Halloween Greetings

The morning started on a foggy note.

I went trick or treating for my morning cup of coffee.

The trees are well into their autumn color change.

Once the fog cleared, the patio made a nice spot to begin Halloween morning.

Living in a 55+ community means there will be no kids trick or treating at our door tonight.  

Yesterday I was feeling a bit nostalgic so I dug out photos of my boys in their trick or treating days.

Once again I am reminded of how quickly the years fly by.

Instead of passing out candy tonight, I will be meeting some friends to play Mexican Train.  Before I go I'll light up the jack o' lanterns to send their cheerful Halloween greetings into the night.

Whatever your day holds, I wish you a 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

Gourdgeous Fall Days

Luckily that frost I was concerned about in my last post didn't happen.  So, my houseplants are back on the patio enjoying these  gourdgeous  gorgeous fall days we are now having.

I had some jobs I wanted to tackle indoors today.

Although it was hard to be inside on such a lovely day, I opened the doors and windows and got busy.

First on the agenda was cleaning under the kitchen sink.

I find the best way to do this properly is to empty everything out,

wipe the cabinets, edit what is lurking under there and then put things back in an organized fashion.

All done.

A few things got tossed and the remainder is now better organized.

The hardest part of this task was getting up and down from the floor.

:D

I discovered a container of stainless steel wipes under there and decided to shine up the fridge, dishwasher, microwave and oven.

Thought briefly about cleaning out the inside of the fridge and freezer and decided that job could be for another day.

Before the sun set on this day I wanted to get outside and see what was happening in the garden.  Couldn't resist snipping these late hydrangeas as the variation of color is so beautiful.

Prior to getting started on my cleaning tasks I brought out a couple of kitchen helpers.  A new to me soup recipe is simmering away in the slow cooker while a loaf of potato bread is baking in the bread machine.  

It's such a nice feeling to know that when dinnertime rolls around, all we have to do is serve ourselves.

All in all it was a most satisfying day in the kitchen.

It's Getting a Little Chilly Around Here

This bud on my hibiscus plant is contemplating whether or not it will open fully.  The warm temperatures that it prefers have vanished this week.  Tonight they are saying we might even see a touch of frost.

Because I'm not ready to take the chance of frost jeopardizing that bloom, we've pulled all of the tender potted plants onto the covered patio for the night.  Before I go to bed, I'll drape a sheet over them and hope they will be protected from frost damage.  

The houseplants that spent the summer on the patio are having a sleepover in the garage tonight.  In a week or two they will be moved back into the house.  After tonight the temperatures are supposed to be well above the freezing mark.  To be on the safe side we will be monitoring the weather closely in case something changes and we need to protect them again.

This morning we had all of the windows washed and believe me, they needed it.

After the job was done, I was going around putting things back together and dusting off the window sills.  It was a sweet surprise to see this vivid blue hydrangea in bloom outside the window next to the bathtub.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that old Jack Frost keeps his hands off the hydrangeas.  This blue one barely bloomed all summer.  It now has several blooms and buds eager to do their thing.  I hope they are successful as I'd love to be able to cut one last bouquet.

The mums on the front porch don't mind the chilly temperatures.

I think it will help them last longer than if it was very warm like it often is at this time of year.

🍁🍁🍁

Has frost visited your garden yet?

Hello October

Hello and Happy October to you!

Although I am listening to the air conditioner humming away outside the window, I know that it won't be long until it won't be necessary to run it anymore.  I look forward to those crisp autumn days.  Have they found their way to you yet?

On this first day of October, I found it a temporary distraction to spread a touch of fall decor around the house.  That would be a distraction from the news stories covering the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  As you are probably aware, the western mountains of North Carolina were hit particularly hard.  Through the years, Brett & I have visited the area several times.  Fall was often a time we would schedule a short getaway into one of the small towns in the mountains.  The scenery was beautiful and we enjoyed exploring the apple orchards and little pottery studios and art galleries along the way.  

These past few days we have both been comparing videos we watch (in disbelief) of the devastation.  It's hard to imagine the conditions so many people are dealing with right now.  Not just in North Carolina, but South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia as well.

My heart goes out to everyone who has been impacted by this.

Adding a touch of fall to the kitchen counter.

I have been looking for something to put on the kitchen island that was proportionate to it's size.  I think this long dough bowl is the answer.  I filled it with fall items I already owned.  When Christmas rolls around I'll replace the gourds with greenery and maybe some candles.

A little spot by the window to enjoy those warm fall beverages.

🍁🍁🍂🍁🍁