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.

Wow! Yesterday I had an opportunity to see my cousins on my Dad’s side of the family for the first time in years. We were once scattered from north to south. Rosalyn lived in Jacksonville, Florida with her family; and Debbie (Madden) and her family were in Miami; and Georgia grew up in Ohio. I was the only one who lived in Georgia, but we had connections through loving aunts and uncles, who made sure we reconnected from time-to-time, especially in the summer. Family truly does matter, and I’m grateful we were together again even for a short amount of time.

We even had an opportunity to recreate the photo (below) that was taken at Aunt Sally’s home in Palmetto, Georgia, when we were very young. Debbie and Carl, thank you again and again for hosting our family’s reunion yesterday! Your lake house is absolutely lovely!

The four cousins: Georgia, Debbie, Angie, and Rosalyn.

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.

Johanna seems to be having a “Stevie Wonder” moment. But actually she is just smiling for the camera!

This weekend is homecoming weekend at the college. After it’s over, I’ll drive up into the mountains to buy pumpkins and a very large mum for the yard. This has just become a tradition. A few weeks ago while buying apples at a local market, I took this photo of two fall gorges.