Autumn is definitely in the air!

These are some recent photos of fall colors I happened upon during a short walk to the bus stop and near my church on Sunday.

Parking lot leaves. . .

Today, I ran into a store to pick up one item I needed before I went to church. Coming back out to walk the rest of the way to church, I spotted these on the parking lot or on sidewalks. . . FALL is here and finally the rains are gone for awhile and I can do more of my walking through autumn. . .

Blogging Your Blessings Sunday #2

i had several blessing ideas to write about this week and then changed my mind again. I decided to write about an unexpected blessing that arrived in my mail recently. Let me back up a bit.

After I moved to Washington and my Mom died the following year, the rest of my family seemed to ignore me. Only one brother came to visit and I didn't drive. Nor did I have the finances to travel back to Idaho for vacation even tho I did find a friend who could supply me with transportation for my Moms funeral and my oldest son drove me to little sister's graduation from college in Colorado. I gave up writing long ago when none of my letters got answered.

Recently, out of the blue, a great niece (daughter of a nephew) wrote to me and inadvertently mentioned that her grandmother--my big sister -- had died. Then my niece --her Aunt -- also wrote to me a few days later and told me about her mom dying and that they had no address for me then. She mentioned that "whatever had kept us apart needed to be forgotten and she hoped to renew a relationship again." I had no idea. i just got tired of writing and getting no letters back. But I knew my big sister was upset that I moved from the town Mom lived in after I graduated from college. She lived half an hour away. BUT my kids and I helped Mom daily for many years while I lived in the same town.

So where is the blessing in this? The blessings is the young relatives who care enough to forget their elder's hurdles and begin anew!

I am reminded of this Bible verse: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)." Almighty God controls every situation -- I think this verse applies here:

The fact that both their letters said they wanted to "mend fences and keep in contact" shows God's hand in this. "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Sometimes, we suffer with relationships even with those as close as a family should be. My "suffering" seemed fruitless until I received the two letters recently.

Just like, without Good Friday, we would not have an Easter to celebrate. The Gospel is the “good news” that the suffering Savior is also the risen Lord, who gives eternal life to believers. God has the last word concerning the ups and downs, the good and bad circumstances of our lives. Easter reminds us that we may trust that his ultimate purpose is good.

Now that seems odd that I refer to Easter in the fall but as a Christian, each day is a little Easter knowing that I have God's support to get through no matter the situation.

My colorful leaf experience. . .

Well . . . I finally did it! Even tho the forecast was for continuing threats of pouring rain, i took the time to go to the park to capture the colors of autumn displayed there. It was so windy, I had to take the photos in a sheltered part of the concert platform so they didn't blow away before I focused the camera. I managed to do it with only a few windy episodes during the filming. Hope others enjoy as much as I did.

This and that. . .

Had a busy day early on. Worked on prep for our rummage sale at church and then came home to go play Pinochle with three friends I met at this apartment house. On my way out this morning, I "met” this squirrel. . .

As I was walking to the bus stop over on Main St., I saw something I hadn’t noticed in the 20+ years I have lived in Vancouver. How could I have missed a clock on a building? I guess I never had to do any business uptown in this area. . .

It is definitely fall even tho we are having so much rain which one would associate with spring. I hope I can get another dry day to go take photos of the colorful leaves before they are all on the ground like around this bike rack.

Will Autumn leave before i can get my photos at the park?

I am hoping to get over to Esther Short Park and take some more photos this year of the leaves there. Beautiful leaves drop from the trees in the fall. This one, i saw recently on a walk to a bus stop. Love the colors!

Wondering what kind of plant this is. . .

This is growing in a large pot in the front of our apartment building. I don't remember if it looks like this all the time or just got "berries" on it. Today was the first time I really noticed it. I walked past and turned around to take a photo. I may never find out what it is but i sure do like it.