Autumn/Halloween 11-04-09

The week before Halloween was much cooler than it has been in many months, which was exacerbated by strong winds. I was in Long Beach with Corky several times and walking was a challenge. The walkway along the boat slips is more protected, so that is where we walked, but between the houses where there is access to the green belt are little wind tunnels. This is just one of the places we forced our way through. Fortunately there was no permanent damage.

The cold nights brought out more colors in the foliage - these leaves are from sweet gums, one of the few trees that provide fall color. They are on a background of commercial fabric.

Residents of Corky's neighborhood go all out for Halloween - inflatable spiders, ghosts of all shapes and sizes, huge inflatable pumpkins, banners, flags and strings of orange lights. The only picture I took this year was this guy across the street. Corky stopped and looked very hard, then turned his head and trotted on down the sidewalk. We were in Long Beach for Trick or Treat, as we seem to be many years, but there were very few knocks on the door. The Poodle Papa is an orthodontist and the treats are toothbrushes. Some kids derisively ask, "Toothbrushes?" and others excitedly say, "Wow, look - a new toothbrush!" Two views.

Corky wore his new Halloween scarf and the same old batwings. He doesn't mind them one bit and will wear them as long as I leave them on. He no longer gets upset at the knocking and doorbell ringing. I think that once the batwings go on the visitors are just what he expects.