Christmas post

 I am posting now to my Christmas blog 👉  Here

I love Fall y'all

 I love Christmas but I want to enjoy every little bit of fall and Thanksgiving especially.

While in the process of wiping down my steps, I noticed how pretty the crepe was so I had to stop for a while and take a walk out. 

 Crepe Myrtle is showing off this year.  This was a couple days ago, most of the leaves have fallen.

Zinnias in back yard still going strong. 

I planted these marigolds back in Spring and they look much more colorful now

French Marigold is my favorite and was in the same seed packet as the yellow above

Leaves still changing but not so much in far back yard but the those awful acorns have fallen and we will use several large Ace bags to get those up in. 

Hard to walk on too.

That Crepe - love it.

Last of the Dahlias picked and brought in

I made some Autumn soup, I used one large butternut squash and two small pumpkins from my sisters garden.  I also add an apple to the soup, spices, cream and pepitas on top.  Had to have a salad to go with it.  Those grape tomatoes I am still picking form my plants in pots. 

Less than two weeks ago we took a ride on Skyline Drive.  Gorgeous as always.  

2,860 feet

Nice day trip and now ready for another.  One thing about where we live in Virginia, we are about two hours from the ocean and two from the mountains or little less, depending on where in the mountains we decide to travel to.  

Bye for now 🍂🌄

Happy first day of November

 Putting away Halloween and back to Autumn with some leaf raking.  The Oaks are dropping their leaves pretty fast.

Halloween we had a few early trick or treaters and loved seeing them dressed up and having fun.

Girls dressed as Steam Punk and Sweet Frog.

Superman was here too.  Ghost had to tilt in for a shot also. 

I love those goggles

In my kitchen are apples for apple butter.  Hopefully next week Pink Lady apples will be ready.  

I picked the last of tomatoes and a few more black eye peas.  There are more of them so I will leave them alone for now.  

Back yard full of acorns, ugh!

You can see the Lavender I chopped back at base of dogwood tree has started spreading again.  I hope it takes up the whole area .  The scent is heavenly.  

I love Autumn

Few Halloween decorations here at home

I have decorated all I wanted to this year for Halloween.  I didn't put out all of my skeletons and other things in the yard because had way too many other things to do this year. Plus, Thanksgiving follows and I like the Autumnal leaves and other fall things to enjoy while I can.  

So here is some Halloween

Not spooky but I like the lighting as entering front door

Not the best painting.  I found this pumpkin stack at Hobby Lobby and painted for the corner

This crow husband purchased at a shop in Maryland 20 years ago at least. 

My bathroom.  Yes, it has those retro tiles.  Not going to replace them.  They are in great shape and not broke, so no fixing needed. I like my Formica top too. 

I shared my kitchen window before.  My pumpkins I  cut  from wood, sanded then painted. 

A little fall on my dining table

An old papier mâché pumpkin I purchased years ago. Inside is a colored light. 

Earlier outside I have a skeleton sitting next to sidewalk

Ghosts next to lamp post

 Skeleton by side door

well, at least he's smiling, not too frightening. 

 Halloween wreath friend sent me several year back

Granddaughter Genevieve had a birthday last week.  She asked me to make her a Marmalade cake.  She loves Marmalade. I like the bitter orange kind but her cake I made with the Smuckers sweet orange. 

I used the package Pillsbury but added four eggs and 3/4 cup orange juice along with oil to mix. 

I also before layering brushed with orange juice each layer a thin spread of Ermine frosting, I made it as I like it better because it's not as sweet.  After a thin layer of that I put between each layer several tablespoons of marmalade.  

She is 11 years old now. 

My birthday was two days later 

My daughter in law sent me flowers while she was out of town for work.

Such a nice surprise and they are so pretty.

Husband gave me roses and a new camera.  I am still needing to read how to use it.

Grand girls gave me this elf doll holding lipstick and wearing heels.

sassy little heels

I love my p.j.'s from Jennifer along with other sweet gifts, I do love having comfortable pajamas. She is a dear friend from early school days. We go back many years.  My sister gave me the one with cats on them. I will sleep very comfortable in these. 

Outside another ghost from 5 below.  Couldn't pass it up

BOO