Leaf Peeper Season Kick Off!

Autumn color in the Blue Ridge mountains dazzles the eyes, captures the senses, and submerges one in beauty impossible to capture with words.

Even the camera can’t do it justice – and I count myself so blessed to live right in the midst of it.

With the onset of cooler temperatures we chose the warmest part of the day, around 2pm, to head up to Grayson Highlands for a little hike along the Rhododendron and Appalachian trials.

The sky was the kind of blue I wish I could capture in fabric.  It was magical.

We have a couple of weeks yet here in the south before we reach “peak” color – and I plan to catch a glimpse every day while it is happening.

 Oh, that blue sky!  Nature knows how to do art best, doesn’t it?

Even the grasses are turning a rusty shade and many of the bushes and brambles have already lost their leaves.

I just can’t get enough of this place – every time I come up here it is a bit different.  This time, temps were hovering around 60f and I was hiking in jeans and tee shirt – no over shirt or sweatshirt required.

This little young one looked like she wanted to fall asleep on her feet! I love that short short baby mane.

Little sweet one, blending in to autumn surroundings!

We spent quite a bit of time watching this pair – they didn’t seem to mind and watching them graze was almost a zen moment.   

I fell in love with this brambly tree and the delicate gold colored berries on those twisted grey limbs.  COLOR EVERYWHERE.  Even the grey of tree bark has beauty. 

Look at that color making itself known!  I just want to soak it all up until there isn’t any left on the trees.

The rest of my Saturday was spent still shuffling things in the QPO studio.  I emptied tote bags and bins, stuff that was in boxes and bags and determined if it was also going to be shelved, stored, or stripped down. 

That job will be on going and endless through the winter I fear – but I figure it took me this long to accumulate all of this fabric, it can take a while before I get it to where I really want it to be.

I settled in for the evening, finishing one hoop area of quilting, and needed to move my hoop to the next area -

Someone thought this was all for her benefit!

One of the reasons I find the quilting easier on this one than on the Oak Leaf (which will get more time this coming week – gutter guys are coming to install gutters at Quiltville Inn tomorrow and I’ll be on hand!) is this one requires no marking.  I’m just doing it by eye.  It’s easy stitching.  I’m glad I grabbed it from Wallburg when we went down to get my stash cabinets.

I am anticipating many winter evenings putting stitches in.

But once the quilt was back in my lap, and my attention taken to needle and thread, I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and turned my head to find:

ZOEY JO!!

This is Ivy’s usual spot.  That tiny little round nest bed! LOL!  She jumped up there and sat in the nest as if she were the Queen of Everything. (I guess she is!)

Before I could disengage myself from the quilt and grab my camera she was laying down, butt in the nest.  LOL!

Crazy Dog!  I wish I could read her thought bubbles.  She brings us so much joy every day!


Today should prove to be restful.  Nothing big or urgent going on. Just a day to relax and enjoy. My legs are feeling the effects of the last two days hikes, but another easy walk up Round House Road may be in the cards.

How do you plan to spend this first Sunday in October?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Vintage quilt found in North Carolina.

In this day of a very heated political climate, I am watching brothers against brothers and sisters against sisters and relationships are exploding at every turn.

The political news is a circus, and respect has completely gone out the window.

We can do better. We can be better. We need to be better.

And it all starts at home and in our own communities.

And it can start today.