Sunday, November 6, 2011
Cottage Season Ends
I have a few photos left over from when we were up at the cottage for our last visit in October. I hope you enjoy them.
On our way up there, we traveled behind this school bus for a short distance. It soon stopped in the tiny town of Harlowe to drop this student off, and then turned right as we turned left to continue on our way.
We didn't go in search of walleye this time but this little statue on the neighbour's property is perpetually fishing from the edge of the shore. This year, he was sitting there empty-handed, so Frank found an appropriate stick and fashioned a rod for him.
Standing on the dock one day, I noticed this yellow elm leaf with a tiny droplet of water in the middle of it. How could I not photograph it?
The canoe was tucked away against the boat house in a rare shaft of sunlight, between several periods of rain.
Further proof of rainy weather. Water droplets clung to every nook and cranny of this fuzzy leaf.
The fluctuation between rain and sun produced some mighty fine effects. One afternoon, I looked out the window to see Frank standing on the dock snapping photos off to the right of the cottage. When he was done, he gave the sky a big thumbs up for this lovely rainbow. I joined him and grabbed one quick shot while it was fading. I'm sure Frank's photos are far more outstanding than this one but he's even farther behind in posting his images than I am, and it might be April before you ever see them. Thanks for sharing the rainbow, Frank.
One of the best parts of our stay was meeting up with Bubbles, once again. She announced her arrival with a very minor scuffle with Benny. Neither one of them had fighting on their minds - I'm sure they remembered one another from last year when Bubs was still very young. We called her, and gave her a few handouts which she readily accepted, and she returned a few nights later for a repeat performance. She became quite relaxed around us, took food from my hand and allowed me to talk to her and pet her from head to tail while she ate. It was such a thrill to reconnect with this sweet, gentle soul.
Doesn't it appear as if she's having a good laugh over something? Or maybe she's practicing her karate moves. Bubbles is a joy to know and I hope she'll do well once again over the upcoming winter.
As I usually do with cottage pictures, I'll end with an image of the sunset - the only one I saw this time. It sure was a beauty.
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68 comments:
Racoons are for hugging. I am sure of it. Thanks for making your world tangible to the rest of us. You warm my heart.
You have a cute little raccoon friend. I like the photo of the boat a lot. Your place seems so serene, I can see why you love it.
The last shot is a real gem. A wait till next year now.
The colours of this sunset are stunning, out if this world. Thank you Hilary
Lovely pictures...
Pierre
The statue, the stick :) , the colors and the sunset...not to mention your little raccoon buddy...kinda wishing cottage season was year round :) Thanks for sharing Hilary.
Wow - such gorgeous shots! The sunset is fabulous as is the leaf in the water... A real work of art.
That was an amazing series. What an incredible macro of the leaf too! And now, as I enjoy the heat of summer, I look forward to your upcoming winter pics...
Thanks so much for sharing. Each of these is a delight!! You keep me inspired with my hobby.
Bubbles is a lovely animal, and the sunset was excellent. It was a lovable place to have a holiday.
Bubbles was just waiting for you. She's a cutie pie.
so cool to see bubbles! and that water droplet shot is amazing...nice macro~
The light and tones in the canoe photo are beautiful and I love the floating elm leaf photo as well. Beautiful collection as always.
That is a cute raccoon pic, though the ones in my world would have a similar "smile, " as they were giving me the finger over a torn open garbage bag. I have to keep a paving tile on top of my barrels to keep 'em out.
And, for some reason, that sunset has me hearing "Taps." Is that an Amurikan thing, or do Canadians play it too?
So so so beautiful! I love the leaf, I love the racoon, I love the sunset, I love them all!
Beauty everywhere. Foe a moment I thought you had been following me and my school bus. HA! HA!
as always, your images are all beautiful. i especially loved the yellow leaf in those rich blue ripply waters. and the canoe looks like a red leaf itself. the tiny dew drops on the fuzzy leaf were wonderful. you're a joy...
What a joy to connect with a critter like that! Great pics as usual.
isn't it wonderful when wild creatures let us interact with them?
love the elm leaf with the drop of water and that sunset is just incredible.
Each one of these is wonderful Hilary. I was brought up not trusting racoons, but bubbles might be an exception. And it's a great coincidence that you finished with a gorgeous sunset on Sunset Sunday ;^)
Those are a great collection of shots. I especially like the fuzzy leaf with all the raindrops on it and that last gorgeous sunset. Plus, looks like Bubbles was up to no good with that secret PSSST message he was sending out.
Delightful Hilary - especially the last one. Hope Bubbles survives the winter and is there to greet you next Spring.
Lovely pictures, a nice pictoral end to the season. The rainbow and the sunset are my favorites.
Beautiful photos. Good to see the racoon again. Loved the statue and the sunset.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
Considering the weather gods were a tad disgruntled, it was a very nice time and I'm sorry to have to spend several months away from it. I really like your canoe shot. I tried (and failed) to get one I liked.
And you're right about my rainbow shots. I'm still processing stuff from July....
I'm sa your time at the cottage has come to an end. I have enjoyed every trip you have made.
Your sunsets are unbeatable.
I do think the prizewinner is the boat captured in the shaft of light. Beautiful Hilary.
Have a great Sunday.
School! Who wants to go to school with such beauty all around?
Love the leaf boat.
Hope Bubs does well this winter, too.
Beautiful images of autumn culmination. Love those droplets.;) And the sky on fire, so romantic.;)
Here fall flamboyance is now concluded and the trees are almost bare, it was very short lived this year.;)
xoxo
Great shots. I was expecting all the boring stuff you do to close up the cottage. What a surprise! I made my last visit to the lake few weeks ago.That's when the deer payed me a visit.
Wow! That sunset was a beauty! I'm sure you are always sad to see cottage season come to an end.
That sunset picture is awesome. Such colors. I think Bubbles was working on her karate moves myself.
(sharp intake of breath) your sunset picture is absolutely gorgeous. But then so is the one of the yellow leaf, and the leaf with the rain on it... and all the others.
Thank you so much for sharing them, Hilary.
I think Bubbles looks like he's telling a secret to you! Very sweet. That sunset was amazing! What a beautiful color!
Hilary, where do I start. Startling sunset and I love the two leaf pictures. Especially the crystalized one. Oh, I remember the racoons. :)
We have all enjoyed these moments you shared from your cottage. Hope you'll return soon/or often enough to keep us all entertained and dreaming along with you.
how lovely to see Bubbles :)
it makes me smile that Frank equipped the perpetual fisherman with a good rod
and the droplets on the leaf is an amazing shot
it's as if you created lace!
I'm so glad you reconnected with Bubbles! And that last sunset photo - if that's the only one I saw all year, it would be worth it. Gorgeous!
A visit here always leaves me breathless! Fabulous images and I'm sure it was a bittersweet goodbye to the cabin for the season.
BREATHTAKING!!!
Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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• Thank you, Sandy. I've hugged a few of them, now. They're always a joy to know. Thanks always for your kind words. :)
• Denise, thank you kindly. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. :)
• Adrian, thanks. It's always a long wait.. just like winter. :)
• Anyes, thanks for stopping by. I'm glad I could share the sunset with you. :)
• Merci beaucoup, Pierre. :)
• Thanks for joining me, King. It would be lovely if the place was winterized but for that spot, year-round only works for the raccoons. ;)
• LadyFi, thank you so much. That means a lot to me, coming from you. :)
• Robin, thank you. Please don't rush me into winter though. I'm still trying to cling to summer.. and acknowledge autumn, much less give into winter. ;)
• Tabor, thank you. That's a lovely thing to say. Much appreciated. :)
• Bob, it is indeed. We always look forward to going back, and Bubbles and the sunsets are a big part of that. Thanks for the visit. :)
• Diane, she's an absolute love, that sweetie. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Thank you, Brian. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)
• Steve, thank you kindly. It pleases me to know that you think so. :)
• Cricket, they've gotta eat, too. And they keep you on your toes with your problem-solving skills. ;) I'll repeat here, part of what I relayed to you in an email. Taps is indeed Amurikan. It's a sort of shortened version of what Canadian soldiers (and those of other Commonwealth countries) perform - Last Post. It's a fitting musical selection with our Remembrance Day coming up on Thursday, the 11th. Thanks always for visiting. :)
• Thank so much, Elizabeth. I love the fact that you do. ;)
• Ruth, if I had, I'd be impressed with how far you drive it. ;)
• Tex, thank you so kindly. I'm so glad you enjoyed them. Your visits always make me smile. :)
• AC, thank you. You're right.. Bubs is such a treat to know. I feel very lucky that she allows me to be a part of her life. Thanks always for the visit. :)
• Ellen, it is indeed. It's something I hope will happen more often. Thanks so much for your always-kind words. :)
• Scott, thank you so much. Bubbles was hand-raised and released up at the cottage so she is quite the exception.. even compared to others who have had the same experiences. I don't forget that she is indeed wild, but she's always gentle, very intelligent and remembers the folks who have fed and cared for her. And she shows us a level of trust which is easy to return. You're wise to be wary of wild raccoons. Thanks so much for stopping by. :)
• Fragrant Liar, thank you kindly. Bubbles is sometimes up to no good... she's broken into the cottage porch a couple of times but her heart is sweet and I think she was just sharing a private joke. In all reality she was trying to get that food off of her face. ;)
• Thank you, Bonnie. She did all right last winter, despite being pretty young and hopefully she'll manage again this year. I would love to be able to see her again. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Gillian, thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)
• Maggie May, thanks kindly. I'm always happy to see you stop by. :)
• Frank, thanks. It took a number of shots of it, and most were not working for me either. The light was just right at that time, methinks. July, eh? You take far too many photos... ;)
• Sue, it saddens me too but I'm glad to know that you've enjoyed my visits photographically. Thanks so much for your always-kind comments. You never fail to make my day. :)
• Thanks, MessyMimi. Luckily for that kid, he was on his way home for the day. Thanks for your kind thoughts. :)
• Zuzana, thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. We're lucky that we tend to have more light than you do at this time of year. Perhaps that's why we're still getting some colour. Of course, these photos are a month old, but the trees still have some vibrance to share. We're holding on longer than usual, this year. Thanks always for stopping by. :)
• Thank you, Red. You expect boring stuff when you come to my blog? I think I should be insulted! But I'm not. :) We saw deer on our last visit also.. two does, right in front of us on the road but it was one of those rare times that I didn't have my camera on me. And they bounded away so quickly, I don't think I would have had a great shot, anyway. They will forever remain a mental snapshot. Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad I didn't bore you too much. ;)
• Steviewren, good to see you. You're quite right about that. It helps that it becomes a little too cool to be comfy there, I suppose. Still, it's always kind of bittersweet. Thanks for the visit. :)
• Linda, I believe you could be right. She knew Benny was lurking just beyond the cottage door. Thanks always for stopping by with your kind words. :)
• Mimi, thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed my photos and I appreciate you letting me know. Don't forget to exhale, now. :)
• Yaya, I wouldn't put anything past that raccoon. She's bright enough to be doing just that. Thanks for stopping by with your always-kind words. :)
• Karen, I'm glad you enjoyed the photos and I'm pleased that you remember those sweet raccoons. :)
• Thank you, Rosaria. I hope to bring you folks along with me photographically, no matter where I roam. :)
• Dianne, I don't think he'd be able to fish in good conscience had he not helped a fellow angler out. ;) Thanks always for stopping by. You're the best!. :)
• Thank you, Barbara. I'm glad you enjoyed, and I was thrilled to see our girl again. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Kerri, thanks so much. That's how I feel about a visit to your place too. It was indeed bittersweet but there's always next year. :)
• Thank you, Cloudia. :)
Someday I'd like to take that first picture with me to the fabric store and use it as my inspiration for a quilt. It's stunning and the colors are so rich.
Hope your weekend's been great. xo jj
Oh what a treat that you got to reconnect with bubbles the racoon. She does look like she's laughing in the one photo. So cute.
Your sunset picture is stunning. I love the red in the photo. I've yet to see such a beautiful sky in person. Glad you captured the beauty to share with the rest of us.
Nice pictures again Hilary. You are so lucky with Bubbles being so friendly - Dave
How cool to see Bubbles once again! She looks great! And that sunset is awesome! Love it!
Hugs
SueAnn
Excellent seasonal wrap, Hilary. I was especially taken by the the school bus pic. Well crafted in its bittersweetness.
She did kind of look as if she was giggling. ;) What a beautiful setting you have out there, and I'm thankful you take us along.
Those are just breath taking, Hilary.
You have amazing photos! Saw your comment on Red's blog. I have many common subjects: 'coons, rainbows, statuary! I will be back!
Cheers from Cottage Country!
So happy to see Bubbles is doing so well .. and that last shot .. perfection!
Just catching up from being away ... and your amazing posts! Love that little Bubs and amazing she remembers you!
These are some really wonderful photos. Our raccoon that lived in our tree didn't come back this year. I really like you photos of your beggar.
Love the addition of the fishing pole. That is exactly what I would have done :-)
Lucky you, the only encounter I've had with racoons is one that had infested my cousin's house and had taken residence in their roof.
Needless to say, they were not pleased.
If you can only see one sunset, that one is worth many!
That sunset is a stunner and the floating elm leaf epitomizes fall.
Oh my my... I like each one "a lot" for many reasons. So I'll be brief and echo Adrian's comment... "the last shot is a real gem."
The Yelloe Leaf and Sunset photos were my favorites this time around, Hilary. Just beautiful!
Thanks for these gorgeous cottage shots. It's easy to see why you love it there.
Up at the lake, my dad used say at the end of every day, "Ah, another beautiful sunset."
Yours looks gorgeous. It's always a bit sad to close up the cottage for the season, but we've so much to look forward to when the ground defrosts and the sun lingers longer each day.
Your photos capture that peaceful feeling one gets from staying at the cottage, by the lake, surrounded by stunning natural scenery. We can tell how much you love those moments by the attention given to all of this in your art.
Beautiful work, Hilary! Now button up for winter! ;)
too hard to choose a favorite here. the leaf in the water, the droplets covering another, the glorious sunset, all of them are fantastic. so lovely that you got to say hello to bubs again and i'm glad the fisherman got his pole. :)
such a lovely strand of autumn images and memories.
remarkable photos!
i love all of them, especially the third one!
sooo arty!
I would worry if I fed them and then left.
Thanks so much for the images. :)
What wonderful memories you captured on your last visit. The water leaf and water drop is absolutely perfect!
* Joanna, thank you. That would be a creative and original use of a photo for sure. You'd be most welcome to do that and if it does come to pass, I'd love to see the finished quilt. Thanks so much for your kind words. :)
* Thanks so much, Jarie Lyn. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos and I hope you see a beauty of a sunset in person soon. Thanks always for stopping by. :)
* Thanks, Dave. We're very blessed to have that sweet critter remember us. Thanks for the visit. :)
* Thank you, SueAnn. She was quite the sight for sore eyes. :)
* Thanks very much, Leah. Watching that bus, I certainly was filled with fond but as you said, bittersweet memories. Back to school, at the end of the summer was never my favourite thing. Thanks for stopping by. :)
* Thank you kindly, BlueViolet. I'm glad you joined me. :)
* Thanks very much, Susan. :)
* Welcome, Jenn and thanks very much for your kind comment. I look forward to visiting your blog soon. Any friend of Reds.... :)
* Thanks, Daryl. I knew you'd be pleased to see her and hear about her. :)
* Welcome back, Reena. It thrills me to know that she remembers though it doesn't surprise me. She's one smart cookie. Thanks for the visit. :)
* Thanks, Larry. Too bad your furry friends didn't return. They sure are fun to watch, aren't they? I'm glad you enjoyed seeing photos of Bubs, and I hope I can oblige again next year. :)
* Suldog, I think you and Frank would get along well. I notice many simliarities between the two of you, not the least of which is a great sense of humour, wonderful writing skills or inexhaustible interest in (yawn) sports. ;) Thanks for the visit. :)
* DWei, I feel their pain. My first close encounter with a raccoon was with one who fell through my bedroom ceiling while looking for her babies which had been removed by a humane removal service earlier that day. She didn't seem to realize that her babies were waiting for her in a box just outside her entrance spot. I wasn't pleased either, but I have a great love and respect for these very intelligent creatures. Insurance covered the mess and then some. She eventually took up residence with her babies under my deck. I was happy to keep them near. Thanks for stopping by. :)
* Thanks, Karen. I'm glad you approve. :)
* Thanks, Barb. I'm pleased that you like the photos. :)
* Daniel, thanks so much. It makes me happy to know that you enjoyed them. :)
* Thanks so much, Michael. Much appreciated. :)
* Thanks, Don. It's a beautiful place to spend time. :)
* You're so kind, Jayne. Thank you. I can tell that you know exactly the feelings evoked by saying goodbye to that spot for another year. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos and so pleased that you stopped by to say so. :)
* Thank you, Michelle. I'm so glad you enjoyed them all so much. :)
* Thanks, Tammie Lee. Much appreciated. :)
* Betty, thanks so much. It pleases me to know that you enjoyed them. :)
* Mage, I echo your concern but there's not much else we can do. It's not a winter place. She did well from last autumn through to this summer. She clearly has found her food sources, which Theresa helped her locate all last summer. And it's a good idea to help fatten her up as we did just before the cold sets in. Raccoons go into a faux hibernation and the excess fat will help her get through the winter better. I believe she'll fare even better this than last and it's still nice to know that she remembered us and treated us gently. Thanks for the visit. :)
* Thank you kindly, Dawn. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)
Precious images and spectacular sunsets.
Greetings.
Thanks very much, Javier Guri. :)
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