Sunday neighborhood walk. . . . .

On Sunday afternoon, with a much welcomed break from the downpours of 

 recent days, we took a long walk around the neighborhood.

Cool and sunless, but not cold, just a lightweight jacket, and for me 

a scarf as I love a warm neck, worked.

At the small park the trees are now dropping their leaves into the pond which is very high from so much rain.

There were just a few Canada geese and a pair of ducks swimming peacefully.

Have you noticed how walking through a carpet of fallen leaves always seems 

to recall childhood memories?

 Both Bob and I talked about this as we joyfully kicked the golden

 piles underfoot. It's really wonderful that aging continues to bring

 simple pleasures - I believe they are the best ones - and those childhood 

games, so important in our development, are imprinted on our minds forever.

Do you jump in the Autumn leaves?

Come to the Fête de la Pomme. . . . . .

Fête de la Pomme, la Foire, an annual October fair for the apple. . . . . . this one being
 the eighteenth such Autumn celebration in this charming village of Aigues-Vive.
  A pleasant country drive through vineyards and farmland, not far from where my
 brother John and his wife Alison live, this small village of approximately 2,600
 welcomed huge crowds from the surrounding area in the department of Gard in
 the region of Languedoc-Roussillion. 

A brilliant warm, sunny Sunday morning - we arrived early and managed to 
look around before the crowds became heavy, loud, but obviously happy and
thankful for so much fun, entertainment, and an abundance of fabulous
 foodstuffs to buy and take home to their kitchens.

There was a fabulous band, school children singing, displays of incredible
farm and grape harvesting equipment. . . . . . and stands offering everything
delicious from fresh apples and juice (free cups of the best just pressed juice ever),
 to honey, jams, cheeses, vegetables,sausages, crepes, chestnuts, eggs, 
garlic. . . . . plus yarn, lavender products, and so much more. 
The French certainly know how to do the outdoor market that's for sure!

This gentleman was selling his family-made jewelry. I especially liked the

 polished wood pieces and tucked some in my bag to bring home. . . . 

and of course now wish I'd bought a lot more!

Hope you enjoyed a stroll around the colorful French apple fair.

Trumpeting in the Autumn garden!

I just had to do a follow-up to yesterday's post!

Look at those trumpets - the rains of the past few days

 must have quenched their thirst. Even the re-blooming azaleas

 are colorful again, and the sweet potato vines seemed to have
had a growth spurt overnight. The garden is beautiful again.

Nature never ceases to amaze.