Hello! Hello! Hello! 🙂 I hope you’ve had a beautiful week and weekend! I made my week busy by choosing to spend lots of time outside soaking up this autumnal season. I spent two days at the Chicago Botanic Gardens and one day exploring a new to me forest preserve. I feel quite rested and rejuvenated.
Below photo is from the “new” forest preserve.
And the photo below was taken in the Rose Garden at the Chicago Botanic Gardens.
However, even though I spent so much time outdoors, I did get a bit of knitting done this past week. I am working on two more sweater dresses for the Little Darlings. I think I am addicted to sweater dresses for my girls. Anyone else feel the same about sweater dresses? I DO LOVE them! I keep knitting more and more!
The green one is almost finished–only a few more rows. I am using my Sweater Dress pattern, but changed it up by making a wide garter neckline to look Santa-like. The hemline will have a “fur” band also. A Santa hat will most likely be in order for this one.
The pretty blue (love this shade of blue) sweater dress has long sleeves (my first for a Little Darling sweater dress) and narrow “fur” trim at the edges. I blocked the first sleeve right after it was completed, and while it was still flat.
I am liking these two so much–getting excited for them to be completed. I hope to soon be rid of the ‘sweater dress making bug’ and do some sewing of Christmas dresses (with cardigans or capes, of course) next. You’ve seen my pile of Christmas fabrics; they really need some attention.
We have lots of small lakes around here and many of our forest preserves include paths around them.
This one had a boat launch, fishing pier, and lookout points at different spots around the lake. There were some lookout areas with large flat rocks that I thought would be nice for taking pictures of my dolls.
I don’t have any little ones, but for those that do the playground here looks like a lot of fun. I love the super huge frog, turtle, and beaver. My daughter is taking a herpetology class (study of amphibians) so the frog and turtle are quite timely. (I sent her photos. 😉 )
I wonder if at some time lightening hit this tree. Regardless, it had a nice sculptural quality to it, so I took a photo of it.
Of course you know I cannot resist photographing mushrooms.
My two visits to the Chicago Botanic Gardens were a little different. My first visit on Monday was spent exploring my favorite gardens: English Walled, Japanese, Rose, Heritage to name a few. Then, on Thursday I dropped my daughter off for her one class and her choir practice and then drove to the gardens for a few hours. This time I decided to walk the perimeter of the entire place to go through the prairie, around the test greenhouses and test science center. I felt like I was ‘behind the scenes’ at some points.
I discovered the McDonald Woods which are in the process of being restored. At the entrance is a shelter with a fireplace. It looked like it had been used and there was a log in it. So cute!
While walking around the perimeter, I found myself on the other side of the Japanese Garden islands. I’ve often seen people sitting on the benches here and wondered how they got over there. Now I know how.
Flowers are still blooming here. Lots of mums and asters everywhere.
Not sure what the blossoms below are called–do you know? They seem to be some sort of fall flowering bulb?
And in my own back yard I still have flowers as the frost stayed away from the house.
Today, it is sunny and warm–so beautiful! Even though the temperature is warm the look of the landscape is changing–gone are the deep greens which are being replaced by golds, oranges, reds, and browns.
How is autumn shaping up where you live?
Thank you for stopping by today. Enjoy the week ahead! ❤
Cindy Rice Designs 
Hi Cindy – those bulbs are colchicums
Yes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchicaceae
Best,
Orli
Thank you, Orli. ❤ So rare to see bright pink this time of year.
Thank you, Sue. Love the pink in the fall. ❤
Whoops meant to say – the gardens look awesome. I would take a doll with me and do some doll photos too. I love your photos Sue x
Hi, Sue. I’ll keep it in mind when I have photos to take. ❤
Wonderful photos. Must have been on a quiet day as I don’t think I can spot any others. That lake looks lovely too. How fun to explore the botanical garden from a different perspective. That fireplace structure is lovely. Would love something like that but with natural gas so it wouldn’t be too polluting. Even fire pits are pretty much a no no around here.
The dresses look wonderful! Can’t wait to seem them finished.
Have a fun rest of the weekend. 🙂
Hi, Joy. It was a little slow, but I waited until a couple walked behind the vegetation. Ha ha. It’s fun to keep discovering different things at the gardens. I’m really learning my way around and I get lost pretty easily.
I’d guess that you guys cannot have any kind of outdoor fire going. Is that right?
I hope you have a great week, Joy. ❤
Love the knit dresses Cindy. Your photographs are beautiful. I live in Upstate New York (way way upstate!). The leaves are just starting to turn. The red and yellow leaves are just gorgeous! Enjoy your week. Can’t wait to see the finished dresses.
Thank you, Mary Lou. It must be so pretty where you live. I think you guys get more color than we do in the midwest. We have a lot of brown and gold. It’s been a nice autumn here this year though–and still quite warm most days. Have a great week! ❤
Love your knitting patterns…….How about a new sweater pattern for AG doll……..
Hi, Pat. Thank you. I will keep it in mind. I sure wish I had unlimited time to do everything I’d like to do, but I will keep a new pattern for AG dolls in mind and maybe I’ll get an idea for one. ❤
superbes photos!! merci beaucoup pour cette promenade. Les couleurs d’automne sont tellement jolies….
Bonne journée Fanfan
Bonjour Fanfan. Merci de marcher avec moi. Je profite tellement de cette période de l’année. Il y a beaucoup de beauté partout où je regarde. Bonne semaine. ❤
or
Hello Fanfan. Thank you for walking along with me. I am enjoying this time of year so much. There is much beauty everywhere I look. Have a nice week. ❤
Chez toi l’automne est comme on l’imagine, plein de belles couleurs chaudes.
Moi je vis une partie de l’année en Grèce et je n’ai pas beaucoup de couleurs dans la végétation car c’est une végétation persistante. Les arbres sont des oliviers, des pins, des eucalyptus. Ce sont des arbres qui ne perdent pas leurs feuilles.
Mais je vais partir cette semaine en Francepour deux mois. Là-bas l’automne est beaucoup plus visibe.
Bonne semaine, Cindy!
Hello, Marie Paule. Quand nous serons en plein hiver, je serai jaloux de ces arbres en Grèce qui restent toujours verts. C’est formidable, cependant, que vous puissiez arriver en France pour vivre l’automne. Les couleurs sont incroyables! Passe une bonne semaine! ❤
or
When we are in the middle of winter I will be jealous of those trees in Greece that always stay green. It's great, though, that you can get to France to experience autumn. The colors are amazing! Have a great week! ❤
Indy, you and I seem to get the same inspiration walking around in botanical gardens! Me in
St. Louis, and you in Chicago! I love to see the changing seasons and discover new parts of the garden I have never seen before. It just takes all the worries and stress away! I love your photography as much as I love your knitting!
Hi, Linda. Yes! Too bad we don’t live in the same area. Would be more fun to walk together… and talk about plants… and dolls. I can literally feel any stress dissipate when I am approaching the entrance to the gardens. It’s amazing! Nature is the best medicine. Thank you, Linda. ❤ I hope you are having a great week so far.
Hi Cindy, i love when you take us to the botanical gardens! The leaves at the new forest are so pretty. Sweater dresses are so nice this time of year. Love the fur band on the hemline. That is a lovely shade of blue for one of the darlings! The sweater dres bug is not too bad, I can think of worse bugss! That playground does look fun! I know you like taking pics of mushrooms, ok moving on quickly.. ! That shelter is so nice and I would love to sit at a fire there! Aww the mums are so pretty Dear! It is good to capture them before they are gone. The weather is cooling down here. We have had frost a few mornings and from Sunday thru Friday next the high is saying 42 degrees!!!!! I am not ready for it Cindy! Thanks for the lovely post, Terri xo.
Hi, Terri. Thank you for reading my post and enjoying it too. In one week we’ve gone from ‘beautiful fall’ to it looking all wet and brown outside. I guess peak color season is over–that was quick. Winter is on its way! It’s time to bring out the cozy throws and hot cocoa, get the fire going in the fireplace, read some good books and watch movies. We need to figure out how to embrace winter as it is a LOOONG season. Got any ideas? Have a great week, Terri. ❤ ❤ ❤
You are welcome Cindy ! It is looking like winter here too, its 24 degrees right now !! it is going to be cold for trick or treating. Do you get many kids ? Cozy throws ar e out and I have hot chocolate on hand . We only have a gas fireplace but it is nice to sit by. I found this Cindy for ideas . https://www.bustle.com/articles/135530-21-winter-activities-for-adults-to-keep-you-occupied-during-this-drab-and-dreary-season See what you think. Also have you ever checked out Formed.org It is a great resource to help on the faith journey. Happy Wednesday, Terri xo.