Puddle Stories
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Puddle Stories | I Just Hadn’t Let It In
This morning brought the first frost of the season that stayed longer than the sunrise. The grass was covered in a delicate layer of white, while the trees continued to hold on to their shades of gold, copper, and brown. A faint haze drifted along the puddle, disappearing before I could capture it in a… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | A Little More Time Behind the Puddle
November 3, 2026 at 11:15 AM The puddle is full today. The grass is still green, the trees have held on to a little of their autumn color, and the rain has left the patio damp. The water looks inviting, even beneath a sky that can’t seem to decide whether the sun will make an… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | While I Was Looking Somewhere Else
I’ve spent much of the afternoon watching the trees behind the puddle. Every day, a few more leaves disappear, another branch becomes visible, and the view changes just a little more. Autumn has certainly given me plenty to appreciate lately, and apparently I’ve been so busy watching the trees that I nearly forgot to look… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | What the Leaves Left Behind
Last Saturday, the tree behind the puddle was showing off. Its branches were filled with brilliant reds, oranges, and golds, creating one of those beautiful October scenes that makes you stop and appreciate the season. Hadley was underneath it, helping Grandpa with the river rock project, and I was taking pictures of another ordinary afternoon… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | The Woolly Bear Weather Debate
Today, a tiny fuzzy visitor made his way across the patio behind the puddle and managed to do what very few creatures can do so quickly: start a debate between Brian and me. Our little guest was a woolly bear caterpillar, black on both ends with a rusty orange middle, slowly making his way across… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | One Bag at a Time, Together
Apparently, twelve bags of river rock don’t go quite as far as one might imagine. But they can make for a pretty wonderful afternoon. Today, Hadley and Grandpa took on the first phase of our latest project Behind the Puddle. The plan was to fill the muddy stretch between the patio pavers and the original… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | One Bag at a Time
There are twelve bags of river rock in the back of the Jeep. For anyone who has followed the journey Behind the Puddle, this probably isn’t particularly surprising. I’ve never been shy about my affection for rocks, especially river rocks. I’ve collected them on weekday adventures with the girls, weekend outings, and even the occasional… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | While We Weren’t Measuring
I don’t remember the trees looking quite like this a few days ago. Of course, I didn’t exactly wake up this morning to discover their remarkable colors. I happened to see morning arrive from the other side of the clock, as sometimes happens when sleep and I aren’t particularly cooperative. But somewhere between yesterday evening… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | When October Meant Snow
There was a time when October in Iowa meant preparing for snow. Not necessarily a great deal of it, but enough that cold temperatures, sleet, and an occasional snowfall were simply part of the season. I remember those autumn days from my own childhood, and I remember them just as clearly from the years when… Continue reading
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Puddle Stories | The Ordinary Business of Being Here
After several days of colder weather and spending more time indoors than outside, today offered a welcome opportunity to return to the patio. The temperature reached a comfortable 66 degrees, the air was calm, and there wasn’t a drop of rain to send us back inside. It seemed like a perfectly good day to sit… Continue reading