Fun with fall...

I am having entirely too much fun with fall decorating this year! Thankfully, we got it done earlier in the week before the rains decided to come live with us for awhile, so the front porch and back patio are sporting their fall finery and looking right purty, even if I do say so myself. ;-)

one of two funky gourds we
bought at the Catoctin Colorfest

along with this unique little guy
that I couldn't resist;

so, we got a skull

and another ghostie friend to go with,

and 3 of these for the other side
(aren't they just adorable?!)

see the little metal scarecrow by the bench?
got a pair of them at Colorfest too

getting into the Halloween spirit

but scarecrows, pumpkins, mums and
gourds are the stars of this show

mixing the seasons

letting this dude sit a spell this year

front door welcoming view

patio door view for me to enjoy
while downstairs on my computer

WOO HOO!!

My baby girl is having a baby boy... I'm gonna have a great-grandson!!

Simple pleasures

Mmmmm, mmmm, mmm! Earlier last year, I broke down and joined the reed diffuser lovers crowd. I bought a scent at Target, Lavender Lemongrass, and have been loving me one of the the yummiest aromas I've ever sniffed. What a treat!



As this totally intoxicating aroma wafts about my desk, it's almost enough to make one swoon! Not overwhelming or cloying like some of these things can be, but more of a delicate, clean, fresh scent. Delicious stuff!

The only problem is you can't get refills. Erg! For some strange reason the company (Method Home) makes all kinds of refills for their other products, but not a one for the aroma sticks. Very puzzling... not to mention frustrating.

Hopefully they'll rectify the situation soon cuz my last bit of supply is about to run out and while it may be the manufactuers strategy, I won't be buying a new diffuser every time the scent fades, no matter how much I like it. I'll just enjoy it while I can, then write a letter of complaint or reluctantly try something else.

*sigh*

Colors of the season...

Used to be I didn't get all that excited about fall, let alone fall decorating. Oh, I'd put out a jack-o-lantern or a witch or some other ghostly things to tickle the little Halloween munchkins, but for the most part, I saved my decorating energies for Christmas.

Well, in the past couple of years, and especially since I have a mantle to play with again, I've been having fun adding a few decorative touches here, there, and everywhere! Well, not the bedrooms and bathrooms, that'd be a bit much, but the rest of the house is looking very autumn-ish and colorful.

family room mantle showing off its autumn colors...

bundle of leafiness

charming and demure witchy

whimsical look-alike of the real critters in the yard

to cast a warm glow

Frills for fall...

Not much going on in my neck of the woods, just our normal everyday doings. Since the temperatures have turned beyond nippy (dipping down into the low 40's) for this time of year, the heating system has been checked and turned on, the chimney sweep has declared the fireplace clean and good to go, and the beds are dressed in their annual flannel finery. I have my trusty little heater oscillating beside me at the computer, so even though the frost isn't quite on the pumpkin yet, we are ready for whatever chill Mother Nature decides to throw our way.

Speaking of pumpkins, we've also prettified the front porch and patio by adding some color and whimsy with seasonal flowers, gourds and other stuff.

Another pot of yellow mums sits atop an
out of view table on the right...

Remembering our pumpkin poacher episode from last season, we
put our doofy dude on the patio for our own, safer viewing pleasure.

A few finishing touches indoors and we'll be all set for fall, decorating-wise. I don't even want to think about that holiday in December ... yet!

Turning in the wind...

One of the pretties we picked up at Oktoberfest was this different wind spinner. It's ever so pretty as is, but glows and glitters like a jewel when the sun hits it at certain angles. Mesmerizing...






The tail with the amber ball creates an optical illusion when the whole thing continuously spins; the ball looks like it's moving up and down the spiral - very cool!!

Just peachy...

Fresh peaches... one of the small pleasures of life.

Having said that, I've never really been a fresh peach fan. Love 'em out of the can, but bite into a fresh peach? Oh gag, not on your life. That furry, fuzzy skin just grosses me out. Blecch!

Howsomever, last season I discovered how ridiculously easy it was to prepare (aka peel) and freeze the juicy little buggers so it's been a real treat to be able to enjoy fresh peaches all winter and spring.

We just finished our last pint a couple of weeks ago so the timing is just right. Peaches come into season right about now in our parts. This season's fruit has suffered a bit due to hail and other weather, but a little bruising here and there hasn't affected their deliciousness...

# in freezer = 14 pints
# in tummy = uhmmm, lots! ;)

Simple pleasures

A little tennis, a little football, a little snack food, and a chubby purring lap kitty on a lazy, chilly Sunday. It doesn't get much better than that.

Since today's ESPN showing of the men's final of the Australian Open had the potential to conflict with the Super Bowl this evening, I recorded the 3:30 am tennis showing before I went to bed last night so I could watch it before the foootball game tonight. Have to get my weekend sports fix, ya know.

Then, I got all efficient and did some pre-preparations for tonight's snacking menu which included spinach dip, pigs in a blanket w/honey mustard dipping sauce, and a carmelized onion and roasted red pepper cheese puff recipe I created.

All that was left to do was curl up in my comfy chair, snuggle under my flannel throw, and entice my beastie boy Buster to come up and get cozy on my lap. We then watched the tennis match together. Well, I watched -- he purred, slept and kept me warm.

When football time came, Lew joined me and we settled in for more TV. We've munched heartily, enjoyed Bruce rocking on at halftime, and the Steelers are winning as I type. All in all, a good day of simple pleasures.

They're everywhere, they're everywhere...

Perhaps the cooler weather is playing a part, I don't know, but there seemed to be an unusual flurry of activity among the woodland critters in our back yard today.

(The squirrel post is doing double-duty with my photo blog today.)



Our resident back-yard rodents have been frolicking and chasing one another (and the birds) pretty much all day. At one point, one of the local stray cats slinked (slunk?) ... whatever... snuck over to see what was going on. Too late! The squirrel saw it and scurried up the post to safety while the cat waited and watched from under the Japanese maple below. No dummy he, the squirrel just outwaited it until the cat finally ran off to chase something else.

(click photo for enlargment)

Later on, I noticed some movement across the yard at the fence. At first glance, I thought it was a couple of dogs playing but as I continued to look, realized it was two deer. On closer examination, I discovered it was three deer -- a mommy with her two little ones, a he and a she!! How exciting!

You can't really tell so much from this photo (Lew's Pics has a darling series of better photos) but the little buck on the left has tiny little antler buds forming and the doe on the right still has her baby spots.

They munched on the vegetation along the fence for a while and then disappeared into the cornfield.

Still later, our resident hummingbird made one of its several daily visits. I've actually discovered we have at least two of the little hummers -- saw them both together a couple of weeks ago but wasn't quick enough to get a photo.

I've been snapping away since I discovered the little guys in July and have almost 200 (!) photos of them now that I really should do something with... maybe a mosaic. Some day.

So, anyway, it seems to be getting busier in our backyard -- I also saw a chipmunk earlier this week which, of course, disappeared before I could grab my camera -- and Mother Nature's little beasts are providing me with a great deal of photo ops and viewing pleasure. :)

Strawberry season

Our local Farmer's Market opened for the season today so we decided to go check out their wares. There weren't a whole lot of choices, probably because it was the first day, but oh boy, strawberry season is here!

One vendor had baskets and baskets of the most delicious looking berries, so needless to say, we got us some.
Then, on the way home we stopped at the grocery store to pick up a container of strawberry cream cheese.

Then, after we got home I promptly whipped up a batch of fruit dip (combine a container/brick of cream cheese and a jar of marshmallow creme.)

Then, I had me some.

Then,



...I had me some more! ;)

Yard work...

Mother's Day is coming and around here, that means planting time. By then, it's usually safe enough, weather-wise. This year might be an aberration though - I'm freezing my tush off and had to turn the heat on again this morning. We also got hit with the remnants of that wicked wind from the west last night and the yard is littered with new leaves and cherry blossoms - screwy weather!

We're getting ready anyway though. We've been to the nursery twice so far and have these goodies in the garage, waiting to hit the dirt:

1 replacement azalea
4 euonymous shrubs
1 marguerite daisy
1 black-eyed susan
1 forget-me-not
3 shade coleus
1 dwarf bleeding heart
1 hosta
5 New Guinea impatiens
1 verbena hanging basket

(there are photos on my Project 365 blog if you care.)

Gonna mean a bit of labor for my #1 digger - aka Lew. We've decided to finally put the shrubs in alongside the garage, which means a whole new bed - we'll have to rent a rototiller for that. The azalea space needs to be re-dug and the mailbox garden I'm planning will need some digging. Even the hanging basket needs a hook to hang on! (Everything got taken down last year when we installed new siding.) As I type, he's outside mulching the backyard azalea bed. It's a good thing he likes to putter in the yard too!

We still have to pick up more annuals for the existing beds and will probably make another trip to the nursery later today. I really love this time of year!

Spring prettiness...

A couple of pictures for Debi, who always leaves such nice comments and left the nicest one about our yard yesterday - thanks! :)

(click on photos for a better look-see)

Lew took these late yesterday afternoon and I just love how they capture the beauty of Spring in our little corner of Maryland.

I'm enjoying the healthy growth and green as much as I can now, 'cause come July, we'll be fighting the heat to keep things from turning brown.

Simple pleasure...

Toasted biscuits - one of the simpler pleasures of life.

I'll freely admit that Lew makes better biscuits than I and it doesn't hurt my feelings one little bit. The man does his southern heritage proud and makes the best biscuits around. Light and fluffy, they're wonderful the 'regular' way, slathered in butter and honey. Almost as good though, and a real treat on weekend mornings, is a split buttered biscuit, top-toasted in the toaster oven. Pure delight!

He spoils me sooooo bad! :D