November

In November our community offers the opportunity to participate in a walking challenge.  We are encouraged to track our daily steps and compete with similar communities around the country.  The more steps, the more money that is contributed to the chosen charity.  This year it is going towards a local food bank.

The first of November found me joining the group for an early morning walk around the neighborhood.

For me, it has been a great motivator to get outside and walk more.

We have had such mild weather.  Little rain and mostly blue skies makes for ideal walking weather.  Watching the leaves change colors was an added bonus.

On this day I stopped to take note of what was planted in place of the summer annuals.  It looks like a combination of dianthus, snapdragons and dusty miller. 

Back at home the Thanksgiving cactus is blooming.

The blooms on this one are beginning to fade.

It may be all done by Thanksgiving on Thursday.

For the first time I ordered some waxed amaryllis through an online source.  They are supposed to ship in November.  I hope they show up fairly soon as they would be welcome replacements to the cactus when their bloom time is done.

Thanksgiving is liable to be very low key here this year.

A few weeks ago we had two invitations.

For various reasons that has all changed.

It may be just Brett & I here or we may have a visitor or two.

We have a turkey breast in the freezer, plenty of potatoes, vegetables, cranberries and even a box of stuffing on hand.  One way or another we will celebrate and be thankful.

If you are celebrating, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

🦃

Getting Away From It All Without Going Far

Happy Monday, dear readers.

Did you have a good weekend?

Yesterday the sun shone and the mid-50 temperatures felt like early spring.

A hike seemed like a good idea.

Peeking through this split tree you may see a glimpse of what awaited us.

Mountain Island Lake.

Most of our hike followed along the shoreline.

So pretty especially when the sun touched the water.

Canoes could be rented.

Perhaps we'll come back in the summer.

I'm so glad that there are places like this just a short drive from home.

Open to all and free of charge.

A place to get away from it all, breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun on your face.

A place where littering is discouraged in a most creative way.

"Make today better without litter"

Also a place where lovers still carve their initials into tree trunks.

💘💘💘

Outdoors in October

Something red caught my eye as I started out on a walk the other day.

Bending down for a closer look, a photo opportunity presented itself.

Here our fall color change is just getting underway which makes me want to be outdoors enjoying the show before it comes and goes for another year.

A fall outing to the local pumpkin farm put me in the mood for decorating my outdoor spaces.

The coleus by the front door were looking a tad scraggly.

A few gourds and a happy scarecrow were added to cheer things up.

This year that wreath is a bit bittersweet.

Around this time last year a neighbor friend made it for me.  She had so much talent with making wreaths and floral arrangements.  Shortly before Easter she passed away unexpectedly.  She would never take payment for her creations.  Instead she requested a homemade apple pie for Thanksgiving.  She will be remembered as I am preparing my pies next month.

It won't be long until my house plants will be moving back indoors for the winter.

In the meantime, I added a few pumpkins to the patio to herald the season.

I added a leafy garland and a pumpkin to the patio table.

The garland lights up adding nice ambience to the evenings.

Over the weekend we took a walk through the woods and noticed that somebody had been decorating in there.

In the woods there is a tree house built around a large old tree.

It's a popular destination for visiting grandchildren.

Small pops of color to be found here and there.

I see many more woodsy walks in our future.

Somehow I always seem to pick up treasures on my woodsy walks.

Pockets and hands are filled when I get home.

There are some really cool nut pods that are partially opened.  I think they might be hickory nuts.  Might have to pop them all in a basket for another fall decoration.

Fresh Starts

There is something so appealing about a brand new calendar.

All of those little squares waiting to be filled in with the events that shape our days.  Oh, the possibilities.

May this be the year that our calendars fill up with joyful moments once again.

Some of you may have been quick enough to read my now you see it, now you don't post.  On that topic I can only say it felt like a good idea at the time.  Not so much the next morning.  So, it was reverted to draft form.  I can only say that sometimes life is just plain sad and even though I strive to keep this blog a happy place, that's not always realistic.

So, our Christmas wasn't anything like I had hoped and imagined.

We put a plan B in place and made a different Christmas memory.

Thankfully our weather was unseasonably warm and sunny.  Perfect for exploring a local hiking trail. Getting away from the house and walking in nature was just what was needed.

This year I welcomed the opportunity to put the Christmas decor away.  Nothing like keeping busy to keep your mind off of other things.

Once the decor was dealt with, I made a cup of tea and perused all of my Christmas cookbooks.  I parted with many of them when we moved and discovered many more that could go now.  It felt good to purge them.

I did like this idea for decorating a small rosemary tree so, I kept this one.  I bought one of these rosemary trees this season, but never thought to decorate it this way.  A simple idea with pretty results.  Hope I can keep it growing until next year.

With another Christmas season done and dusted, I look forward to the opportunity a new year holds.

A time for fresh starts.

***

To those who contacted me behind the scenes, thank you.

To anybody else, forgive me for being vague.

Sometimes the stories aren't ours to tell.  When they involve a loved one who is struggling, it's a process we work through.

I thank you for your understanding and wish you all happiness and good health in the new year.

Onward.

: )

A Weekend Walk

Oldest son came over to watch college football with us on Saturday.

He brought along shrimp cocktail and a seven layer dip with chips which served as lunch.

Once the football game was over and the food was devoured, it seemed like there was only one thing to do.

Get out there on that beautiful fall day and take a walk.

Hopefully burn off some of those calories while getting some fresh air and exercise.

We decided to explore one of the trails in the neighborhood.

It provided a good workout with several inclines.  

I wanted to soak up every bit of the vibrant fall foliage before it all disappears until next year.

Near the end of our hike we came to this outdoor fireplace.

It was hard to pass up the opportunity to sit a spell.

Brett made himself comfortable in the nearby chairs.

I tried them out too and, in truth, could have sat there for quite awhile enjoying the sights and sounds of nature.

But, since it was exercise we were after, it was time to hop back on the trail toward home.

The little beaver that someone had set on the fireplace mantle added a touch of whimsy.

How was your weekend?

                                                                      

Pretty Sunsets and Thanksgiving Plans

Late yesterday afternoon Brett & I went out for a walk.  By the time we got home the sun was setting in a spectacular fashion.  It occurred to me that had I stayed inside working on my puzzle I might have missed it entirely.  We've decided that timing our walks around sunset would be a good idea from now on.  

The holiday cactus that spent the summer outside is now in full bloom.  I'm sure it will be done before Thanksgiving so wanted to capture it's beauty while I can.  

Like most people our Thanksgiving will look  a bit different this year.  At first I thought why bother with all of the cooking and baking when it will just be three of us.  Brett suggested ordering the complete meal from the supermarket.  I was briefly tempted until I started thinking about my favorite aspects of our Thanksgiving traditions.  High on that list is the scent of the turkey roasting hours before the meal is served.  To me, it heightens the anticipation of the delicious meal we have to look forward to.  It is also a comforting smell reminding me that even though the people gathered around the table changes through the years, the reason for the celebration remains the same.  While I realize it might be tempting to think that there isn't a lot to be thankful for this year, perhaps it's more important than ever to look for the silver lining.

This week I'm looking forward to finalizing our menu.  The traditional elements will all be there on, perhaps, a smaller scale.

It feels good to have something to plan for.

If you will be celebrating Thanksgiving I'd love to hear about your plans.  

Wishing you all a good week ahead.

Welcoming October

Welcome October

Yesterday I went for a long walk through the neighborhood.

The sky was oh so blue, the air was cool and crisp... in other words a perfect day to be out walking.  At this time of year I enjoy seeing the colorful displays of mums, pumpkins and cornstalks decorating porches and garden beds.  By the time I got home I knew it was time to spruce up my own front porch.  So, off we went in search of a little decorating material.

That barn above is near our last house.  It looks like it's out in the country when it's really in amongst strip malls and subdivisions.  When I used to drive by it weekly I often wondered why it was still standing as it is very dilapidated and looks out of place in it's current surroundings.

Perhaps it is because every year the farmer who owns it brings in his fall harvest and creates a delightful place to go for all of your festive fall feels.

When I asked the farmer how old the barn is he couldn't remember exactly.  He said it was older than Days of Thunder which is at least 30 years ago by now.  Wondering how Days of Thunder related to the barn he told me that it was used in the filming of that movie.  He looked at the barn, smiled and said "Tom Cruise has been in that barn".  Well now, perhaps this is part of the reason the barn still stands.  Trying to remember if I'd ever seen the movie, I searched it out on the internet and learned Tom Cruise played a Nascar driver.  Being that this area is the heart of Nascar, it all made sense.  Being that the movie was about Nascar, I most likely never saw it ;).

Anyhow, back to porch decorating...

While I wasn't quite sure how I planned to decorate, I figured I couldn't go wrong with choosing a few pumpkins and some gourds. In the process of making my selections this scarecrow caught my eye and I knew that he needed to be on the welcoming committee. 

For some reason Brett thought this guy should be part of the welcoming committee.  EEK!!  I don't think so.

Normally Brett doesn't care one way or another when it comes to decorating things.  He seemed pretty adamant about Mr. spider, however.

So, we settled on a smaller version.

He's hairy with red eyes.  Just creepy enough.

By the time we got home darkness had descended, but the full moon and the porch light made it possible to assemble our finds into some semblance of order.

All ready to welcome the new month.

🎃🎃🎃

Autumn's Arrival

And all at once Summer collapsed into Fall

~ Oscar Wilde

Typically when the first day of Fall rolls around it is still looking and feeling very Summery around here.  This year, however, Summer appears to have done just as Oscar Wilde stated... collapsed into Fall.

When I went outside this morning the temperature was 46 f.  So cool, yet sunny.  A delightful day has begun.

The change of season always makes me want to make a few changes indoors.  On a recent visit to Aldi I was drawn to this mercury glass pumpkin candle.  It has a pleasant pumpkin spice scent and fit in well with the mercury glass gourd I already had.

I especially like a scented candle on the foyer table.

It adds a warm glow in the evenings as it is getting dark earlier and the seasonal scent makes a pleasant greeting.

With the change of seasons woodsy walks hold a new appeal.

Goodbye humidity and mosquitoes ~ hello crisp air and changing leaves.

🍂🍂🍂

Heating up the oven for a pleasant afternoon of baking is another fall favorite.  I did just that on Sunday.  Lorrie was kind enough to share her recipe for date loaf here.  Oh my goodness, is it ever delicious!  So moist with just the right amount of sweetness.

Just the thing to accompany a warming cup of tea or coffee.

Reading always ranks high on my list, perhaps even more so in the cooler months of the year.  That is the time the cozy reads are especially appealing.  Nothing like curling up under a warm blanket with a good book.   I've had an Amazon gift card tucked away since my birthday in April just waiting for the right thing to come along. ;).  Because I have only read one or two of the little house books, it seemed a good time to tackle the entire series in order.  This little library caught my eye.  

With all of the uncertainty of flu season amid covid hanging over our heads, it seems like a good idea to be stocked up on nice diversions.

For me that will include plenty of books.