A River Runs Through It!

I like to get out in Nature as much as I can! I especially love hiking in Autumn. One of the smartest things Urban Planners did in the suburbs of Chicago was to create beautiful forest and prairie preserves with easy access. One of my favorite hikes is along the Des Plaines River...on a stunning Fall day... it is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

 

 

A little history of the area...





The river today...one of many vistas along the way...



Pussy Willows are so fabulous in abundance...

they symbolize Autumn to me and I just can't get enough...as you can see...



beautiful marshes filled with flowing grasses are also a fave...



I love this bridge...

There is very little Fall color yet.. (which is unusual) but I managed to see a bit just beginning....

 

 

This old lumpy tree reminded me of a scary forest...do you see the profile of the troll in the tree?

 

We passed over a babbling brook...

and a dry creek bed...

More views along the river...we walked for an hour without seeing another person!

 

The older I get the more I appreciate majestic trees...aren't they magnificent?

Off the main paths are sweet green forests...I will be back in a few weeks to enjoy all the Autumn color!

 

 

The main trails look like this...again...empty on a beautiful Sunday afternoon!

  

A little refreshment can be found in this antique pump...great for watering kids and pets! lol

 

Are you out and about exploring Nature this Fall? I highly recommend it! Happy Tuesday!

                              XO Emily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn Inspirations...

Through this Summer one of the highlights for me has been the weekly tradition I began with a girlfriend of biking the twenty miles round trip to visit our favorite farmers market in the early morning. We love catching up and getting great exercise as we peddle the beautiful trek along our magnificent lakefront.

I have a basket on my bike so that I can bring home beautiful flowers and interesting foodie things...this weekend I couldn't bike the trip and had to drive because I had too many goodies to bring home!

What I love most as the Season turns a bit cooler now... is how the inspiration I find... as I wander... changes as well....




... as much as I go to buy a few things each week... I mainly now go for the inspiration for color and texture...what do I want to incorporate in my aesthetic world this Fall?

Even the bike ride provides a richness in color and texture through the scenery...

BTW...don't the gourds below remind you of nesting ducks or swans?

I find myself getting completely relaxed as I wander amongst the stalls and vendors....

and I love seeing displays like this...even pop-up farmers market vendors understand the power of merchandising!

Of course...my Fall obsession with cockscomb continues...displays of it are all over my living room where I love the hot pink accent! The season for cockscomb is brief...I am OBSESSED!

I am also completely besotted by the idea of a sukkah for my own house...(click here for a prior post on that topic)...or at least my version...since a sukkah should be open to the sky...I decided to use our tent and farmers market flowers and an old wooden crate and some rope and Christmas lights to make a Fall chandy....that hangs with lanterns from the tent's peak....

It is massive in scale...my motto is always...go big or go home!  

 

I decided to decorate the tent with other found and borrowed objects and made flower centerpieces from farmers market flowers etc...as a place to entertain cozily...as the weather turns chillier. I picked flowers and other items that will look good as they dry over the next few weeks for easy maintenance.

 

My hubby and I built a large round table that can sit at least twelve...I plan to entertain casually this month...with "Soup Saturdays" in front of the outdoor fire for friends to stop by...or impromptu dinners. I have friends coming in this week from California for dinner. We can use it then too!

My daughter plans on having her teenage friends over this weekend...hopefully the space will get a lot of use before it comes down in early November! I set the table and lit the candles for a little "preview".....

What creative pursuits are you up to this Fall? Don't you find it all so inspiring? It is definitely one of my favorite times of year! Happy Monday!!

                               XO Emily

 

Autumn Tales!

(Merci': AllThingsEurope)

 

 
 
      (Merci':Flickr)

                             (Merci':A WellTraveledWoman)

    (Merci': SkateHigh)

(Merci': All the LittleThings)

 

 

                               (Merci':MyRecipes)

                            (Merci':AllPrettyThings)

 

                             (PapillonViolet)

 

                                (Merci':GlutenFreeCooking)

 

(Merci':TimMuebanks)

     (Merci':CBSNews)