it's that time of year

it's that time of year

a middle tennessee garden blog


finding beauty in the natural things around us makes for one happy self and a lovely life. ~marmee

dash home farm, leiper's fork, tennessee

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

end of the line

i over think a lot of things....the photo contests for gardening gone wild is no exception.
.
i told myself i was not going to enter this month because i think about it too much.
but once i saw a few blogs with their entries....i couldn't stop thinking about it...

everything i saw had lines...end of lines...both metaphorically and literally.


so here in the beginning of my post is
my entry for "the end of the line" theme of the ggw photo contest.


this way you can proceed beyond this point duly warned of my over thinking...
this first photo is of an antique red apple orchard~picking ladder...we have used it for so many different venues.

right now it is in the driveway leaning against a tree with an old garden cart at the base filled to overflowing with pumpkins and gourds and mums.

when i see this ladder i think of all the apples that have been
picked and come to the end of the line.

most of my photos that i chose to show you are literal...these
zinnias all lined up reminds me of all my child~like drawings with the sun
in one corner....the grass at the bottom of the page with
flowers drawn in a row across the entire page. see what i mean?
with our first and recent hoar frost...i thought of all the things that would
be at the end of their season...end of their line after the frost.

my sunflowers clutching each other for their last hoo~rah...
or how on a recent visit my daughter saw these amazing vineyard rows...
~photo below taken by my daughter rachel~
or how normally my smallish loose leafed lettuces got very
linear when left past their season reaching high to the sky with long
slender spikes with tender little white flowers.
then there is the wonderful curvy lane i live on where all roads lead home.

long expanses of fence line are all pointing the way home.

this is the road less traveled which makes for a therapeutic drive.


colours of autumn just enhance the beauty.
.

the harpeth river runs through it and beckons you to see what lies beyond what you can see.
as well as does this long windy drive.....intriguing isn't it?

picturesque hardly describes it.

i love the way all the trees have their own
special qualities and colours that make them unique.
have to have a closeup of the burnished leaves.
.
our neighbours have these gorgeous red bushes that line their driveway.
trees seem to call you over to take a look up there wonderful
textural trunks...to get a better look at all those coloured leaves.

lines of branches pointing skyward.
as we arrive back home with our tidy
row of fence line...holding a special treasure,
our precious horse, renny.

.

hope you are having a happy autumn.

46 comments:

joey said...

Beautiful photos ... autumn wearing it's finest coat! Good luck entering ... it would be hard to choose since you have lots of winners!

Darla said...

These are all wonderful...I know what you mean about photo contests...rents a lot of space in your head doesn't it?

Lisa said...

Beautiful!!! I want to visit.

Lisa Q

Betsy Banks Adams said...

All of your photos are marvelous, Marmee---so whatever you choose will truly be a winner!!!!!

Love your 'end of Autumn' pictures.
Hugs,
Betsy

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos...I love them all. Looks like you live in heavenly country! Good Luck

Roses and Lilacs said...

Your photos are all happy endings:) Good luck with the contest.
Marnie

Dirt Princess said...

Always so wonderful to stop by your blog! Amazing photos as always! Wonderful post!

marmee said...

JOEY, DARLA, LISA, BETSY,SUSIE,MARNIE, & DP,

thank you all for your encouraging words. you are the best bloggy friends.
happy autumn.

Susie said...

I really like all these linear photos Marmee.

I really like the two close ups of the fence.

healingmagichands said...

You really struck a chord with me when you talked about how you tend to over think the contests. I do too, and not only that but I have discovered a very competitive girl within me because of them. Actually, this person is not who I really want to be, so it is very good practice for me to deal with her and her "need" to be "The Best" "The Champ" "Famous" or whatever.

I have chosen the complete opposite tack with my entries, telling the story of my process and finally winding up with the photo I want to enter. In fact, I have been known to make more than one post about the subject chosen. My regular blog readers seem to like my format but I wonder how much the poor judges at GGW enjoy it when they have to wade through all my prose and discarded pictures before they get to the "money shot." Maybe next time I'll just post my entry without all the hoopla.

Anyway, I surely enjoyed your post, your photos are beautiful. I especially like the ones of the fence and road, but I agree that the ladder shot is really perfect.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who finds the photo contests "renting a lot of space in my head."

Good luck with the contest.

Melody said...

So much beauty!

Lola said...

"end of the line" ---so appropriate for such a lovely post. A person needs to know what's at that end.
I love the fence row with the road. Looks as though someone made a point of directing those trees & road to a special place.
Best of luck.

Meems said...

Over-think? I thought that was my job. LOL

This is a beatiful post, dear sis. Beautiful thoughts as well as photos. Makes me miss this time of year there. All those familiar scenes are so inviting and serene. Your chosen photo is just perfect... that ladder is a conversation piece and has certainly contributed its fair share to the scenery around your farm. I wonder how many feet have touched its rungs in the past to reach as far as ones linear arms could reach for the harvest.

Good luck... I'm a little biased (maybe) but this one has my vote.
love and hugs,
Meems

marmee said...

susie,

hey i thought that was you earlier but i realized there is another susie...lol.
thank you...those fence lines are beautiful to me...and i get to drive down them most everyday.
i am one blessed woman.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

hm/hands,
thanks for coming by "things i love" and visiting. competition isn't a bad thing...it makes you want to do your best. it's how you react whether you win or lose...sometimes i am not so good at this aspect...something i am always working on.
i have entered the last three times and haven't won yet but i love seeing the different interpretations of what the judges are asking for. i will head over and see your entry...hope you do well. i appreciate your thoughtful words, thank you.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

melody,

i am surrounded in beauty and love every minute of it.
thanks, happy autumn.

marmee said...

lola,
thanks.
i feel the same way about the roads but i feel they didn't know they would be pointing me home.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

meems,

thank God i have someone biased for me...it makes me feel good. thanks sis.
this ladder has many sentiments for me as well...i think about when we had it in the house in brentwood so david could climb up to the ledge/loft in his bedroom. we gave him permission to go up there after a few years of trying to keep him from climbing up there...trying to let him know we had confidence that he was maturing. life is full of so much symbolisms.
anyway knowing you love it makes me feel confident. thank you for your vote.
love, hugs, and happy autumn.

Cheryl said...

Hi Marmee.....such a beautiful selection.....I do hope that you do well.....what to choose, what to choose.....

Autumn colours are wonderful in your area....here the autumn has not been quite as spectacular as previous years.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Your photos have such a feel of autumn to them. Just lovely.

Faith said...

I love these photos. And I definitely now want to build a ladder like that! Nice!


~Faith

Faith said...

.

Diane said...

I very much like the ladder photo... first thing I thought of was "DNA"! I guess I've been spending too much time teaching genetics lately. A great series of photos overall. Thanks for sharing!

Suz said...

SO happy you stopped by to see my photo...you know, after looking at yours....

we're sisters

Rose said...

Marmee, I'm sorry I haven't been here in awhile; I seem to have gotten behind in reading many of my favorites, and I've missed your images of beauty and your positive thoughts. All your photos are such a beautiful depiction of autumn that it would be hard to choose just one for this contest! If it were me, I would pick one of the photos of the road with the fence alongside leading to your home--that's the most comforting "end of the line" I could ever think of!

Gail said...

I love them all Marmee! You have a good eye! I do so much better not following assignments so I never enter the contest...I might have to just for the fun of it! gail

marmee said...

cheryl,

we have had some not~so~pretty autumns the last two years. so it was nice to have a wonderful colourful show this year. a lot of the leaves have fallen off now and the colours are fading.
this was an interesting topic to narrow down to just a few shots.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

mr.m's daughter,

thank you...i am glad you came by to visit "things i love."
happy autumn.

marmee said...

faith,

you could build that ladder? good for you. thanks for the nice words.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

diane,

so happy to see you at "things i love."
teaching genetics...are you a professor>?
happy autumn.

marmee said...

suz,

thanks for visiting me at "things i love."
hope you do well in the contest.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

rose,

don't worry...i always feel a bit behind when it comes to blogging. i can never keep up with anybodys the way i would like too.
it has been really busy here lately with company and school and just getting ready for the holidays.
i had a really hard time chosing which photo was the one to enter. i tried to do something maybe noone else would do.
i do love the fencelines and roads leading home...it is such a great road to live on.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

gail,

a lot of times the pictures are some already in my archives this time some were and some weren't...i did get inspired to go and take the road and fenceline photos after reading the perimeters for the contest. you definitely should enter if you feel like it. it is quite interesting to find out what the judges are looking for and then how they interpret that chosing the winning photos.

happy autumn dear friend.

CoachK said...

Oh my Marmme, If you over think you must be more like your sister than I thought. :) I love your sister so that is a compliment. Your pictures get me to the point of envy, I love love the fall and almost pine for it. Real fall is orange leaves, cool weather, that fall smell that only happens up north and a hot liquid in a cup on a cold night on the porch. Enjoy it for me!

ShySongbird said...

They are all so beutiful Marmee that I couldn't pick one over another, in fact I have just looked through them all again but no! I still can't choose. I wish you much luck in the competition.

The weather here is abysmal, driving rain, very high winds and dark...

marmee said...

coachk,

my sister is the queen of thinking but she is so detail oriented she comes up with the best results... for me it just muddles my mind.
i wish enjoy a cuppa for you and walk thru some crunchy leaves on your behalf.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

ssb,

so sorry about your weather...i would not like it any more than you do. may you have some sunshine come your way soon.

i also had a hard time choosing...but in the end tried to pick something unique...that is why i made a post about it. what's funny is asking all the men/boys in my life what image they saw as the end of the line...always had to with death...the gallos...hanging...i thought that interpretation was better left unphotographed.
happy autumn.

Anonymous said...

Hi Marmee ~~ I'll ditto the other commentators and say that they're all very intriguing "study me" photos. However, "The Road Less Traveled" looks like the scene for an epic movie. Do you drive this every day? And I love the fence photos too. Good luck.

marmee said...

thank you, grace p,
this is the drive i take everyday that i leave home...although more and more i find reasons to stay home.
i adore the fence line and it was fun to photograph...i took plenty of shots.
happy autumn.

Anonymous said...

Your blog = love love love & love!!

Footprints from the very very south part of Sweden, through....

Agneta

Q said...

I am glad you decided to post your outstanding photographs!
"End of the line" is a great prompt, bringing lots to mind. It is fun to exercise the mind. I find I think all week about my ABC Wednesday posts.
Autumn is sp pretty. Cold rain came in yesterday to my gardens. I am staying warm inside and having a wonderful morning catching up.
Sherry

marmee said...

sinnlighet...very delighted you decided to come and visit "things i love." i love your photos on your blog too.
happy autumn.

marmee said...

sherry,

i know what you mean about catching up...it is fun to do and i am way behind as well. there are only so many hours in a day. lately mine have been swallowed up.
happy autumn.

joco said...

Well....you've done it again!

Your complete 'Picture This' POSTS are as much of a monthly event as the contest itself. An enjoyable must-read. I'll be back for more next month.

Meems said...

Congratulations on the mention in the GGW contest... these photos were truly delightful the first time you posted them and today I'm enjoying them just as much. Such beautiful country where you live and you capture it so perfectly through your lens. Truly love all the fences ... but that ladder... so, so "end of the line".
Love you,
Meems

Town Mouse said...

Amazing photos! And so glad the contest judged noticed that... Congratulations!