The Rain is Back

Yesterday, the rain returned. The ground is so thick with fallen leaves that it sounds like a low drum outside the window. Michael stepped into the garden this morning to inspect the plants, finding some with traces of the small creatures that visit in the night. This afternoon, we'll ride our bikes to another rainy, but fun, football game. Hot cocoa and tri-tip sandwiches are on the menu, yum! We have the next week off school, so I'll be able to tap into my more creative side with the kids. Baking, bike riding and leaf collecting all sound so fun. I usually press leaves in a book for about a week then thread them together to hang in a window. Small oak or Japanese maple work beautifully. Insert a needle next to the stem being sure to tie a small knot to keep it in place before stringing the next one. The sunlight coming through the window brightens the colors of the leaves just beautifully!