-inch pruning saw from Garrett Wade, keeps you from harming other branches in tight spots.

And this galvanized-steel handy Picking Bucket from Peach Ridge, along with a Fruit Harvester from Gardener's Edge will assist those who prefer to pick from ground level.

Happy Harvest!