Wow, the colors of fall are really popping out this week. Last Sunday our hiking group went to the Tallulah River area. I took this photo while standing on rocks above the gorge area. Then Kate and Cocoa wanted to jump from rock to rock in an effort to get closer to the water.

I’m always pretty proud of Cocoa because she remembers the commands she learned at Dog School 101 (the best dog trainers in the Atlanta area). I can tell her to go “slow” and “most” of the time she slows down. I say, “Go jump” and she does! So we hopped and jumped until we could see the old electrical plant in the background of this photo. At one point, Kate got a ahead of us and called back: “I don’t think Cocoa can come this far because there is a log over the water that she will have to cross.”

When we got to the crossing Cocoa marched right across it just like she learned to do at Dog School! Thank you Xalina and Sandy; all you taught us is still working!

Have I told you this week that I love this dog? I do. In this photo, she’s watching to see where Kate is going next.

I was at Lake Burton again last week and noticed the trees around the edge of the water were turning yellow. I’m going to take more photos of the colors of fall in the mountains, but I thought it would be fun just to toss in a black and white. Happy Saturday!

Look at Chip. He seems so small against this beautiful backdrop. Since his last “near fatal” swimming incident, he has not offered to go back in the water. That is something that makes me very happy. On this last trip to Hemlock Falls, he concentrated on just being a trail dog.

I really liked Evan’s T-Shirt and wanted to take a photo of it. Lately, everywhere I turn, I see guys driving antique pickup trucks.

And here is Sharon’s wonderful smile. When she smiles or laughs, the people around her feel brighter and happier, too.

Until yesterday, I did not realize just how much into fall we really are. Does that make sense? Can time really slip away that quickly? I absolutely love living where I do because I can hop in the car and drive a few miles north and end up standing beside a beautiful mountain stream like the one in this photo.

Dogs so much apart of the venture these days. Mary Erna brought her pack and Chip, looking very fore longed, tried to ignored all of us.

And only Evan could get Cocoa to hang out long enough to have her photo taken. She was so worried about where everyone was. Had the others in our group left her? Was she missing something good? Was she in the back of the pack? If so, she certainly needed to catch up!

I love the way summer says good bye with a gentle voice. Our mountain daisies still link like a friend who really doesn’t want to leave because the conversation has been endearing and sweet. “We’ll meet again,” I always say—after fall and winter has come our way. “Good bye, dear friend, good bye.”