Halloween was last Saturday, so here are a couple of pictures from that. We don't do the trick or treat thing, but I did get some pumpkins and we carved them.

More pix from a fall colors drive.




Along Skyline Drive in Peninsula State Park. It's like a tunnel of trees.






View from overlook on Skyline Drive. Looking north along the east side of Green Bay.






View from another overlook. You can see an island running parallel to the park.






Another view of the same island. There is some sort of landing or beach on the island.







There was an overlook tower at one　 of the scenic turnouts along Skyline Drive. If you climb to the top of the tower, you can see a sea of yellows, greens, and reds.

More pix from a fall colors drive.

Along the shore of Lake Michigan. It was windy and cold, but fun anyhow!






Trees along Quarry Lake. Here we see arbor vitae (of the cypress family) and birch.






Birch overhanging Quarry Lake.






View along Quarry Lake. Lovely yellows and reds.






Along Quarry Lake. The orange-red maples contrast nicely with the arbor vitae, and there is a slight reflection on the lake.






Under the maple trees along Quarry Lake.





You can the the leaves of this maple are just beginning to turn.

Some pictures from our fall colors drives over the past couple of weeks.


A small pond with a path around it, lit by the late afternoon autumn sun:








Having fun walking along the nature path. Gorgeous fall colors:

In the United States, this past Sunday was Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday in May. Its US origins date back to the early 20th century. Julia Ward Howe, who is the same lady that wrote the words to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” first proposed a type of mother’s day in the US with her “Mother’s Day Proclamation” in 1870. This proclamation, though, is more of an encouragement for women to bring about an end to war by becoming involved in the political process, than it is an ode to honor mothers.

However, it was a woman named Anna Jarvis who trademarked the phrases “second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day” in 1912. Her intent was to encourage each family to honor its mother, thus making it a personal, familiar holiday. The holiday was nationally recognized in 1914. Consequently, children and adults alike take this opportunity to honor and remember their mother with flowers or gifts.

There is no typical flower or particular gift associated with Mother’s Day, but sentimental gifts tend to be quite popular. For example, a mom might receive a necklace, bracelet, or ring with birthstones of all her children. Gifts of cards and candy are also very common. Mom might also be treated to breakfast in bed, or be taken out for dinner – indeed, Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year to eat out in the US, so if you do go out for dinner the second Sunday in May, be sure to make a reservation!