Fall is in The Air

I have a love/hate relationship with fall. I love the colours and I love the lack of insects. Where we live, we don't get the stunning reds and oranges of the maple trees. They don't grow in this area. We have to content ourselves with yellows, browns and a sort of orangey colour. We have a Virginia Creeper vine that grows on the fence we share with our neighbour. It turns a brilliant scarlet, but this year most of the leaves got blown off before they could turn.

The name of the yellow tree is unknown to me. Poor thing is the first to lose its leaves. It shudders in its nakedness as the wind tears at its last vestiges of decency. The vine behind it is in the same predicament this year. But the elm tree. Ahhh, this is a tree after my own heart. It stays verdant, defiant against the shorter days that urge it to shed its green in the same way that I refuse to give up my shorts and sandals. It's starting to succumb, though, just as I've succumbed to the chill in the air and now have to wear a light jacket.

The overnight low is supposed to reach the freezing point in a few days and the air has that slightly metallic smell signalling the arrival of frost. It might hit the low lying areas tonight but it's windy and that usually helps to keep Jack at bay.

The hate part of my relationship with fall? It means winter is on its way and I truly despise winter. I hated winter even when I was a kid. What kid doesn't like winter? I don't like being cold and my aging joints are disliking it more and more, as well. I don't do well with winter's shorter days. Barely 7 hours of daylight makes for a grumpy Barb.

Ah, well. Only 3 more years and I can say adios to the 6 month deep freeze.

I'm gonna be really ticked off if the world *does* come to an end in 2012.

Some Creepy Crawlies

This green bug was on the outside of the screen door one night. I tried to shoo him off with my sandal but he was pretty much glued to the screen. He ended up coming inside, so I sprayed him with Raid, or whatever it is that we have down there, and closed the interior door, trapping him between the two doors. In the morning, there he was on the walkway. I wish I'd put something beside him for size reference. I seem to recall him being about the size of a quarter.

There was also this orangey-red caterpillar that was crawling along the edge of the pool. He's got spines and someone there said he was poisonous.

Anybody know what these are?

Latin American Bloggers Conference

The 4th Annual LA Bloggers Conference is scheduled for Nov 5th, 2011.

I went last year and had a great time. I'm incredibly shy so it was really difficult to be in a roomful of people I'd never met. I'd read most of their blogs but hadn't done much commenting so didn't even know these folks "cyber-ly". Many of the attendees write professionally or did in the past. I felt like a first grader amongst a bunch of graduates. But they all made me feel welcome and some have since extended the hand of friendship. I'm so glad I went.

We'll be in México when the conference is on. I'm hoping to be able to go again. Our friends who are coming down with us will still be here so I'll have to see how things work out.