Tomie loved the beech tree in this 2016 photo.
Here’s an excerpt from his 2005 blog post, “Where Did September Go?”
“September is almost over. October is fast upon us. Everywhere you look in town there are pumpkins - at the farm stand, the supermarket, even the convenience store at the bottom of the hill from where I live. There are pumpkins in front of houses, by the front doors, in displays on the lawns, some very simple - others very elaborate. And it’s not even Halloween yet! That’s when the pumpkins become glowing goblins everywhere. But not yet.
“We haven’t had a frost. (I’m writing this on September 26.) The leaves are just beginning to change. The big question is, ‘Well, what kind of foliage season will we have THIS year? It hasn’t been spectacular in five years. We’ll just have to wait and see.’
“The other thing about October is that it’s darker at 6:30 a.m. when Bronte wakes up. The autumnal equinox was last week. That’s when there are twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness.
“But, the darkness is now beginning to win. Soon it will be time for me to light votive candles all over the place in my NEW ROOM!!! I didn’t do it before, because of the long late spring and summer days. Candles only look fantastic when there are shadows and pockets of dark scattered throughout the room.
“I’m glad September was ‘Candle Month’ at the place where I buy my candles. It’s called Cathedral Church Supply in Manchester, New Hampshire.
“They call me ‘Tomie of the Candles,’ because one year they gave me a ‘church discount’ since I bought more candles than the cathedral in Manchester.
“So, October, the month of the Harvest Moon, of pumpkins, squash, apples, flowering kale and brightly colored leaves (if we’re lucky) is here, in a few days.
“Happy October and - oh yes - SPOOKY HALLOWEEN!” (Bob)
Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
