So I was scrolling through Instagram earlier today and ran across this post.
And I thought to myself… “Wow, that flower looks a LOT like the dahlias I have blooming at home right now. And I wonder if mine will survive yesterday’s snow at all?!”

And then I looked closer… it also looks like my condo… also looks like my bricks… like my basement window frame… my dahlia plant… my tomato cage… wait a minute… THAT IS MY DAHLIA!!! Blooming but struggling under the snow!!!

Turns out Sarah walks her dog Sheryl past my place regularly, and has been enjoying my dahlias all Fall. Who knew???… That the “runner-up-in-my-eyes” on THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW would be posting pictures of my dahlias on her Instagram?! Small world!

And just for the record… the snow did them in!!! Got home tonight and the plants are frozen, wilted & DEAD!!! Hope I can still save the tubers…

So we got a good bit of snow yesterday & freezing “rain” overnight… not sure if it was a trick or a treat? Sure, it was pretty enough, but I definitely wasn’t ready to chip all the ice off my car this morning just to get in!!! Loving the Fall colors… I just want them to last longer!!!

And I’m SO not ready for snow! We still have beautiful Fall leaves on the trees & dahlias blooming in my garden! Sure it’s pretty… but couldn’t we wait just a few more weeks?… please & thank you.

This may have been the “perfect” Fall colors weekend here in Chicago. Which was reason enough for me to head out for a hike in the woods yesterday. It started out nice & sunny, but all too soon the clouds moved in late afternoon. Gray skies… but still beautiful Fall colors!

Although I’d rather be outside on the OTHER side of that window!!!

Beautiful colors & wonderful textures… perfect for Texture Tuesday!

Also looking around the lakefront… enjoying the sunrise and looking for breakfast… a local hawk hanging out & resting on a street lamp! Not sure what kind he is… Red-Tailed Hawk?… Cooper’s Hawk?… but at least he wasn’t looking at me too closely as I pedaled past.

While the waves crash around at the lakefront… and there’s also beautiful rocks & flowers right there if you happen to look around the other way!

Another beautiful blue-sky afternoon… perfect for another bike ride along the lakefront. A bit on the chilly side… long sleeves & gloves again. But I wasn’t quite ready for trees to be changing colors already! As much as I love Fall… I’m not quite ready for it. But let’s be real… this tree is in fact BEAUTIFUL in the beginning of its Fall coloring!!! Okay… so maybe I’ll be “ready” soon…

Yellow flowers on the beach after the morning rain.