Artist... with a little warrior in her

 The Liggetts came to visit this weekend. As is always the case, Jeff had a plan - and found a paintball place not five minutes from our house that we didn't even know was there!

Syl was not super enthused about paintball. And, truth be told, after the first round she was ready to call it a day. Then, in the second round she got shot... and realized the sting really isn't that big a deal. From then on, she was a little, artistic Rambo. In the final round she outlasted our entire team!

It is always good to see Sydney - these two just get along.

I made a video. Bear in mind, I was playing a role here. :)

Adventures

 The weather this fall has been AMAZING. We're taking every opportunity to be outside, including, last weekend, making a quick road trip up north to deliver a piece of commissioned art to Finley Longenecker, whose family recently relocated to New Hampshire. For her new bedroom, little Fin requested a painting with her, a unicorn, a panda, and rainbows.

No sweat.

Fin was so overcome, she burst into tears - which her mom assured us meant she was just unbearably happy.

On the way home, Syl and I googled "hiking near me" and stopped for a quick walk in the woods. 

Syl found the best. climbing. tree. ever.

On the way home it became apparent she was a little tired...

Closer to home (our driveway!) Syl found another pretty great climbing tree.

And of course no woods beat our local woods - mostly because the mutts are with us!

Syl and I have our costumes ready

 We're on a mission from God.

Maybe a little better?

Off to a show!

Syl and I are headed to see a local production of School of Rock tonight. I realized I haven’t posted any pics of us to the blog lately. 

There’s a reason for that. A photographer I am not. 

Syl's new friends are kind of stiffs

 

Decorating the barn

We figure rather than trick or treat this year, we'll invite friends to come to us... in our haunted barn...

Annual Pumpkin Hunt

 Turns out, sunset is the best time for pumpkin hunting. They lose you in the sun, and you can sneak up on the good ones.

Company in the Water (pushing the season!)

 This weekend brough unseasonably warm weather for a brief spell. So the mutts and I took full advantage. Friday evening was a great opportunity for a beer by the pond for me, and some frolicking for them. Bruschi teed this up by getting all dirty... don't tell him that.

Saturday morning brought some trail running. I might need to have these two come run the NYC marathon with me. They will be in the same shape I'm in!

Tangent: I bought a coyote decoy to scare off the plague of geese that is polluting the pond. Hilariously, Bruschi went straight to the butt sniff.

Then he decided to settle things with a staring contest. He lost.

On Saturday afternoon, Kevin and Josie Holst stopped by with Cody and Moose for some aquatic recreation of their own.

A lab decoy? Or Bruschi striking a pose?

Bru was in fine form. Josic loves dogs (and everything, it seems).

Moose loves the water.

All four dogs swallowed enough pond to puke more or less in unison on the bank. Then they just carried on with their play.

Because evenings outdoors will likely be limited as it gets colder, even though I was alone Saturday night I decided to fire up the pit and try this new grilling attachment I just got. 

I'm glad I experimented on myself first, but it all came out pretty darned well!