Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Falling Leaves and Soaring Billboards

Thought for the day:  Humpty Dumpty had a lousy summer, but I betcha he has a great fall. 




I'm not sure exactly when it happened. While we were in Florida, it was quite warm. It felt a little like summer, because humongous tiger mosquitoes feasted on us day and night. (Some of them were so big, they could've hauled us away to enjoy a bit of carry-out dining if they'd preferred.) In Alabama, it was warm, too. And windy. Now that we're home, I can't help but notice that fall ... has fallen.

Sure, a lot of trees are still wearing green, but there are new splashes of color everywhere. Colors that weren't there before we left town. Gasp-worthy colors. And there's a definite chill in the air, too, and a certain musky scent. Tendrils of smoke curl from a few chimneys in the neighborhood, and crunchy leaves languish ankle-deep in our front yard. Yup, no doubt about it. While we were gone, Nature started donning her finest duds, and now she's doing a slow strip tease. Just for us. Amazing, isn't it?

Year after year, it's a display that never fails to thrill. Except for that whole ankle-deep dead leaves in the front yard crap. Oh well. As soon as I finish this post, I reckon it's time to haul out the ol' rake before they reach the ol' patellas. 


In the meantime ... when you're on a road trip, do you pay much attention to the billboards at the side of the highways? Some of them are pretty cut-and-dry boring, but others are kinda eye-catching. I especially liked the white lettering on black background ones that were supposed to be messages from God. Said stuff like, DON'T MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE. Very clever.

But, ladies and gentlemen, I'm gonna share some billboards with you now that are like none you have ever seen before. They come to us courtesy of the clever folks at dribbleglass.com, who graciously granted me permission to use them. Let's just say that if these billboards were at the side of the road ... we'd definitely notice.























Okay, that's about it for now, blogsters. Let's save some of those billboards for another time. (Always leave 'em wanting more!) Leave. Crap. Better go find that rake ...

Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

27 comments:

  1. Happy raking. Uh...then what? Do you bag 'em or burn 'em?

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  2. Morning laugh! I love the autumn picture! Yep, the oaks behind our house finally dropped their ugly, brown leaves. What a mess.

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  3. O.M.G. Susan this was too funny! Thanks for making me spit soda on my keyboard.

    Are these actually REAL? Or are they made up? Because that drinking and driving one is a little too...

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  4. It's all over here. There are a few trees still hanging on to the last brown leaves, but the rest are gone. Canada geese are honking above us. Strangely warm for late November...

    "Dude, we totally forgot our slogan" is one I want to see put up! (though we don't have billboards in this state)

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  5. The K-Y one cracks me up everytime. I don't know why it is so funny to me, but it is. I needed the chuckle this morning. Thank you sweetie!

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  6. LOL! Thanks for the laugh. Those signs made my morning.

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  7. I always notice billboards (when I am a passenger) and there are some very clever ones out there. However, the ones you posted are hysterical, real or not.

    About half of our leaves are down, maybe even more since the October snow did a job on the trees. Like you, I am a rake person. It can be hard on the back and arms but it is good exercise. My hubby is obsessive about using the obnoxiously loud leaf blower. I hate that contraption.

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  8. I hate billboards. Especially fashion ones. But those... I reckon I could get used to. :D Beauty.

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  9. It's been rather a dull Autumn here. No spectacular colours. I welcome the leaves, however, for my compost heap.

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  10. Hahahaha. My kind of post. :)

    We had the most gorgeous fall this year. Colors were outstanding. And then it snowed and half the tree limbs snapped off. *shakes fist at Mother Nature*

    Those billboards are hilarious!

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  11. Hi, Delores. We're actually pretty lucky here. Our little town sends around a vacuum truck every one or two weeks. No kidding! So all I have to do is transport mountains of leaves to the curb, and the city takes care of sucking 'em up. Cool huh?

    Liza- Glad to give you a chuckle or two. Well, I've done a ton of raking, but there's still a ton of leaves left in the trees. So, it looks like I'll be getting a lot more "exercise" over the next few weeks.

    Anne- Rest assured. These aren't "real" billboards. Just funny as heck.

    Austan- It'll probably be the end of the year or January until the trees are bare here, unless we have a good storm to help them along. The weather's turned unseasonably warm again, and we're under a tornado watch until late tonight, so a storm may just come along to strip the trees.

    Skippy- Glad to make you chuckle. I sure hope you're feeling better. Good to see ya here.

    Linda- Cool! Glad you liked 'em, because there's more to come in future posts.

    Arleen- I've always raked. Not my favorite chore, but it's good exercise, and I enjoy being outside. My hubby thinks I'm nuts. He'd just as soon run 'em all over with the lawn mower. He finally got himself a leaf blower this year, but he just uses it to clear the gravel driveways, and may use it on the roof. Hasn't gotten obsessive with it yet, and I hope he doesn't. The sound of that thing isn't nearly as pleasant as the quiet sound of a rake.

    Carrie- I'm not a fan of billboards, either, and find it particularly infuriating that some local legislators passed a law this year allowing billboard owners to cut away trees if they impede the view of their precious billboards.

    Cro- Sorry you didn't get the colors, but you'll have great soil for your garden again next year.

    L.G.- Glad ya liked it. Weather's going nuts here. Had two cool nights, but now it's back to shorts weather, and we have the windows open again.

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  12. Awesome billboards but honestly...my favorite is the thought for the day. :-) Hope you didn't get sore raking! Terry was sore for two days after.

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  13. Those are definitely my kind of billboards :-)

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  14. I have seen some billboards I really like -- but none as funny as those!

    Personally, I enjoy the Inspirational series. There's one I always admire when we drive up the PA turnpike toward our mountain house:

    PREPAREDNESS -- PASS IT ON. It's got a photo of that plane that went down in the Hudson River with all the passengers and crew standing safely on the wings. Makes me tear up every time.

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  15. See Carolina Parrothead (http://carolinaparrothead.blogspot.com/), could be inspiring.

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  16. Hi, Tracy Jo. Ah, a fellow punster, eh? They're supposedly the lowest form of humor, but I love 'em.

    Sarah- Mine, too.

    Dianne- That preparedness billboard sounds like a good one. There are also some excellent public service kinda boards touting amateur radio sprinkled around the country. Needless to say, I'm kinda partial to them, too.

    Mr.C- Thanks for the recommendation. I checked his blog out, and loved it.

    John- Yeah, in your line of work, I thought it might.

    Y'all take care.

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  17. We have autumn leaf colours here in the UK and dead leaves underfoot but I've never seen any advertising boards like those you've posted in this blog. They're hilarious.

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  18. I got a good chuckle from your billboards - especially "read gooder". I also love fall which is all over here - now I'm waiting on some snow to brighten things back up.

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  19. I'm just waiting for the windy weekend the television weather dude said will have so it will blow most of my leaves into my anal retentive neighbor's yard.

    Great billboards! Just what I needed to wake me up!

    Got you on my blogroll!

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  20. Hi, Rosalind. Glad you liked the billboards. I reckon the only place we'll ever see real ones like that are in our imaginations.

    Kara- Yeah, we've all gotta read "gooder." You can have all the snow you want. I'm hoping for none. (Well, a flurry on Christmas might be nice.)

    BB- Glad to wake you up, dude. And welcome aboard.

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  21. That first photo, a screensaver shot, is one of my favorites. I've used it a LOT. (It has taken second place only to my youngest adorable grandson!

    I've never seen the billboards, but they're hilarious! Thanks for a good smile to end my day!!
    Ann Best, Memoir Author of In the Mirror & Imprisoned

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  22. Beautiful fall photo and funny billboards! You definitely saved the best for last! Hope you got to play in the leaves a little before you raked. I'm sure you'd have loads of fun jumping in them with your grandchildren, as well as organizing football games when they're old enough. Julie

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  23. Thanks for the many laughs! I can't even choose a favorite.

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  24. Hi, Ann. Yeah, I've had that autumn shot so long, I didn't even remember where it came from, but I liked it a lot. Glad to end your day with a smile, dear lady.

    Julie- Nope, I didn't take any time to play in the leaves. I just wanted to get 'er done. For the moment. We had a bunch of wind, and now the yard is buried in them again. Used to have a lot of fun playing in the leaves with the kids when they were young, but the grandkids live so far away, not sure I'll ever get to do the same with them.

    Theresa- Glad to make you laugh, and thank you so much for stopping by. Hope to see you back again sometime.

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  25. I love these billboard signs--so funny!

    Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

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  26. Hi, Angela. Glad I tickled your funny bone. Take care.

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