Halloween Love

 My title kind of sounds like a Hallmark movie!  Happy Halloween everyone. I hate to see my favorite month and holiday come to a close.  I wish we could have celebrated a little more but Jack's recouping was more important. He's doing well and I'm sure he'll be 100% soon!  Here's just a few of my inside decorations that will be put to bed tomorrow.  Boooo!!!

When you come in the front door please park your hat and broom here...

If you park it here you only can stay an hour or you'll be TOAD!

I keep a few shelves in the living room ready for this witch and her favorite books!

Living room mantle is lit up!

Kitchen mantle is lit up and full of little trick or treaters.  

We encourage you sit for a spell..and even give you the spell to say!

The dining room is ready for some treats to be served.

All treats are guarded by this witch I found in a resale shop a few years ago..love her!

This old gal makes me smile too.

Doesn't everyone have gravestone salt and pepper shakers? I had to get them since I do love cemeteries!

 A few of my plate collections..I don't put them all out every year, I try and mix it up!

A couple of foliage shots from yesterday. It was such a warm October that the trees took their time in changing.  We drove around the countryside seeing  how lovely it all looks. I'm sure in a few days much of the leaves will have fallen.  But that's the way of this season.  I just try and enjoy it while it lasts.

The wood pile is showing us that soon this wood will be warming us up on the cold days ahead. I hope everyone took the time to enjoy this season and had a fun Halloween. Our town does it's trick or treat night on the Thursday before Halloween so all the hoopla is over for another year.  All my witches will be put to bed and I'll look forward to seeing them next year! Booo everyone!

Gathering The Troops For Fall Fun!

 Yesterday we had our annual Halloween/Fall family gathering.  In the past we've done different activities for this event.  When the kiddos were little we carved or decorated pumpkins. We had haunted trails in the woods or even a haunted house in our house! We had costume parties and parties with just adults.  Sometimes we've included friends along with family.  We could end up with as many as 80 or more folks.  It was always fun but also always a lot of work to get it all pulled together.  Last year my sister and her kids and grandkiddos came and we were going to repeat that again this year. However, with schedules of surgeries...both hers and Jack's, and her kids work schedules, we decided not to do that this year.  So yesterday was a bit quieter and less hoopla than in the past.  It was still great to be together and eat, share stories and enjoy the day.  We did manage to put in a big bonfire even with the rain the day before.  It's still smoldering a bit today but it's raining now so I imagine it will eventually die out!  My regular camera isn't working for some reason but I was able to snap a few pics with the phone. I still prefer my camera but you have to go with what you have!

The napkins said "Let's Get Wicked" but we really kept it friendly!

Friendly like these little ghosties that light up nicely.

You will be greeted by the these three gals who also light up nicely when they see you!

A friendly greeting at the door.

Hmmm....the question of the hour?

Grab some Monster Munch homemade by YaYa.

Save some space for lasagna..along with salad and garlic bread (to keep away the vampires of course!)

There were lots of sweet treats like these spider rice crispy bars and many other things too but I didn't get a pic of all of it.

Dear son Phil got the bonfire going.  It burned all night long. I enjoyed sitting outside until around 9:30.  It was still smoldering this morning but the rain today should put it all out. 

Inside I had fire of my own.  Candles that "bleed" when lit!

Some of the players of the day were Phil (or we now call him the silver fox!) and Jordan who is home for a couple of weeks from California and working here in Ashland.  We've enjoyed having him home for this time and will be sad when he leaves on Saturday.

Rae Rae came without older sis Lexi because Lex went to homecoming..her first! The pics of her were lovely but we missed having her with us.  It's hard when they grow up and start busy lives!

Little sis Aria came though and played some haunted golf!  

Oldest son Jack with his Granddaughter, Hazel.  She's his wife's daughter's little girl so I guess it's a step grandchild but either way she's adorable and found her way into our hearts which makes us step Greats I guess! Summer with my Granddog Happy in his costume.

Little Hazel Nut!  We enjoyed all who came by yesterday.  The food turned out delish and  I always make a lot so they can take extras home. It's a Mom thing I guess! It may have been a quieter, less activity filled gathering but still fun all around.  The last week of October is here. My favorite month has not disappointed.  The weather has been more mild than usual and the trees have hardly even changed colors yet. That means we can enjoy Fall a little longer into November!

I might have to squeeze one more haunting post in this week but here's two scary folks for you now! Have a good week everyone!

Life In The Not So Fast Lane

 Jack's been home 2 weeks and doing pretty good. He's trying to get his energy back again. He even went to work last week for a few hours in the morning. Determined!  I haven't posted in all this time either. I guess I was waiting for something blog worthy to write about! However, I'm pulling a blank! So I'll share just a few pics of the week until something better happens!

This is probably the last hydrangea bloom this season. It's been a warm October until yesterday when rains came down along with the temps. Feeling more like Fall!

The trees seem to be taking their time turning colors this Fall but this beauty in the cemetery never fails to shine.

Speaking of shining...or maybe "The Shining"? This ghoul says come and stay a while!

When you do come for a visit don't let our ghost friends stop you! Or perhaps our little buddy that is blooming in front of the welcome stone?

I'll make you some treats if you promise not to trick us!

A Dutch apple pie or apple bread if you like.

A warm cup of Witch's Brew will go nice with a slice...of bread of course!

This time of year means our little Addy Rae has another birthday. Happy 13th birthday Rae Rae! 

We were able to enjoy a fun party evening with family and her friends Saturday night. Time is flying by on this old YaYa's broom!  There's only 2 weeks left of my favorite month. Even with helping Jack recoup we've enjoyed some fun surprises like seeing our youngest....Jordan...come home from California last night for a 2 week visit! He's actually going to be working as his company called and asked if he would fill in for this time.  Since it's a paid trip on their ticket he and we were happy to have this time together. He moved last December so we really have missed him. I'm sure I'll get some pics of him in these next weeks as we gather for our annual Halloween bash at the Pines next Saturday.

A nice sunset until next time! 

Here We Go Again

 I've been a bit MIA. This week Jack had surgery...His 4th in a year.  So I've been hanging out at the hospital like the old days only not getting paid. His surgery took 7 hrs. A long day! He had a ventral Hernia from all the previous surgeries. I kidded that we would get a screen door from Home Depot and put that in! Everything went well and hopefully he'll go home tomorrow.  It was a big surgery and painful but he's hanging in there and being a good patient. So here we go again but hopefully this will be it for, hopefully, ever! 

From beginning ....

To this afternoon...A work in progress! Happy first day of October...

Festival Season

 When Fall arrives so does festival season.  Festivals, craft shows, county fairs, you name it and we have it. We skipped the fair this year but managed to make a quick stop at a little Amish festival that featured log home building.  Forgetting my phone and camera had me bummed.  Jack's phone took the pics but my computer wouldn't download them so no go with that fun stop.  The temps this week have fallen into the crisp, cool, and lovely range for going to outdoor events. This weekend is Jack's 50th high school reunion. He went last night to a meet and greet and then to the homecoming football game.  I sat that one out and did outside work here at the Pines instead.  Sitting in the bleachers on a chilly night isn't on my fun scale but I know he enjoyed it and meeting with old classmates again. Tonight is a gathering again but it's indoors and that's one I'll go for!  My 50th is also this year but it's next month and I decided not to make the trip to Chicago at this time.  One of the festivals cancelled last year was on for this year and this weekend so we decided to head down to Malabar Farm State Park for the activities.  We've gone many times in the past and enjoyed the vendors, the outdoor reenactments of  Civil War and Revolutionary War. There were many vendors selling all kinds of things from crafts to food. This time I did have my phone so I was able to capture the moments. 

Malabar Farm was the home of Louis Bromfield. He was an author and conservationist and won a Pulitzer Prize for one of his novels.(That's Jack on the bench..not Louis! Ha!)  He was a good friend of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall who got married at Malabar.  I even went on a ghost hunt at Malabar! But today it was just walking around and enjoying a Fall morning and seeing the sights.

The front steps to the "Big House" as it's called. Very pretty with all it's flowers.

All the mums looked lovely too.

One of the tents set up in the camping area where the folks doing the reenactments stay. Hmmm....looks like lunch is roasting on the spit! 

Music can be heard all over and this man sure played a mean bagpipe!

The costumes were really well done.  I know folks put a lot of money and time into being realistic for these activities.

Of course Jack usually meets somebody he knows! This gentleman's wife used to work in Jack's Chiropractic office.  He also does Civil War reenactments. 

Beware of getting lost in the woods...you never know who'll you'll run into!

Perhaps you'll find Abe Lincoln checking out the troops.

It would be more fun to find the smokehouse where the hams are getting ready for tasting!  As you would expect, the air smells heavenly with all the campfires and food cooking outdoors.

Here's another home at Malabar. It has a famous history also.  Of course it's also haunted. It the Ceely Rose house and she murdered her family.  I learned all about her on my ghost hunt a few years ago! 

You can go from one end of the farm to the other by horse drawn wagons.  We walked down to the vendors but took a nice ride back since it was all uphill from there!

Speaking of vendors....many crafters were featured and I had to snap a pic of these hooked rugs for my "hooker" blog buddies! There were tons of wool to buy and many patterns also. I know they would have enjoyed this booth!

This farm/State Park is beautiful.  The area around here is super beautiful when the leaves are changed. It was a fun morning and although I didn't buy much we did enjoy our time today.

My big purchase?  A little witch named "Agnes".  She was only $5! A steal, right?  She'll fit right in my Halloween witch collection.  We had a nice lunch outdoors and then headed for home.  The day just was perfect to start our Fall adventures as Jack would say. I made a pumpkin pie after we got home and that just seals the deal for that "Fall" smell throughout the house!  Have a good weekend everyone!