Finally... Fall, and that DAMN voice again!

The fog has lifted! 

This morning I decided to try to get some photos for the photography challenge's "Colors of the Season" challenge. If you will recall from a previous post, we've been fogged in for half a week making outdoor photography impossible. Anyway, Mason and I dropped Ashli off at school and headed to a little spot about five minutes from my house to see about getting a few decent photos.  So, Helen and Wen, here are my Fall photos for the challenge. I couldn't pick a favorite, so you ladies choose whichever you like for the challenge. I'm good.

(Keep reading to hear about my day.. and that damn voice again grrr!)

So, do any of you remember my post a while back about "THE VOICE?" click the link to get caught up. (Go ahead, I'll wait...)   The voice pops in and out every now and then, reminding me that it's still around and yes I, for the most part am still ignoring it.  

I parked my car when we got to the spot I had chosen. I grabbed my camera bag, my keys and glanced at my cell phone sitting on my console.

"Take your phone," said the voice.

"No, I don't think so. I don't need it." I said in my head.

"You REALLY need to take your phone," said the voice.

I rolled my eyes, left the phone and got out of the car. I grabbed Mason and double checked my back pocket for my keys. I closed the door and Mason and I went for our hike.

We had lots of fun running, playing and taking un-posed photos. It was a really nice break from the every day work and therapies! 

WOOPS! Mason was crawling along the top of a rocky (teeny) waterfall and he fell into the Icky mud! Didn't bother him one bit.. he's a boy, he LIKES mud!

He is such a beauty isn't he? Everything is new and exciting to him and I thoroughly enjoy re-learning how magnificent the world around us really is with him. To see the same ol' same ol' through his new eyes is an like experiencing the world all over and I cherish these times.

We were doing really well until I looked down and saw a snake slither across my baby's shoe! Now, I have to interject myself here and let it be known that I do really like snakes. I DO! I've caught wild snakes in my yard, I've hugged them, kissed them, wrapped them up around my torso and kept them warm beneath my jacket. My point? I dig snakes! But I have learned with my past few interactions with them that I only like snakes when I know where they are. I turn into a shreaky, cootie-covered 'girl' when they just SHOW UP out of nowhere! This is NOT good for my "cool points".  Anyway, I see a snake slither across my baby's shoe and I freaked out. It wasn't my proudest moment and I'm sure I scared Mason to death.  I snatched him up off the ground and froze. From where I stood I began staring frantically at the ground. Without moving, I saw three different snakes within a 3 foot radius of where I was. Ya wanna talk about heebie-jeebies? Yeah, it was time to GO!   We packed it up and headed back to the car. At which point I discover that I HAVE NO KEYS!  WHERE THE HELL ARE MY KEYS?! I know I double checked when I got out of the car, I had them when we began our hike. I double and triple check my pockets, my camera bag, my son, under the car, you name it. I looked three times. They weren't there.

"Told ya to get your phone, now you're screwed," I hear the voice say.

I ignore the voice. I know it's right.... again.

I start scanning all of the buildings in the parking lot for where I might be able to use a phone. I have NO idea what time it is (clock is on the phone... in the car). I had no idea if it was time to pick Ashli up from school or not, I had no phone, no car and I was in trouble! I could ask someone to use their phone but who would I call? Gregg is at home asleep with the ringers turned off. He'd never hear the phone. I thought to call Stacey, but then remembered in a horrifying realization that I don't know ANY ONE'S phone number! I, like many of you have all my numbers programmed into my phone (which is... in the car) and I don't know any one's number by heart. CRAP!

I could call Triple A, but what would they do? Break into my car? Fine, but I'd still have no keys to start it. I could feel the blood rushing to my head as I did the only thing I could think to do. Put my camera backpack over my shoulders, pick up Mason and go RUNNING back through the fields and trees trying to retrace every single step of the mile-long hike Mason and I had taken. Begging and praying the whole time for God to just take me to my keys. 

With the 10lb camera bag, and the 30lb two year old, I was getting tired and a tad bit cranky. I was frantically searching for a glimmer of metal in the grass when out of the corner of my eye I see something move. I turn around quickly with just enough time to see a GOLDEN EAGLE flying not 20 feet from me going from his nesting box to a near-by tree branch. My jaw DROPPED! How could such an enormous bird fly so silently through so many trees? It was beautiful! And this time, I had my camera!

But... I had no keys and I had a little girl in pre-school. I had no TIME to dig out my camera and go hunting down the eagle.

The voice - "Tee Hee"

Me - "GROWL!"

After what seemed like an eternity, I saw it. That faint glimmer of shining metal hiding in the tall reeds next to the creek.

THANK GOD!!!!!!!!

I grabbed up my keys and BOLTED for the car. Sweating profusely in this balmy 40 degree weather, I turn the car on to see that I still have an hour before Ashli is to be picked up. *whew!*

I ran home, to put Mason down for his nap before going to get Ashli. Here is where I begin to lose it (I think). My 'voice' was trying to talk to me on the way home and I was in NO MOOD to talk! I could hear this VOICE trying  to tell me that it is only trying to help me blah blah blah.

I turned the radio up louder to drown out the annoying voice.

When I pulled up to the house and turned the radio off, I hear it again!

"I'm only trying to help, honest!"

At this point I actually AUDIBLY yelled at the voice! I grabbed my camera bag, and Mason and yelled out, "I'M LEAVING MY PURSE IN THE CAR!"

Why did I yell that to.. no one? Because I'm losing it. Of course it's idiotic to leave one's purse in the car. My mom would shoot me if she knew, but in my own little world this was my way of having the last word. Putting my foot down and overriding the opinion of my VERY NOISY conscious (the voice). 

The voice had finally gotten to me and I was rebelling. I've now missed TWO photo opportunities for an Eagle, because I don't listen to this voice. I am now audibly speaking (yelling) to this voice. Would you think this is the beginning stages of Skitzophrenia? 

I'll just end this post, with the news that I lost my keys two more times today. Once while hauling pumpkins (yes pumpkins) in a wheelbarrow. 

It was just THAT kind of day.