Happy Halloween !!

My sister, brother-in-law, niece and her two little boys are en route from Ohio for the weekend. I am busy preparing the guest rooms, etc. Full plate on my schedule today so I leave you with this fellow. He is high on the shelf at Black Dog Salvage, Roanoke's premier outlet for salvaged architectural elements and antiques ~ 40,000 square feet filled with antique wrought iron, mantles, doors, windows, vintage hardware and plumbing, stained glass, period lighting, garden statuary, old house parts, custom furniture, and more. Black Dog Salvage is one of my favorite places to go and worthy of a full blog post one day soon. But for now........I wonder if this guy will be coming down off his shelf to celebrate Halloween with his friends...................
mwwaaaaahaaaa

~Photo by Audrey

Blessed with Beautiful Autumn Days

Mom and I went out for lunch today and after that I had planned to go straight back home to work on my lengthy "to do" list. However...... it was 72* out and the remaining leaves on the trees had peaked in color. I HAD to drive around and enjoy the beauty of the day. Below is just a sampling of photos that I took. It was well worth the time ~ Mom and I both enjoyed every minute of fresh air and beauty.

Lucky

LUCKY

The minute I saw the name "Lucky", I knew it was the right name for my little puppet. Between this post and Facebook, I received some great possible names for him and I thank all of you for the suggestions. It was fun. Marilyn, I will send you an email to get your mailing info. Lucky has something to send you. ♥

Marilyn ~ Lucky

Marion ~ Marion

Linda ~ Herman Webster

Anne ~ Pippin

Martinealison ~ Fred Astaire

Silke ~ Harald Hampel

Jan ~ Corbin McKay

Shelby ~ Barley

October Orange

October Orange in the Roanoke Valley

Well, my Geek Squad agent was here today. My computer is on its last leg. It has been sluggish for months now and doing strange things. It hasn't been letting me post to my blog, everytime I try to go to a website it goes offline, and many other annoying problems. He checked everything imaginable and it just doesn't want to comply. So, it looks like I'm going to have to say goodbye to this one and look into purchasing another. I'm thinking laptop this time. I'm not even sure this will post, but I wanted to let you know if I'm absent from blogging, facebook, and emails for a while, it's because my computer is being obstinate. I'm not going to rush into anything ~ I don't want to make a hasty decision. Hopefully, this one will hold on for a while yet. DH doesn't mind if I use his now and then, so I can always do that if necessary.

I Need A Name

How cute is this wooden puppet?? When I go to my consignment spaces to work, I try hard to not shop the other spaces. LOL! Last week I spotted this guy up on a shelf ~ we made eye contact ~ he jumped right into my waiting arms!! He was a mess ~ his lines were all tangled and he couldn't move much of anything . Enter the help of my DH ~ once detangled, Mr. Puppet was all smiles. He happily hangs in my studio and we smile at each other every single day!! He needs a name. Any suggestions? When he decides which name he likes, he just might send you a little surprise!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, My Sweet !!

I thought perhaps this little guy had stopped by to fill up before heading on his trip south. However, I just read that some hummingbirds will stay through the winter as long as you leave the liquid feeder out and the winter is mild. Hard telling if the winter will be mild, but I can certainly leave the feeder up and continue to put nectar in it. Our winters here in the Roanoke valley have been very mild ever since we moved here 5 years ago, with the exception of last year. But the entire country experienced an unusual winter, so maybe things will be more calm this year. It has continued to rain off and on the last few days but is looking like it might clear up now. Clear skies will probably make this little one happy even though he seems to be enjoying the drizzle.

I don't ask for the meaning of the song of a bird or the rising of the sun on a misty morning. There they are, and they are beautiful.

~Pete Hamill

~Photo by Audrey

October 11, 1973

And then....... three years later, after 16 grueling hours of hard labor, on October 11th, I delivered the cutest baby in the world. (We all say our baby was the cutest, don't we?) It was the happiest moment of my life ~ 38 years ago and I remember every moment. Casey has brought me nothing but joy in those 38 years. He is a loving and caring son, a hard worker, a good friend, a proud and handsome man. I was truly blessed the day he was born, Right now he is living 7 hours away. I miss seeing him often, but I cherish the time I do get to spend with him. Today I celebrate the day he was born!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Casey !! I love you to the moon and back. ♥

October 10, 1970

On a beautiful October 10th, 41 years ago, I married Jim Fish. That union gave us a precious son ~ Casey. This is a photo from our wedding day. Mom is on my left ~ Patrick is on the right. I was all of 22 years old. Goodness, where did those years go? Jim died in 1997 at the age of 49. Patrick died last September at the age of 67. My sweet Mother lives with Terry and I. She is 94 years young.

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.

~Elizabeth Lawrence

~Photo by Audrey

Delicious autumn!! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.

~George Eliot

~Photo by Audrey

World Record Pumpkin Pie

Well, the folks in New Bremen, Ohio, seem to know how to make things BIG! They hold the World Record for the Largest Pumpkin Pie. At 3,699 pounds and 20 feet in diameter, this is enough pie to have one VERY LARGE PARTY.

If you're thinking about making one, this is all you need:

1,212 pounds of canned pumpkin

2,796 eggs (233 dozen)

109 gallons of evaporated milk

525 pounds of sugar

7 pounds of salt

14.5 pounds of cinnamon

So, what do you do with a 3,699 pound pie???