Louis creates his latest masterpiece of blocks. Carefully placed, delicately balanced, 
these majestic towers rise high.
But alas, Ms. Destructo and her apprentice Dolly have smashed the towers to bits. Unbeknownst to their creator, playing outside.
"Ok, Dolly, let's make our own tower. Blast! Its only knee-high...
Forget the block thing. Let's just hide up here on this box and hope Louis doesn't find us!"
Mega bowl for Louis, 
and mini bowl for the mini-mite.
25-yr old Strawberry Shortcake only gets one kernal. Boo-hoo.
Morphing into her tutu outfit, she stretches for one more piece. "If...I...can...just...reach....
....blast!! Foiled by that crumb-sucking furball!"
Louis takes a close look at a tree trunk with binoculars. Maybe standing so close isn't such a bad idea?
Annabelle takes a close look at the camera with binos.
Daisy's 2nd brain cell kicks in: pant. 
Annabelle tries to convince Daisy to shave all her fur, except for a little puff on top of her head.
Two-thirds of us pose for a discombobulated self-portrait.
Rummaging through the miscellaneous box of Halloween decorations, I found this priceless piece: little sister Sandra's 1st grade happy little witch named Sally. Those were the days when someone would give you a piece of paper with a black triangle glued on it and tell you to scribble away. 
We wait all spring and summer for these giant plants to do something other than take over our gardens. Wriggling like unruly snakes straight up into the air, all brute and no show, they make us want to give them a snip snap with the pruners. Then, finally, at 12 feet tall, these sunflowers burst forth and enclose us in a sunflower jungle. A treasure worth waiting for! 
While planting daffodil bulbs last week, I happened upon this earthen treasure -- a 1914 dime! Quite the surprise to find, at 6 inches below our normal viewing scope. On ebay it was selling for $8. The thrill and surprise of finding it seems to be a little more valuable than a measly $8.
Louis has become master of the apple peeler-corer-slicer doo-dad, the most important machine in our house this time of year. He processed the entire stock-pot in the background!
Mmm, apple muffins....
"Yah, I peeled, sliced, AND cored these apples. Take a bite of that!"
Full of apple energy, Louis excavates potatoes in the garden.
Meanwhile, Annabelle stares into space in the sandbox, wondering when that puff of hair will stop sticking straight up.
Louis and his dolly, pushing a heavy load: an empty plastic bucket. Whew! What else would a kid do at 7am dressed in PJ's and rubber boots?
Annabelle and her dolly. "Oh, dolly, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways....
One: to squeeze you with a squeal...
Two: to squash you into a pillow. Go to sleep! 
Three: to feed you bananas. Open those pursed plastic lips and EAT!"
Well, howdy-doody, look at that....peas and pumpkins growing together. We planted a second round of peas a few weeks ago and they turned out great. Such a luxury to munch a pea in September. 
Cast away your childhood memories of brussel sprouts lingering, mushy and bitter, on your plate! These tasty b.sprouts are fantastic and we're sure to grow them again next year. With only a little help from butter and salt, even Louis gobbled them up.
As if we thought the garden work was winding down.....usher in 10 cords of firewood to start chipping away at. This monstrous pile will last us 3-4 years, so no rush to chop it all up this weekend! Winter, we're ready for you now.