Summer tree

Another one of my favorite Summer Tree ...

leaves, lilies and sunshine

These days in Western Pennsylvania have been delightfully cool (48 degrees yesterday morning) and mostly sunny.  I've yet to make it up to the pool (too cold!), but doing a lot of walking and generally enjoying the weather.  It feels like summer without the heat!

 I love the way the sunlight filters through the oh-so-green of the trees.  Even the dappled shadows dance and delight.

 I've been looking at these lilies up by the playground.  They too speak of summertime.

 I coaxed Jubilee across this bridge today this morning.  She is careful where she walks now ...

 ... down to the fallen tree ...

 ... where we saw this lovely "weed".

midsummer bounty

Blackberries are ripening ...

 Orange fungi ..

...pretty little flowers ...

Finally someone has made a portion of our favorite off the road walk, passable.  For more than a year now it has been so wet that I would sink several inches into the mud while trying to get around this corner.

 Jubilee rinses her feet off.

Florida Skies

Been raining most everyday, with sauna-like conditions following.  Tropical summer!

John was able to go out with Dennis ...

Meanwhile a new bonsai plant keeps watch at the Cranberry apartment ...

mid-summer walks

 These photos are for Eric, who checks this blog every morning at 4:30 AM before he goes to his job at the TV station, and again at 9:30AM, when he gets a break.  I feel amiss that I haven't had anything for him the last few days.

 This is the beginning of our walk.  Jubilee has a little "trick" that she does here.  As I go down this path, she heads off in another direction where she has found an alternate trail.  By the time I get up to the point below, she has already gotten well ahead of me and is coming back to greet me, feeling very clever and proud of herself!

 Some interesting mid-summer sights ...

 Somehow the shadow of leaves on the tree seem ominous or something.  It's always about 10 degrees cooler in these woods than everywhere else.  Sometime when it seems too hot to walk around the apartment complex, we come over here.  Regardless of the weather, though, wecome here at least once a day for the sheer joy and peace of it.  Jubilee always takes a little swim in the creek and none of it bothers her allergies.  She barely scratches at all this summer.  

Meanwhile we are packing up.  This time for sure.  Jubilee and I will head south on Saturday, where I expect (hope) to have some medical problems taken care of.  If John isn't back by September, we'll head back up here.  I'm not sure how long John will be here, or if we will be back, so we're packing the car as full as we can!  Pictures, pottery, and all of my clothes.

the last hot day

It may not yet be the end of summer, but I'm fairly sure that this is the last hot day.  Well into the 90s today!  Jubilee went for a swim over at Lucky Paws Resort ...

John tested out the new bike rack on the back of his car.  Room for 2 bikes.

Last night we went out to eat with some of John's co-workers at a place called the "Winery" in Gibsonia PA (fun, fun people and a very popular place) ...

 John wondered if the musician was a man or a woman.  He was definitely Italian!

 Most everyone was eating outside, though it was hot even after the sun went down. 

Supposed to be somewhat less hot tomorrow and downright cool on Monday!  Yeah!

still summer

It's still looking very much like summer, even though the mornings can be in the upper 40s or 50s.  I don't see any signs of fall in the foliage.  Here are some photos from our walks in the park this week ...

somewhat rainy; somewhat cooler

It was a somewhat rainy weekend.  We went to a neighbor's birthday party and hiked around in Knob Hill Park.  John and I both agree that it is about the sweetest little park we've found in all the USA.  Where else can you be virtually alone, walk with your dog unleashed, and feel embraced by wilderness all while not getting off the beaten path?  Plus, as John notes, the shade takes 10 degrees off of a hot summer day.

Wildflowers are still blooming.

 I liked this imprint of Jubilee's paws on the rock.

 Looks like a lot of people are tuning 60 these days.  We were honored to be invited to a neighbor's party.  We're "local" now!

Though it looks like leaves are falling in places, it is more from a mold that is growing on the leaves than cold.  But it is getting a little cooler.  Sometimes it is in the 50s in the morning so that I need a light jacket.