The colors of Autumn were so vivid this weekend! It's so hard to capture them on a photo, but the sun was shining on the hill behind the house just right and Gary took a good one on our way to Church Sunday. The winds have been blowing hard today, though, so there might not be many leaves left before long. In the woods, the ginseng have all lost their leaves, but I spotted a goldenseal plant still holding yellowed foliage. The garden is almost all ready for winter now.

Last weekend I had a lot of family visiting at the farm. My grandparents came up, as well as my parents, Uncle Larry, and my sister and her husband and kids. It was really nice to have them all here, but I wish my house was built so there would have been a place for them to stay. Instead, they stayed at the hotel over in Huntsville. Mawmaw and pawpaw are in their 80's, so it was especially nice that they came to visit, because I don't know when I'll get to go back down to visit them in Louisiana. It's very possible that it wouldn't happen in their lifetimes and I would have been very sad to not have had the opportunity see them again.

My neighbor Beth killed a bear yesterday evening. I called her to congratulate her and also to ask if she'd save me some fat. I thought she might find that a strange request, but as it turns out someone else had already asked her for some before me! I want to use it for ointment and they wanted it for liniment.

Carolina moonseed vines are showing off their berries these days. They are sucha pretty bright red adornment on the trees and I can't wait to harvest some to add to my christmas wreath. I'll try to get a picture of them to post, they're really pretty.

On the way home the other night I saw my very first real live beaver! I knew they were here, the dams they build are all around, but this was the first sighting for me. They're beautiful creatures and I wish some lived on our property, but I don't think our creek has enough water to keep them there.