So last year's

Skeleton of a hydrangea flower from last year found at the back of the shrub, as this year's flowers are still in their turning colours. But it is certainly obvious that the weather is changing. It's getting darker earlier and cooler in the evenings .

I've been keeping a watch on the news about Bali, so hoping the volcano eruption will be minimal. Keeping my fingers crossed for my friends and their villages there.

Thanks so much for all your shadowy entries for Abstract Thursday, they were again very fun and creative. I hadn't realised that most people would be without some sun to create shadows, but many were inventive enough to create their own shadows ! Here's my list of 5 special entries:
RosHele for a very effective black and white shadow colour mono
J4net  no shadows, but a very different artistic feather abstract
frani   for a shadow seen from a great viewpoint
Doyley22  for great shadow shapes and
ladypop  for a diptych of special shadow shapes

See the whole collection here.
This coming Thursday the optional theme will be 'dots' and the tag AT118

Thanks so much for your kind comments and stars for yesterday's vintage cookbooks. I will certainly try out some of the recipes once I have translated the Malay/Indonesian terms.