The Weekend

Yesterday brought another round of outstanding fall weather.  It also brought with it, my first cold of the year.  Regardless of the cold, I enjoyed myself thoroughly.  I bought my mom a new to her sofa because she will be moving into her own apartment the first of November.  This will be both exciting and scary for her.  We are focusing on the exciting aspects of it.
The sun was shining and the temperature a unseasonal 73 degrees (perfect if you ask me :).
I mowed the lawn...

Enjoyed my pumpkins...

Walked through the woods...

 and stopped every once in awhile to enjoy the scenery...

because everything is just so beautiful...

a few of my pets enjoyed it too..

Yes, Smudge does go for walks with me!!!

My baby girl - Violet :)

I went on a jaunt with Dave to an alpaca farm...
We had so much fun.

I got some wonderful decorating ideas...

and we got to see these wonderful creatures...

Aren't they absolutely adorable?
This is a mother and her baby...

So very, very peaceful.

Today it is raining.  I have put my crock pots to good use - one has chili in it, the other has apples cooking down for homemade apple sauce.  My house smells heavenly (so the guys tell me :).  My fledgling cold has manifested itself into a nasty villain.  Such is life.  I hope your weekend was good also.  Have a great night.

The Weekend

We had an absolutely gorgeous weekend here - blue skies, sunshine and warm breezes.  The trees are just beginning to change color.  I think they are going to be beautiful this year - lots of reds and oranges :)

Dave traveled to see his father this weekend and while he was gone, I went to the Appleumpkin Festival with my mother and purchased a few items.  I bought this cute little picket fence and the "Welcome Fall" pumpkin.  Isn't it sweet?

I also purchased some pumpkins from my favorite pumpkin farm :)  

And I made sure that I had everything cleaned and decorated both outside...

and inside too...

 

because there is nothing more welcoming...

than a clean, happy and...

welcoming home.
Except perhaps a home cooked meal.
Tonight's menu includes home made chicken soup.
Have a great Monday :)

Fall's Bounty

Last Saturday, Dave and I traveled to Naples (home of the Grape Pie).  Dave wanted to get grape juice for making wine and I wanted to pick up some apples to make an apple pie.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day - blue skies dotted with cotton ball clouds and hints of oranges and reds dotting the hillsides...

wildflowers adorned the roadsides...

and fall's bounty ever so apparent...

We purchased grapes...

and apples...

and I made that apple pie (and it was absolutely delicious)!!!

Most importantly though, we had a great day...

and we shared our wealth with family and friends on Sunday.
Enjoy your Saturday.
You will find me baking and decorating today.

TGIF

For the past two days, we have been experiencing Indian Summer here in Western New York.  Yesterday actually felt hot to me (temperatures were in the 70s).  The sun was out, the sky a bright blue and the few leaves left on trees were gorgeous.  I spent the afternoon at Letchworth State Park with my nephew Daniel taking his senior pictures.  We had so much fun:)

At home, I enjoyed looking at my Halloween decorations that I brought out last Sunday.  Boo came out of the barn and is excited about his favorite holiday being less than one week away.  I bought him at Ames (my most favorite store ever) close to 20 years ago and I will never, ever, ever get rid of him.  He's not scary at all.  He's just happy.   

I didn't put up as many Halloween decorations this year, and that's OK.  I am enjoying nature's splendor instead.  I will be taking advantage of today as it is supposed to be the last day of Indian Summer here in my neck of the woods (big cold snap tomorrow) and doing some major walking tonight when I return home from work.

As for the weekend, who knows.  Tropical storm Sandy looks like she may be headed straight for us.  That means time spent indoors cooking, cleaning and decorating.  Just might be the perfect weekend to get ready for painting someone's bedroom...  Now there's an idea :)
Have a great weekend!!!

Another Beautiful Autumn Day

"If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." - Vincent Van Gogh 

Enjoy your afternoon :)

One Saturday Morning

Our wood stove is stoked and warming the house nicely.  I have candles burning, a pot roast in my crock pot and an already half eaten coffee cake sitting on my kitchen counter.

There is something very comforting to me about coffee cake. 
It's one of life's little luxuries (like the Sunday edition of The New York Times).
If interested in the recipe, you may find it under my recipe tab.

The dogs and I have gone for a walk already.
The sun is bright...

and the air crisp...

making it necessary to wear a coat...

on this Saturday morning in mid October.

The Colors of Fall

The leaves, in my opinion, have not only turned color earlier than normal this year, but are some of the  most beautiful colors I can ever remember seeing.  This evening's walk was one of my most enjoyable.  It reminded me of when I was little and I got a new new box of crayons for school.  We would be asked to choose our favorite color.  Do you like red, orange or green?

How about purple?  Isn't it lovely how the sunlight highlights that tree in the middle?

I walked to the airplane field where I watched men perform acrobatics in the sky with their model airplanes.

My return home was just as beautiful.

The ash trees that are normally yellow are purple this year.  Never saw that before.

My two beagle friends were at their command post as usual.  They don't bark as much as they used to, however.  I kind of miss it.  They always put a smile on my face :)

Which color is my favorite?

I am going to have to say purple this year.  Maybe orange. 
How about you?
What's your favorite color?

To the Pumpkin Patch We Go

I decided yesterday it was time for me and my helper (Violet) to get some pumpkins.  I wanted to make sure Violet was presentable so I gave her a haircut bright and early yesterday morning :)

I got all my housework done (laundry, sweep/dust/mop, vacuum, the dreaded bathroom) and before I knew it, it was afternoon.  While Snoop enjoyed basking in the sun that appeared intermittently throughout the day...

Violet went chipmunk hunting.  (She's just a tomboy at heart :)  Irregardless, that girl does like to visit and shop, so off we went...

Look at those stickets in her fur!!!

Over the hill and over the crick to the pumpkin patch we went...

There were so many wonderful pumpkins to choose from that I ended up buying six!!! And, I only spent $10.  Can I hear a YeeeHaa!!!

Those are my six pumpkins in front :)

The place was quite busy.  In addition to Violet and me, there was a grandmother with her four grandsons (I am guessing they were between three and six years old) and another mother with her teenage daughters there enjoying themselves.  The boys were typical boys (running, rough housing, laughing, being loud), but when they saw Violet, they became quiet, kind and gentle and Violet let them pet her :)
She's such a good girl :)
I returned home, mowed my lawn and decorated outside with my pumpkins.
Three were placed in my old rusty red wagon...

The other three were placed in the flower bed in front of my house amongst the mums...

Transforming the familiar into something whimsical and enchanting...

All because Violet and I decided to go to the pumpkin patch one Saturday afternoon.
I hope your day is filled with magic :)