Beautiful Fall Day!

We are having some beautiful weather - I have been

busy the last few days and was just waiting to get

out for that drive!

Tonight just before sundown which now happens

right after 7 pm I made my getaway...

This is our view of the Smokey Hills...  

Then out to the highway.... 

to one of my favorite roads.... and, of course, it

didn't let me down...

The orange hues and a little of bit of dusk were 

coming in...

I hope to sneak away a few more days this

week - rumor is that the cold is coming...

Mother of the Bride.... June 2012

Hubby and I were hit with the empty nest status

over a year ago... yes it has been a weird journey - nobody

to wait up for - no noises downstairs - nobody yelling "mom"... 

and to be honest did take some time to adjust to.

since that year has gone by we are now adding to our

family - Daughter and the love of her life - are engaged!

Surprised - no not really - we were just patiently waiting

for it to happen - things like that you can tell.... 

These two genuinely care for each other and it 

shows!

Not sure I have ever seen Daughter speechless but

she was somewhat taken over by emotions after they

announced it to family!

So now we are parents of the bride-to-be..... hmmm

my assignment to myself is to 

be a good if not great listener and

someone who guides as needed....  the hustle and bustle 

of planning along the way as we attempt to make

this day the best wedding day ever.

I thought with the wedding plans surrounding us

that I really should start blogging about it..... with two

children and two weddings so close together it will

be a special and unique journey!

Pumpkin Harvest

My one pumpkin plant did great! --- Six very nice

pumpkins..

I have been gathering yard ornaments and stuff

to be put away for the winter months... pretty soon

the last flower tubs will be dumped.

Chalk Paint - I'm in Love!

 I had been following a little store on Facebook - "Eco

Chic Boutique" mostly because they are putting on

a JunkMarket - where ones' junk is  

anothers' treasure. 

Makes me laugh - my grandpa "Carl" always talked

about an individual having "junk" in their trunk!

Oh so true!

Anyways, this little boutique was having a chalk

painting class - I twisted Mom's arm (and if you

know her) I didn't have to twist very hard!

I was mesmerized with many pieces - but then

it comes down to - does it fit into my home?

that is the tricky part!

We had our painting class - and what I would call

Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan 101 - what a neat

product.... you apparently can paint

pretty much everything (wood, metal, plastic,

the wood veneer, etc).

This is project #1 - a wooden frame that I did during

class (undercoat Cocoa covered with White) - this is

right down my alley and so similar to something I was

doing probably a year ago now.   I was spray painting

and then applying a coat of shoe polish (grunge) and

then polishing it up.   This is very similar - a couple 

coats of chalk paint (no more spray paint) and then

an application of soft wax.  

This wonderful gal, was our teacher and what a 

joy she is - then came Project #2 after I

returned home - I took this wooden item I used 

for a centerpiece last fall (filled it full of pine cones) - I

had attempted to spray paint it over the summer - the

spray can was a "reject" and I messed it up... it

was headed to the dump.... but a couple coats

of chalk paint and it is back to new again...

I have quite a few ideas going around in my head - some

more frames, a couple of dressers, table and chairs...

oh no I said no more projects - no more creations - no

more craft shows.... Oops!

And here is my favorite (that is until I finish re-doing

my Lang Calendar frame) -- (this is primer red and 

white ochre).....   I really like this one!

stay tuned....

9.17.2012 Frost?

As the day cooled and turned into night....

 The threat of frost - got us busy.   The small pumpkin

patch was covered with sheets.... and with a watchful

eye by Zoey.... the darkness fell

I had to capture the beauty of the mum plants - they

really just became vibrant and have added some 

much needed color to the garden...

and the "lemon queen perennial sunflower" which

really just shot up and showed what it could do... I had

to get some pictures just in case this was the hard frost

that would do everything green in.

Night came and went - we had 30 degrees on Wednesday

morning.... some frost but other than some of the leafy 

green plants everything looked fine.

Afternoon warmth found Zoey napping... with the

ghostly covered pumpkins forgotten...

Fall...

The trees are changing - leaves are changing colors

or dropping to the ground - with our dry weather

the colors will not be vibrant... fall has arrived!

The fields around us (potatoes) have all be harvested

except for one - the potato vines are dying... it

won't be long.

Proof that there are potatoes in those mounds - one

lone potato laying near the field.....

It is a wee bit chilly here....

Woke up this morning to a brrrr 34 degrees - some

windows were open....  didn't take long to put

jeans and a sweatshirt on....

It is the middle of September - today I started my Fall To-Do

list - have to  make sure I don't forget anything!

I have still been making occasional runs to grandpa's garden - we

still (at least before last nights' frost) had lots of

tomatoes and lots of little green peppers yet growing!

We are still pushing through a dry spell - it has been 

some time again since it has rained and the last time

it rained I remember the neighbors to the south

didn't get a drop - we do need some moisture.

I am still watering occasionally and tomorrow it will

be time again to give the "special trees" - the ones

we planted in the immediate yard a good drink -- I wish I 

could water all  of the pine

trees surrounding us but that would be watering

a forest!

Don't have too many flowers in the garden right now - the

mums have finally kinda put on their colors

The pumpkins are doing well.....   I am pretty pleased

with them - I planted one pumpkin plant and I have

six real good sized pumpkins - a couple of them

are starting to turn orange....  gosh fall must

be right around the corner!

In a way part of me is looking forward to the cooler 

weather - after I get my fall preparations done I will

be so ready to really get back to blogging... I have

so many blogs to catch up on....

Happy Friday!