November Day

Today is one of those gray, weepy November days. Dark, overcast, and dripping rain. Thoroughly depressing. Most of our foliage color is gone now. There are still a few painted maples (I believe that is the variety from my 3 minutes of research on the subject) that are breathtakingly beautiful. These are always spectacular in the fall. If I were planting a tree, this is the kind I would plant. Our color this month is the deeper fall colors of dark gold, russet, and the occasional intense red. And the more and more visible dark brown and gray branches. On sunny days the contrast with the blue sky from deep indigo to that clear deep autumn blue is fabulous. It’s inspiring me to a Fairisle colorway. Leaves in the golds, russets, deep reds with all the shades of blue as background. Hmmmm. I should maybe work up some charts…
Yes, Heather, Sidelines has been sidelined, at least temporarily. I’ve been inspired to work on gifts (They’ve had a Christmas tree on display at Wal-Mart for the past two weeks! Not that I go in, but I can see it in the entry way when I go into the grocery store next door.) And speaking of the grocery store, another, happier sign of the season is that my favorite Christmas Tree cakes are on the shelves. Mmmm. I’ve gone through two boxes in almost three weeks, which I believe is a display of considerable restraint on my part. Finally, Younger Son’s birthday was yesterday. I forgot to tell him happy birthday before I left in the morning (Celtic Queen said it was like Sixteen Candles) and Dave ended up working extremely late. But I tried to make it up to him by bringing home a dozen chocolate chip cookies from Nancy B’s Bakery (the best chocolate chip cookies in Pittsburgh). I thought he would like them better than a cake (which he did).