Wed In Bleak November

 "If you wed in bleak November,

Only joys will come, remember."

I called my brother Ron this morning to wish him and Marge a Happy Anniversary. 

Ron reminded me that on their wedding day fourteen years ago, the weather was very much like it is today. 

The quote is a New Zealand Wedding Superstition I bookmarked because of its positivity. (And because I also wed in November.)

It was so pretty early this morning. We are having another day of the most wonderful Indian Summer. 

Indian Summer - A spell of warm, dry, sunny days ocurring sometime in the fall after the first killing frost or freeze.

After one of the coldest October's on record, the weather this week is a welcome respite.

Hard to believe this photo was taken just ten days ago!

We voted early by absentee ballot this year because of the pandemic. 

And because of all the election angst, yesterday was a perfect day for getting away from it all as well as, perhaps, the last walk of the year on the Green Valley trails.

It was so nice there was even a kid wading at the beach before we got there.

Though Bud was content to walk along the water, not wade in it.

As was I. 

Whenever I'm walking, I'm always on the lookout for birds. There were a number of little ones flitting through the brush, but this is the only one I got a decent picture of.

I think it is an Oregon Race, Dark-eyed Junco, though I'm not certain.

A skein of Canada Geese flew over and landed on the far Northwestern side of the lake.

A small raft of Coots was the only other wildlife we saw. They were hanging out in the same cove I saw them last spring. It must be their spot.

Those gold Adirondack chairs in front of the cabins are a new addition since April. I like the pop of color.

And speaking of chairs, I felt like Edith Ann posing in the giant one for the Iowa State Parks Centennial celebration. 

There was very little color left in the trees, but it was such a gorgeous day to be out. 

The day set a new record high of 77°.

The silvery, gray-green leaves on the Silver Poplars were my favorites, especially against that blue, blue sky.

I can't remember a nicer Indian Summer than this.