Fall is creeping closer.

Fall doesn't fall here, you know arrive all at once, boom! It creeps in. Some of our hottest days of the years can be in the coming month of September. "Fall" color may arrive in December.

so how do i know it is on the way, well it is in the angle of the sun,

The sun light is golden at times, the grass is drying and a few leaves are down,

Flowers going to seed,

The leaves at the top of the cottonwood trees are a yellow green,

Acorns cover the oak trees and are starting to drop,

I hear the acorn woodpeckers in the trees, they used to store their acorns in the huge oak trees in the park, see the holes. then the moved to the wooden utility poles.

this spring the wooden poles were replaced with metal poles, I don't know where Woodie and his sore beaked clan are going to store their acorns this year.

Yep, fall is on the way.

Water.....

Something new at the park...no water in the creek. Even through our drought of the last 3 years we had water in this creek, runoff from lawns etc. 

Prior to the water drying up, I had noticed it smelled, there were no ducks swimming in it. That makes me wonder if something is blocking the water flow from up stream.

What ever the reason, it is D-R-Y 

here are some before and now pictures, taken at the same locations on the creek.

Then

Now

Then

Now

Then

Now

Starting something new

Some of you may know, I have been trying to start my own, small, floral business, filed the papers, got the name, Expressions Floral and thanks to one of the coffee ladies, I had a customer, Jacqui. I must say she was the dream bride. She said, these are the colors I like, I need this many bouquets and boutonnieres, here is my budget , go.

She was just the kind of bride I am looking for. A girl on a budget, a girl who knows small can be just as beautiful as over the top, you know, a small expression can speak volumes...  Yesterday was her big day, and mine too...

Bouquet

Grooms Boutonniere

Corsage ( one of my famous vertigo shots)

Alter Pieces

 

I had a great time designing Jacqui's flowers, I think the best thing was how happy she was with the final product. 

Congratulations to the new couple, and thanks for giving me a shot!

More Fair... I love fair time!

Ventura County Fair runs for a week and a half. This week the 4-H , FFA and Grange kids have their market animals at the fair . Today was auction day. I wondered around and snapped some photos before going to the livestock area.

 

Dahlia's in the floral culture building

One lucky fellow!

SOLD!

A mini steer, a new division added to the fair this year 

4-Hr's waiting to get beef h'orderves to serve in the auction arena.

A 4-Hr, doing what I love most, talking to the public about their animal...these kids are wonderful!

heading to the auction ring.

I love to listen to this fellow!

Fun at the Fair.

The whole family went to the county fair yesterday. We had a great time!

we did the usual... saw animals

Momma pig and her babies

Rides

Food

( this is Lycra man and his chili cheese dog with the works.)

How ever fun the above was, our main reason for being at the fair was,

these two

after being on this side of the table...

rabbit showman ship

and winning big!

They are now on this side of the table,

Judging and clerking for rabbit showmanship at the county fair,

 Good job girls!