happy halloween!

Other than Christmas morning, I can't think of a day of the year that children love more than Halloween. I'm not big into the scary and morbid side of the holiday, but to see little ones dressed up on a quest for candy is always fun. I must have been around 4 when I dressed up as a flower fairy and my brother went as a wizard. It's my favorite costume (made by my mom) I ever wore - those wings and the full skirt made me so very happy! I'm looking forward to trick-or-treaters stopping by our house tonight, and I hope to see some cute costumes. 

Happy Halloween!

Halloween circa 1983

the honeycomb pattern

Ever since I was a little kid, honey has been my favorite sweetener.  While on vacation I captured a few images of the honeycomb pattern...

honeycomb for sale in Istanbul's Spice Market

honeycomb pattern used on windows at the
Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

a close-up...isn't it remarkable how much it looks
like real honeycomb? 

a little bee trying to get
to this syrupy concoction

I think it is probably safe to say that regardless of how many years ago the inspiration was born, the designer of Topkapi Palace's window grate pattern was influenced by nature's perfect hexagonal honeycomb.

light and reflections

One of the highlights of our trip to Turkey was visiting the incredible Hagia Sofia. Stay tuned for a post dedicated to its beauty - but for today, let's just take a look at one of the massive chandeliers that illuminate this former church/former mosque/now-a-museum. 

some serious wattage!

flowerful Friday

Bougainvilleas are one of my favorite flowers because I associate them with being somewhere warm and maybe - if lucky - being on vacation. Their gorgeous paper-thin petals catch the sun and always looking so radiant. I snapped this photo of a lovely bougainvillea in the tiny Turkish town of Alacati. 

Happy Friday!

ps. today marks the 300th Inside the Pomegranate post!

a quote to live by

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; 

they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. 

 -Marcel Proust

turkey the bird, not the country...

Before I left for Turkey, I was out for a walk in the nearby University of Wisconsin Arboretum. It's a place that's less than a mile from our house and provides an instant calm as it surrounds you with copious amounts and varieties of trees. I stumbled across these wild turkeys and was quite surprised to see how close they'd let me approach to take their picture. 

Scientific classification, Genus: Meleagris

Turkey (the birds) are native to the Americas. So, did you ever wonder where the name turkey comes from? The birds were erroneously identified by early European settlers as a type of guineafowl, which were also known as turkey fowl because they were imported to Europe from Turkey. The name stuck after all of these years. And interesting enough, the Turkish word for turkey (bird) is hindi which means Indian (as in India). It is thought the Turkish name arose from the early misconception that India and the New World were one in the same.

Sounds like these birds have had a bad case of mis-billing throughout the years and throughout cultures.

jet lag & a change of scenery

It's funny how jet lag messes with your internal clock. I was up, wide awake just before 4 this morning. I'm sure I'll be ready for lights out pretty early tonight. But when you think about the change that one's body experiences from flying so far it's amazing jet lag doesn't take more of a toll. 

Today I'm surrounded by various maples, elms, poplars, and oaks all splendid in fall's glow. Below is what I captured just less than 1 week ago in the Aegean coastal town of Cesme, Turkey. What a change of scenery!

a magnificent palm surrounded by ancient ruins

purple reign

Most of us probably don't associate purple with fall. Though on a recent fall day, while out for a walk, I snapped a few purple wildflowers - that with the changing of all other colors - really jumped out, almost begging to be photographed.

a thistle amongst shades of brown

close to the ground, but screaming for attention! 

high up in the air and
like the color of a fine wine
these purple berries couldn't
 escape the attention of any passersby 

aegean blue

Just back from our trip to Turkey, and we're a bit jet-lagged. Here's a quick snap-shot of the amazingly blue Aegean Sea taken from the coastal town of Cesme. More pictures to follow in upcoming posts!

crystal clear turquoise water

light and reflections

From golden yellows, warm ambers, sun-lit greens, brilliant oranges, and richly saturated reds, the warm hues that fall presents is beautiful on so many levels. Can you tell I adore the colors of fall? The sunlight lights up all of these autumnal shades and brightens them most gorgeously.

flowerful friday

Despite the season, roses can still be seen blooming. Here are two photos I snapped while on a walk recently. The bright pink, heavily petaled roses smelled heavenly and were a lovely contrast to all of the rust, gold, and amber colors surrounding these blooms.  

a quote to live by

It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.  

--Helen Keller

leaves - fall's flowers

Like springtime's flowers, fall's leaves are gorgeous colorful expressions of the season. I find them, especially on a sunny day, simply beautiful.  

wanderlust...

definition: a strong impulse or desire to travel or wander

I am, without a shadow of doubt, highly afflicted with wanderlust. And I'm thankful for this! Travel, to me, has made my life richer, has given me more appreciation for home and for the kindness of strangers, has taught me so much about the places I've been and about myself, and has filled me with empathy for those I've met who are so less fortunate. Travel inspires and opens eyes. Perhaps most importantly, travel has taught me that despite differences in culture, religion, ethnicity, and politics, the common thread amongst humane humans is that they want to provide the very best for their families and to live, laugh, and share with the ones they love.

nino and lionel

Unprompted, our kitty Nino carried his little toy lion, named Lionel, into his bed and snuggled him tightly.  He never ceases to amaze me with his tenderness and love for affection. Animals really aren't so different from us in those respects!   

Nino and Lionel

kandinsky's "houses at murnau"

Vasily Kandinsky's "Houses at Murnau" is the type of painting I adore. I love the colors he used, the bold yet clear brush strokes, and a subject matter that is easy to relate to - not completely abstract but yet not completely "real". It's the kind of painting that if I had the necessary bankroll, I'd want to hang in my living room to admire. 

"Houses at Murnau" resides
at the Art Institute of Chicago &
it's amazing in person

"Houses at Murnau" is an oil on cardboard painting, from 1909. Kandinsky, originally a lawyer, didn't begin his career as a painter until his 30s. Russian born, he later became a French citizen. If you look at his work throughout his creative arch, it is quite remarkable to see the change and progression in his style. I'm most partial to his earlier works such as the "Houses at Murnau". In this painting of a town in the southern Bavarian Alps, I think his color selection is brilliant and is inspirational for decor, gardening, clothing and more. This painting reminds me so much of our fall colors here in the Midwest. 

light and reflections

Like diamonds scattered on silky fabric, sunlight bounces of the surface of water in a completely mesmerizing way. 

flowerful Friday

Autumn crocuses burst on the scene when least expected. Unlike most bulbs, these bloom when most other flowers are fading, and their beautiful and bright flowers emerge amongst fallen leaves creating a lovely contrast of spring-like colors amongst autumn's fallen leaves. Aren't they lovely?

from above - almost springlike!

contrasting with fading
and drying hydrangea blooms

adding an unexpected burst of color
to an autumn garden

light and reflections

The gorgeous Thai pavillon at Olbrich Gardens here in Madison is stunning, and its image in the reflection pool is equally beautiful. 

click onto the image for a
bigger image - you'll really see the details!

color therapy - green

The greens of autumn are a more mellow than the greens we see in the summertime. There's a hint of gold and a touch of brown that can be seen, and these beautiful fall greens do not disappoint. I never tire of looking at nature's multitude of green hues.

light shining through green leaves,
creating shades of green and yellow 

many shades of greens but a little
 more subdued than
what we see in summer - though the
sunlight is still spectacular!

like a flower or a starburst

the 2nd spring

I love this quote by French author, Albert Camus:

Autumn is the second spring where every leaf is a flower.

How very true, isn't it?

fall colors, far away

I took these photos at the Arboretum here in Madison recently. It was a gorgeous fall day - one of many we've had recently - and I was so happy to be able to capture some of the brilliant colors that this season offers. 

Click onto any of the pictures below to get a bigger image.

quintessentially autumnal looking, isn't it

a fall landscape dotted with red sumac leaves

how many various shades?
too many to count!

Isn't fall spectacular?

inspired by amber and sky blue (part 2)

The fall colors of amber and powdery sky blue inspired me when I bought some new yarn. Take a look at the photo from yesterday's post. Can you see the connection? 

Alchemy yarn

"Moonstone" - a silk, mohair, and wool blend
and
"Powder Blue" - a silk and wool blend

"Amber" - silk, mohair, and wool

I haven't decided exactly what to knit, but you'll have to check back in to see my creation(s). The yarn is so very soft and not one bit itchy. I can't wait to start knitting.

inspired by amber and sky blue (part 1)

There's something about the curve of these branches and the golden leaves against a blue sky that I find utterly beautiful and completely inspirational. I like this scene because it mixes a warm amber-like hue with a cool powdery, sky blue. Stay tuned to see how this simple autumn scene inspired me!

I like to photograph images that inspire me...

light and reflections

A fall evening looking out at Picnic Point and Lake Mendota...simply beautiful!

flowerful friday

The chrysanthemums in my garden are really starting to bloom, and their cheerful hues add to the already beautiful fall colors we've been enjoying. My pink and burgundy mums have yet to bloom so I have those to look forward to. 

Later today I'm going to make an arrangement of mums to enjoy indoors. I happen to really love the smell of mums, and they stay fresh indoors for so long - much longer than any other flower I can think of!  

a long border of golden colored mums

from above 

two-toned yellow mums -
both light and bright

creamy white mums

Happy Friday!

fall colors, up close

Brilliant fall colors saturate the landscape, and when looking up close the vibrant colors pop even more. Fall's beauty is substantial, and when there's a sunny day with not a cloud above, the blue sky makes for a stunning backdrop to all of the reds, yellows, and oranges. What a beautiful season!

some pretty amazing colors

delicate milkweed
surrounded by dried leaves -
what a contrast 

I love a canopy of leaves,
regardless of the season

still reaching for the sky

red berries surrounded by browns