I thought it might be nice to throw in a text entry this week before Wednesday inevitably comes around again.   The 6 of you kittens that regularly read this, you do not mind the more fluffy posts, do you?  Lately, I’ve noticed a spike in page views on this blog, and I’ve been starting to dig around in Blogger’s stat features. ( I haven’t done anything to promote it, which makes the spike all the more intriguing to me.)

Today, I finally decided to figure out which blog post is my most viewed one.  Lately, I’ve been getting 20+ page views a day, but not on my most recent entries.  Strange, non?  So I did a little sleuthing: at 307 views as of today, this is my most viewed blog post.  Why?  I have no idea.  It does amuse me.  The next highest is my 2011 Stashdown numbers for the year.  Those I can almost understand since I’m in the actual group on Ravelry.  But a 2 sentence entry with no pictures and real reason for it?  No.  Idea.  Heh.

Other than that, I’m enjoying the ever-changing view from my back yard.  Here’s some more Fall Foliage spam for you all. 🙂  (Make sure to view them full size for more clear details.  I try to avoid stretching all of your pages.)

Hopefully you can appreciate these as much as I do, kittens.   One forgets how “magical” season changes can seem when she haven’t seen one in almost a decade.

When we first shared where we were being stationed, you would have thought we had been exhiled to Siberia based on the most common reactions.

“I’m so sorry to hear that!”

“You know it gets cold there, right?”  At this point I’d mention we are from Madison which is about the same average temperatures year-round; we are kind of aware of what cold feels like. As in, cold enough with wind chill to cancel school and work.  As in, cold enough to have the liquid on your eye balls instantly freeze as you walk out the door in January.  Heh.  We’ve actually seen snow in the wild too!  IMAGINE THAT CRAZINESS.

*ahem*

The most persistent negative reactions came from people who grew up in the south and had never actually been stationed in the few northern duty stations the Army has.  This added to both my amusement and annoyance at the conversations.

“It’s out in the middle of NO WHERE!”

Again, amusing given the duty station we were previously at was in an area with a population of roughly the same size and an even farther distance from larger cities than this one.  And there’s more to do in this area to boot.  People and their prejudices, I tell ya.  And to be honest, with a few exceptions, most military bases are out in the boonies.  You very rarely see them close to larger cities.

Anywho!  Those are the things on my mind this chilly, rainy Saturday.  I hope things are going well where you all are, and you’re enjoying some relief from the heat!

Kittens, I thought I’d share some lovely pictures with you today.  In my video entries, I keep talking about how Autumn has hit where I live, but haven’t shown you.  This was the view from my backyard yesterday morning.  Today, it’s slightly more orange and red.  I haven’t seen a true Autumn in almost 10 years.  I know a lot of people love the American south and southwest for its weather, but I was never happy there.  I’m the kind of gal that anything over 75ºF is hot and too much sunshine makes me cranky because I have to stay indoors.  (Fun fact: I can sunburn through 50SPF+ sunblock in about 45 minutes.  I have long suspected I am part vampire:  I have a widow’s peak, am pale, have fang-like incisors, and am naturally noctural.  Definitely a vampire minus the bloodlust.)  But one of the things I missed most living in Texas and Alabama was Autumn–true Fall weather.  Changing leaves, slowly cooling days with crisp nights and mornings, frost starting to peek out later in the season, the first light and timid snow falls, and most importantly, Sweater Weather paired with hot beverages season.  I am happier than I’ve been in years.  I know come February I’ll be sick of snow, but for now, I’m enjoying this.

With the cooler weather has come a new-found enthusiasm for knitting.  Crazy how not having sweaty hands will bring the joy back into it.  I cast these on two days ago, and I’m already finished with the leg for both socks.  Now onto the heel flaps and gussets!

And Tala would like you all to know that it’s a hard life out there for a puppy. ♥  Happy Monday, kittens!