A Change in the Weather....

We have been having cooler temperatures here since Sunday.  The mornings dawn crisp and clear, downright chilly....and I love it!!!  I have been donning my fluffy pink robe to sit on the patio and have my coffee with the dogs as the sun comes up.

It puts me in the mood for a little of this.....

And a whole lotta that....

Maybe a cuppa Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks....

However, the cooler air dropping down from the north has brought extremely dry winds.  Here in the state of Texas, we are having a terrible problem with wildfires.  Already in a prolonged state of drought, conditions have reached a critical level.  There has been devastating loss of life and property in our Lone Star State. 

Please keep the folks and animals affected by the wildfires in your prayers! 

Warm hugs on these chilly mornings, y'all....

Jane

Halloween......Family Style!!!

Our first Halloween back in town....close to family, especially those grandkids!!!  Yep, we had to do something really special to celebrate.

So, we decided to invite everyone over on Saturday evening for some pumpkin carving and a big ol' pot of Ed's fabulous homemade chili. 

In attendance, the Boys (Ben and Sam), Bonnie and her Brood (Trayden and Ansleigh), Dad, and Mom and Bob.  Oh, and of course, dear Eddie Dale and moi, the hosts with the most! 

We started out on the back patio with pumpkin carving....

Ed sorta ran this part of the show, seeing as how he is the master pumpkin carver!  In exchange for his overseeing the outdoor activities, I shuttled in and out from the kitchen with drinks for everybody and kept the pot of chili stirred.  And, I was the official photographer of the evening's activities, by default! 

Here he is getting everybody organized and started with the carving.....

Eddie Dale helping everyone find the perfect pattern.

Daddy was the first one to jump in and start cuttin'!

Bob looks on as the carvers get started.

This is the hard part, right???

Bonnie always manages to look like she's having fun....

This part is kinda yucky, Mimi!

Ben, deciding who he is going to end up helping....

And the lucky winner of Uncle Ben's help - Trayden!

Mom had a great time watching - but, no messy carving for her.

And Sam was totally distracted by his new I-phone....

But, one by one, they all finished up their masterpieces....and brought them over to me to be lit up and photographed.  

Ansleigh and her happy little Jack-o-lantern

Bonnie and her ambitious UT/Longhorn carving

Trayden might be serious, but his jack-o-lantern is surprisingly happy!

Daddy picked a very traditional pattern, but he had the best "stemmage", hands down!

I think Eddie Dale got confused and thought this was a mug-shot....

But, I did say he was the master carver - and he proved it once again!

When they were all lit up, I finally got someone else to snap a photo of me with the grandkids....just so y'all  would believe I was actually there!  :)

Oh, my goodness....is that a "deer in the headlights" look on my face, or what?!?!?

At this point, everyone was getting pretty hungry and that chili, with its tantalizing aroma, was beckoning us into the kitchen. 

Dinner was super simple and casual.  We ate spicy chili out of styrofoam bowls and slathered warm flour tortillas with butter.  Dessert was peach cobbler, munchkin-sized cupcakes, and the sugar cookies Ansleigh and I made earlier in the day.  (More on that in another post.....'cause it was just so special it deserves its own space!)

It was loud, chaotic and crowded!  The food was filling, hot and oh-so-yummy!  Everybody had a great time and the evening was total success!!!   And I am so glad we were able to do this with our Family.....this "building memories" is a "very good thing". 

Here's one last look at all the Jack-o-lanterns before they went home with their carvers.....

Aren't they just so SPOOKY and BOO-TIFUL?!?!?!?  (Sorry, I couldn't resist that....I promise I won't do it again....ever!) 

Be back later with more about those sugar cookies.....and then we'll shift gears and look ahead!  After all, it is November!

~Jane~

Signs of the Season....

The weather here is definitely speaking the language of "FALL" the last few days. 

This weekend has absolutely been the best!!!  A beautiful, mild and sunny Indian Summer day yesterday.....today dawning particularly cool, cloudy and crisp.  (My morning walk required long pants and a sweat jacket, zipped to the top....but, it felt wonderful to push myself to break a sweat in the milder temperature!)

A few signs that AUTUMN has really and truly arrived...

Pumpkin Spice Latte (low-fat, hold the cream, please) at Starbucks!  Yep, I indulged.....

can you say "OMG, Yummalicious!"?!?!?

And when I went to the grocery store for a few things, I couldn't resist these....after all, I am a confessed "punkin-holic", remember???

 

The mums around my front porch have gone blooming mad! 

 Not to be outdone, this lantana is making a strong showing with beautiful shades of red and orange....

And, while my allergies are giving me Major Fits (and I should be buying stock in Kleenex and Benadryl), I am totally enjoying this time of the year!!! 

I'm plotting and planning on prepping The Porch for Halloween....so, stay tuned for that in the coming days....

Are you enjoying the change in the seasons?  What plans do you have up your sleeve to celebrate this harvest time of the year? 

Catch ya later....

Jane

Confessions of a Punkin'-holic....

My name is Jane.....and I am.....a Punkin'-holic!

Yep, you heard me right.  I am obsessed with all things PUMPKIN!

That's probably why Autumn is my favorite season ~ I can let my addiction 'all hang out" and fit right in. 

You see, I love everything about pumpkins....from the color....

to the feel ~ especially the sorta bumpy ones....

to the "thunk" they make when you thump 'em!

I love 'em big and lopsided....

and tiny and perfect.

I love 'em carved....

or whole.

Glass ones....

Wooden ones....

Tin pumpkins.....

~  they need not even be orange.

By the way, I adore these little pumpkin snacks.  Yeah, I know - they're kinda gross looking, but they really taste Yum-a-licious!

You know, the first time Eddie and I shopped together for pumpkins, I had to give him the crash course in selecting the perfect one.  You see, he didn't know about "stemmage".  And it's all about "stemmage" ~ trust me!  The stem needs to be long and intact ~ the more gnarly, the better. 

 

If you can find one with these little tendril-thingies still intact, you have hit the jackpot!

I've been known to pile up to a dozen pumpkins on my front porch for the months of October and November, allowing Eddie to carve only three or four of my least favorites for Halloween.

(Like this one he did in 2008 to celebrate Texas Tech's victory over University of Texas.  Guns up!!!) 

 

On one occasion, I even pulled over on a deserted country highway and dashed into an already-harvested pumpkin field - in the snow - to rescue a couple of left-over, perfectly good pumpkins that got left behind!  (Okay, I know, that probably wasn't smart - or legal - but they were freezing out there!!!)

I'm already cruising the aisles of the produce department of WalMart and the grocery store, waiting for this year's pumpkins to make their appearance.  I know they're coming.... and soon.  Why just this week, I saw a trio of them at the Farmers' Market, so they must be headed this way! 

Oh, hurry, hurry, all you Precious Punkins'....I just wanna bring you home with me! 

Whew!  You know, I feel better already, having made this confession!

Will be meeting up here on a regular basis throughout the season, so if you're ready to take that step....

and admit your love of this amazing orange vegetable, in all its splendor and glory....

you are more than Welcome to do so! 

Hugs, 

Jane 

Autumn Makes an Appearance...

Autumn is coming to our little home....slowly, but surely. 

As the days grow shorter and the sun slants a bit more to the south, crates and bins of Fall decor are making their way out of the storage shed in the backyard.  Already, pumpkins are turning up here and there around the house.....

 A favorite wreath finds a new home in the wide windows of our living room and catches the warmth of the afternoon sun....

A squatty textured candle nestles among fall foliage and keeps the black crow and the ghost pumpkin company atop the piano....

The kitchen and dining area, hub of the home, gets some seasonal touches, starting with the corner hutch we "inherited" from Mom.

That old window frame has finally been hung by the back door, just as I envisioned, and is draped with a colorful garland of sunflowers, pumpkins and gourds....

This awkward little niche in the dining area of the kitchen has been filled out with part of our cookbook collection, providing the perfect resting spot for this little scarecrow visitor from the cornfield.

Fall even finds its way into Eddie's "Texas Room", where the new curtains on the window echo the warm tones of the season....

Ahhhhhh, I love this time of year....I spend more time on the Porch than ever!  And I'm excited about carrying the decor out there, too...a bit at a time. 


It won't be long until I will place big pots of colorful chrysanthemums on the steps....and soon the fresh-cut pumpkins will be in the store, just begging to come home with me.....I can't wait to start putting that all together!

Has Autumn made an appearance at your place yet?  For some inspiration, I'm linkin' up with The Fall Festival over at This Blessed Nest.  Click HERE throughout the month of September to get yourself inspired! 

I would love to hear about how you welcome in the new season!!!

Jane