In the Storm so Long

No doubt, I fell off a cliff in late July. Can't even say what all the triggers were, but several were pulled, and I fell. And so I once again find myself on the long slope, coming up from the abyss. As I've climbed, I've turned to my camera for solace, exploring old and new subjects. And, as always, I've held fast to living, breathing nature as sustenance for the journey. So I thought I would share a few glimpses of light from the long night that was the Dog Days:

 This little girl came to visit SO often in August and September!

 This happened! Quite a surprise to see Mom and the brood out back

 Of course this happened, too! Bug learning to walk again

 Beautiful mums from our dear cousins

 Lots of flutterbys this summer

 Heather and the Impatiens were a big hit!

 I am obsessed with her...

 Hey girl! She LOVED our morning glory vine.

 Flutterby

 Verbena Lantana is still blooming

 This pic has been a big hit on social media.

 Ms. Pinky getting loved up!

 Obsessed...

Convalescing Bug...

 Increasingly I have turned to the sky, seeking solace...

 My old flame Cassiopeia

 Pinky!

 Our hanging baskets have done very well: petunias

 Bougainvillea

 There...out in the darkness...

 Moon and oak leaves

 Baritone Moon

 Billions and billions...

The Northern Sky, filled with familiar constellations

 From right to left, Cassiopeia (modern form in blue, old form in red); Cephus, King of Aethiopia, husband to Cassiopeia, father to Andromeda; the Little Dipper, dipping toward the horizon.

 I think it might be time to mow again (we had a three-week dry spell)

 Our little Vinca has thrived!

 Blousy petunias...

 Ms Rita and her pet weed

And of course, Ms Pinky Two-tone Geranium...

We are moving toward my birth sign, Scorpio. I have described myself as forever autumn (a brilliant song from War of the Worlds, btw). Like autumn, I am filled with equal parts beauty and sadness and doubt and hope. Yes, I am a spendid season, but brace yourselves, winter is coming. With shortened days comes doubt and sadness, with the cold comes pain. But the winter sky, with my old friend Orion presiding, and the promise of rebirth in the spring, give me sustaining hope. May these images from my new home give you solace, wherever they may find you, in these troublesome times.

I leave you with a soulful video of autumns past, up in Ohio:
Autumn in Ohio, 2013

The Bug's Almost Daily Day Lilies

Day Lilies remind me of fireworks! We've really enjoyed the several varieties our neighbor has planted, especially the ones just above our drive. Since The Bug can't exactly stroll around to see them all, I photograph them for her. Well, I would photograph them anyway, but I make a little extra effort these days to bring beauty and cuteness into her life. Here are some of my favorites from the last two weeks: