~Pumpkins~

When you come to the walkway to my home this is my little nod to fall. The nights are just getting nippy and I hope to see more color this week. My windows are in on the porch and I love how October feels, smells and looks.

 

Now my old faux pumpkin was looking a bit worse for the wear. I wasn't going to take her out this year, but when I stood at the kitchen window the old stonewall looked so naked. I didn't want to buy another pumpkin at this late date and I liked where all the others were, sooooo out she came and the light bulb went off. The sun had faded her. A bit like what the sun does to my hair. Why not color her. People paint pumpkins all over blog land.

 

 

Good for another year!

Going Natural

Fall in New England is a beautiful thing. It starts slowly, some touches of yellow, some cooler nights. Then we start the hustle to move plants in doors, close up the pool. Pack up cushions and anything that might freeze in the pool house over winter. There is a touch of sadness over the end of summer. My gardens are going by and will need lots of clean up. Cannas need to be dug and brought in.

Then I tackle my bins of Harvest and Halloween decorations. I feel less is more these days. The Grands are getting older so I don't need the stuff I did just for them. I find I love the natural decorations so much more. So instead of fake twigs of colored leaves this year I cut my grasses and Hydrangeas, some Sedums and some Artemisia.  This is the result, my little potting shed got a decorative touch on the door and my wooden box in the kitchen received the same treatment.

We see some touches of color here, but it will be a couple of weeks before the yellow and orange of the maples shine and the blaze of red from the oaks drench the yard in their color. So I will make some more Pumpkin Bread to have while I sip my apple cider and enjoy each day because while Autumn is a wonderful time of year....it means.....dang, sniffle, whimper...that darn snow is on its way. My least favorite season.

 

Fall Mantel

I have a hard time decorating this mantel. The brick is from floor to ceiling and it sits in the corner of my dining room with a door on either side.  I seem to lack for new ideas.

I went out on Sunday while hubby was watching the Patriots win and cut some bittersweet. I love bittersweet, but it is a highly invasive plant, so I only use it inside and then I burn it when I am done. I do love it so. It simply says fall to me.

Then I put a bit of bittersweet in the living room as a small nod to Fall.

 

Some bits of fall~

There is the smell of woodsmoke in the air and the big maple tree has dropped her leaves. The pumpkins are stacked as is the firewood. Patio furniture is stored away until next year. We have cleaned the screened in porch and put the windows in....goodbye screens. I cut back the front gardens and remulched for a clean look. Cut back and started digging up my cannas roots. I had started a pulled pork sholder in the crock pot this morning. I love how it smells each time I step in the door. I can work in the yard and not worry about dinner.

 Love the color these mums turned out to be. The buds were tight and I did not see the color until this week.

 Just a touch of fall in the living room....and some orange pillows and a throw too.

 

 

 

 

The spiced apple cider is calling me and I do so love Once Upon a Time and then Revenge.

 See you later!

 

 

It's October!

I wanted to start my usual celebration to autumnal spirit.....one of my favorite times of the year. A time my sister usually comes home to visit, but I think we will head south this year for a change. This is a time of year when my focus turns towards home. We start to pile up firewood for those chilly fall evenings. I wash my windows to let the sunshine in. I love how they look.

 

So seasonal color for the patio was in order.

 

Who is that peaking out of the silver king?

 

 

 

 

Some pumpkin oatmeal cookies to scent the house and they go great with my pumpkin spice coffee too.

 

So I put a pan of lasagna in the oven and finished up with a few Halloween decorations for the younger kids.

As I wrap up in my warm and cozy hand knitted sweater I will gaze out over the backyard which will be ablaze with color soon. I truly enjoy the change of seasons that make life in New England so wonderful.

 

 

~Happy Thanksgiving~

I want to wish each and every one of my Blogger friends a Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so grateful that my son is home from Afghanistan, safe and sound this year...we missed him last year.

I am grateful for  my wonderful children and grandchildren.

I am grateful for being married to my best friend for close to 39 years.

I am grateful for my sister who lives 2000 miles away, but remains close in my thoughts and heart.

I am grateful for my sweet pets.

I am grateful for my home.

I guess that is summed up to say I am grateful for my family.

I am grateful that we will all be together at some point on Thanksgiving.

So with that I wish you all the happiness you deserve and hope you have a truly wonderful Thanksgiving.

It is still Autumn.

Ok, so the windows are washed and sparkling in the sunshine. I have cleaned the glass on the onion post lights and all the porch windows along with the house windows. All the oaks in the front yard are casting a wonderful warm red glow. They are the last to turn color...it starts with the maples and birch in the back that turn yellow. The red of the oaks will turn brown after the red. There is a sweet smell of Autumn in the air. Wood is stacked and gardens are almost all cut back.

As I look at the blogs I see Christmas everywhere. I want to think about Thanksgiving first. A bit more Autumn...although I did pick up some Christmas gift bags and have got my list together. I am just not ready for decorating for Christmas yet.

My kittys are staying in more with the nip to the air. I like them around the house. ~In the summer they are about in the gardens and when I go out to work they will pounce and run.

There will be snow and ice before we know it and the scent of pine will be in the air.

Let's just savor these last fall days while we have them.

I'll let you in on a secret...

Today is November 1st. I am so happy to say all my Halloween decorations are packed away. I love when there is just Harvest decorations, right up until Thanksgiving. This morning before work I grabbed a couple of plastic tubs and went from room to room picking out the Halloween stuff and putting it away. I put all jack o lanterns and witches and ghosts into the attic. They joined the many items I never brought out this year. 

My little secret is that my oldest child loves, loves, loves Halloween. It has always been his favorite holiday. He came over last night and greeted Trick or Treaters in his Frankenstein costume. He used to decorate like crazy. fog machine , scary stuff, you name it. Well he decorated his house this year, but he dosen't get enough kids, so he came here. There were a few disappointed kiddo's that the porch wasn't all done up. I was quite content. I enjoy it  a bit pared down. the other half of the secret is I could live with out Halloween. I just don't remember it being a big deal when I was a kid...it seems to have grown into a big holiday. Am I just getting old? Maybe.

So here are a few photos of my "Just Harvest"