The Autumn leaves hit their peak around our place this week, just stunning. Using my good camera and zooming in on the valley, you can see the bright gold and orange in the early morning sunlight. Driving around the area is gorgeous now, with a lot of crimson red, deep rust and gold leaves everywhere. Settle in for a long and picture heavy post!
Our driveway up the mountainside is covered in leaves, the rain and wind this week brought them down in huge numbers. But enough still remain on the trees to enjoy.
The oak is a russet brown, and behind it is a tulip poplar in bright gold.
This visitor came by over a week ago, and I forgot to show him to you last chat. He’s about 250 pounds, and was interested in the bird feeder. But My Sweet Babboo has redesigned the feeder so it is on a telescoping pole 10 feet off the ground. So, the bear cannot reach it, nor can he shake it down. I got a photo, then we made some noise to scare him off.
He dashed around the garage, then loitered in the back eating some acorns before going further up the mountainside in the back. I hope he keeps going, he needs to get to the high country to hibernate.
On the feeder, a house finch is grateful for the improved accommodations and full buffet.
Oliver showed up for a meal, looking cute.
A chickadee on the left shares the bounty with a nuthatch on the right.
The turkeys are coming by regularly now.
They are still after the acorns, and there are plenty available.
Jack was here begging for a sandwich. They don’t really need the supplemental food now, but I like feeding them little tidbits anyway. Both squirrels are very busy burying acorns and stockpiling. But they will scarf down the sandwiches.
Inside, the Thanksgiving cactus is still going. This gorgeous deep pink appeared this week.
This red one opened up too.
Some of the flowers were fading while others are coming out. After these were done, I plucked off 15 spent blooms and now there are more buds which will bloom in a few days.
While we are in the kitchen, I have to tell you what I did with my black bean soup. I did my usual recipe, but I added a half cup of my Roasted Tomatoes from Autumn Jubilee in the Garden that was left in the refrigerator.
I made my Black Bean Soup with a leftover ham bone, and added the Roasted Tomatoes to it at the end. Yummy!! The black beans can hold up to the strong tomato and basil flavors in the roasted tomatoes, and gives me yet one more way to use those garden gems. Would you like the recipe? Click on Black Bean Roasted Tomato Soup.
On Friday, two more packages arrived for our Safelight Quilts project. Thank you so much to Brenda B who send 35 red and ecru blocks, enough for a whole quilt.
The other package had a bunch of purple blocks, some additional squares and a lovely piece of fabric for more blocks. Thanks so much, Linda, these are perfect!
One last photo to share, this lovely pastoral view is near our home and we get to see it whenever we go into town. The long building is an assisted living center with a small chapel. A few homes dot the landscape to the right, with the barn for two horses at the edge of a large pasture meadow. Rich color in the trees with horses in the meadow is such a pretty scene. I love autumn!
What is happening at your place this week?
C&T Publishing is having a huge Warehouse Sale!! Up to 70% off Sale items, start your holiday shopping early, hurry the sale ends today.
Sulky Threads and Stabilizers Make it Merry Sale! Save up to 50% on select Webinar Kits, 35% off Stabilizer bundles, 40% off Christmas Machine Embroidery Palettes and more, check it out! Sale ends at midnight on Nov 16.
From My Carolina Home 
My Christmas Cacti haven’t started blooming yet. It just started to get cool enough last week to help set buds. They will be open at Christmas. I live in South West Florida. Thanks for sharing your pictures of Fall trees.
Bruno the bear is trying to pack on a few more pounds to see him through winter. Your photo show is delightful, but I’m mesmerized by Bruno’s paws & can’t stop looking at them. Inspired to make a bear paw quilt.
Love the mountain vistas in your pictures! Such a beautiful time of year! Not sure I would be as comfortable with a black bear so close, however! I admire your calmness and DH’s ability to get the feeder out of range! Happy Sunday!
Our color is at its peak, and I love autumn. Beautiful mountain views and delicious soup make for a lovely day. Yikes, the bear!!
I love autumn too – especially in the mountains! Beautiful scenery. It’s so good to see Oliver and Jack!
Carole, How lucky that you still have some autumn. Here is northern Wisconsin, all leaves are off the trees and it is snowing today. It is cold enough to cover the grass and the street. Ol’ Man Winter has arrived! Time to curl up under a quilt, next to the fire and read a good book!
What a gorgeous place you live in!! Love the glimpses of your wildlife, it’s so abundant. Thanks for the recipe, I love black beans in any form.
I so enjoy the beautiful pictures you post. Thank you for the recipe – looks like black bean soup will be on the menu but not until, hopefully, the weather is cooler here. We have had 90 degree weather here this week in severe drought California. I pray for rain!
Wow on the bear! And what a photo you got of him. We’ve had lots of bird activity in our yard, too – finches, chickadees, nuthatches, and downy woodpeckers. Lots of squirrels, too. They seem to eat about half of each of the apples on our tree, and then throw the rest of it on the ground!
Gorgeous photos, omg – that’s some bear! The Thanksgiving cactus are sharing their magnificence and always love a red and white block/quilt! Have a great coming week.
You’re so blessed to live in a little bit of heaven right here on earth.
How beautiful your Fall is. Love your visiting friends of Mother Nature. Especially enjoy seeing Oliver and Jack. And, the donated quilt pieces are wonderful. Really enjoy your posts.
Happy cool morning to ya, Well don’t think I ever want to have a bear that size at my feeders. Seeing some of the past pictures of your bear friends have discouraged me a bit from the mountains except to just visit and then come back home. Have loved the mountains ever since I went to Chimney Rock with my grand-parents way back in the 40’s. Never liked living in Miami, Fla. Dad worked for Eastern Air Lines so there we stayed till I married and finally got out of there. I’m more of a mountain lover and seasonal changes I guess. Thanks so much for the recipe of black beans roasted tomato soup, copied it and put it with the recipe for roasting the tomatoes, sounds so good so am looking forward to making it. Lost my cactus plant and haven’t replaced it yet but I love the pink of purple variety you showed so will be getting another one, try to be careful about the plants I keep in the house because of my little cat, she is the lady of the house and I’ve spoiled her almost rotten, we have our own communication and she is quite mischevious at times. Loves to run thru the house at top speed and jumps into empty boxes I keep for her and jump out and continue running, what a mess she is, keeps me on my toes but she is so much company for me. Best get to my chores so bye , Phyllis
Beautiful photography, Carole. And a fun post featuring your wildlife and cacti in bloom. Mine is starting to bloom also, only one. I didn’t realize turkeys eat acorns. I shall remind ours about that when I see them again! LOL
The autumn colour looks glorious, loved seeing all the wildlife too
What beautiful flowers and leaves. The color here was gorgeous until we had 2 hours of pouring rain and knocked many trees bare. I was enjoying it a lot, but cold is coming now.
What a beautiful, cozy autumn post. Your color is just fantastic. Ours is gone so it’s a pleasure to see yours. And the soup looks fabulous. I feel warm all over with my visit here!
Your property looks beautiful! I bet if visitors don’t know your road well, it can be tricky navigating through the leaves on the road. My sister-in-law’s property is situated like that (top of a hill), and our drive up there this past week was a little scary! They don’t blow their leaves anymore, just let nature blow them out (eventually). That bear looks scary close! Love the birds, esp the chickadees and nuthatches. Have a good week, Carole.
What great quilt inspiration with all the fabulous colors! Can’t decide if I would be running away or running toward the bear – he is so beautiful! Always been an animal lover without the brains to be afraid of them. We have mostly deer and way too many geese, coyotes and raccoons. But still fun to watch people new to the area try to shoo away the geese who can put up quite a fight! Thanks for the color show and recipe.
Your mountains are beautiful. Here in Washington state we have a lot of evergreens. Not much red but lots of yellow and some orange. We started a 3 day road trip to see the colors but the morning of 2 nd day hubby fell and we turned around and came home. Nothing broken or cracked but boy is he bruised. It’s almost all over now and snow in the mountains. We have had a lot of extra rain. The creeks are high some flooding in areas. Lots of wind.
It’s a nice time to make your bean soup and cuddle up. Thank you for the recipe. I love soups and stews.
We have had a lot of raccoons. They strip our apple and pear trees. I never know if they could be sick and my little dog is stupid and will chase them. I worry she is going to get bit. She isn’t afraid of then. So far they run but they may tear her up one day. I don’t let her out front till I know they aren’t around. She only gets to go in the fence area.
I’m trying to get some Christmas gifts made. I want a new tree skirt. Got the fabric in just need to get started.
Have a great Sunday. We had a car club meeting it was a potluck. I made your pumpkin desert. There was only a few there and over half was gone. Was a big hit. Hubby was worried he wouldn’t have any to bring home.
I can see Ginger ( my pup ) with a bear in our yard. Holy cow I know it would eat her. She would also chase the turkeys and squirrels. We have squirrels and wild rabbits she chases them but she isn’t fast enough.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and all the readers.
Great photos! Your bear looks very fat and healthy for winter.
Beautiful autumn colors, thank you so much for sharing! Your bear is HUGE! Girl #2 arrived on Monday (got stuck overnight in Dallas) and has had to teach this week, so we have been taking every moment we can to visit. Alas, she is often done when I am still going and visa versa, so not much accomplished as one would hope. She will be leaving with her linen jacket though, and tomorrow she is going to help me prepare my wool entry so we can ship it off to nationals. Getting those two things finished up will open my mind to the many new possibilities!