Immersed in color

I think I said this before, but this fall has been the most colorful, most beautiful that I remember. And it has gone on and on. I can't seem to get enough of the color.

This morning I drove into the city. Highway 26 goes past Beaverton and into a small canyon at the end of which you drive through a tunnel and suddenly the city of Portland is laid out in front of you as you emerge from the tunnel. It is always a pretty dramatic sight. Today it was raining and the heavily wooded canyon was throbbing with color. My quick phone photo doesn't do it justice.

Today's rain and cold were bringing the leaves down in showers. I know they are finally on their way out.

The sun came out this afternoon and I enjoyed clear, crisp color views from the studio windows.

And along the path to the house.

I am still moving things to the studio, putting them away as I go. I am feeling very "nesty" about getting the studio all put together. I remember telling Jane Davila, last summer, that I just wanted it to be utilitarian. It needed to be a good work space, not necessarily a decorated space. She was getting a new studio together in Connecticut at the time and said she kept fussing over things looking right. She didn't like mismatched furnishings and oddball containers. Yes, Jane, now I get it. I had a small crisis today over curtain rings.

As much as I want to get it all looking and feeling right, I am getting antsy to get back to real work. The Twelve by Twelve group is starting out on a new round of challenges, with some new twists and I am pondering, pondering and itching to start flinging fabric. I posted some thoughts on the new challenge on the 12 x 12 blog today. You can read them here.