Fall Quilt Project

Now that it's done and has been received by
darling daughter, I can post pictures to
share. Violet kitty gave her special
stamp of approval to the quilt before
we shipped it out. Have to confess,
the quilt backing was especially difficult
for me to sew, only because I am not
a spider fan, and of course the backing
has many many spiders and webs all over it.
So this quilt is wishing you a Happy Halloween!

Fall

Fall

Fall

Apple Time!

Drove out along the Missouri River up to Waverly today, looking at the turning leaves, the hawks and buzzards drifting along on the air currents in the clear blue sky, watching the farmers harvest their beans, and enjoying the fragrance of fall. Rasa's Orchard was a busy place, and full of people like us, wanting to "pick their apples"-- already packed in bags. Found some Granny Smith, Jonathan (our favorite all-time good for everything apple), and Fuji. And a bag of sweet potatoes, all ready for me to cook for sweet potato muffins, biscuits and hopefully sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving dinner, if they last that long! Now I just need that kitchen elf to help things along as I make the pies!

Welcome Fall!

Nights are getting shorter and cooler. Days, well, it seems like summer is trying to stick with us, or at least trick us into thinking she is. That's ok, the cooler nights make up for it, and seeing the butterflies still coming to all the flowers still in bloom, makes it all right for now.

Time to get out to the orchards and pick up our apples. Used to be, we picked them ourselves. Now we just buy them in the baskets, and enjoy them anyway. This was a great peach year, and I am sure this is an equally great apple year. Driving out to the countryside along the Missouri River for the apples gives us a change to enjoy the leaves turning on the trees.

Hummingbirds have already left us for the south. Wild turkeys are gobbling in the woods, discussing where to hide for Thanksgiving. And soon the snows will fly!

Farewell to Summer!

It's been a long hot summer! And Fall has finally arrived, with cooler nights and shorter days. Garden produce is still plentiful, and having worked up spiced peaches, peaches for the freezer, sweet and sour pickled okra, okra for the freezer, and best of all, okra for frying, I can honestly say that I am looking forward to the rotation to apples. Fresh green beans, homegrown potatoes freshly dug, butternut squash and zucchini were gifted to us this summer too, so even though we didn't plant a garden, we enjoyed the bounty.

Another sign of Autumn is the blooming of our Summer/Autumn Clematis. Every year it gets more and more abundant, this time actually taking over the deck floor. Could it be because I didn't take the time to prune it off as it expanded its horizon? Monarch butterflies are now migrating, so they pause in our backyard to sip some hummingbird food. And our recent summer visitor, Mr. Lucky Kitty, lies down on the deck to enjoy the late afternoon warmth on his tummy, after a fresh refill of kibble.

Yes, Fall has definitely arrived!