frost bossed

 The veggie harvest is in!

Chilis...check.  Tomatoes...CHECK.  We picked twelve pounds of cherry tomatoes the day before our first frost!!  What do you do with twelve pounds of tomatoes?  A whole lot of sauce.  

I was hoping for a bigger sweet potato harvest, but...

Next year I'll plant my potato slips early and use more compost!  

The day before the frost, Todd winterized our irrigation system by blowing it out with the air compressor.

We picked the veggies, but left most of the flowers to go to seed.  Crazy how many of them were still blooming...probably thanks to Claudia's expert protection!

The next morning...magic.

It's so pretty, and we still have so many beautiful leaves!

our back pond

living room window view

daily hiking path

reflectors for hunting season protection

We watched 31 scary movies, ate our Halloween cupcakes...

...and closed the door on my favorite month.  Now we're looking ahead to cold weather, snow, Thanksgiving, cozy, warm, fire, quilts.  Speaking of quilts...

I finished a standard postage stamp quilt throw for my brother.  It's so cheerful!

I haven't worked on a quilt for a while, so this was really fun.  I've got a few small projects scheduled for the months ahead!  For now, I'm just going to enjoy the transition to winter.  

Have a great week!

shotgun overrun

 Gorgeous weather for early-morning hikes!

Unless we have free time, we usually hike in the state forest by our house.  It's pretty, but...it's also hunting season.

I'm not a fan of guns...at all.  Deer hunting lasts until late January, though, so we try to wear bright colors and make a lot of noise on the trails.  

It's still fairly warm (low 80s) during the day, but we're starting to get some fall color.

Even our front bushes have put on color from last week to this week.

The bushes are directly behind Todd...just a hint of color last week...

...this week...the start of brilliant red!

One of my favorite flowers is in full bloom right now - celosia.  They love the dry, they love the heat, and they'll keep right on trucking until the first frost.  So many different shapes and colors!

There's always someone hiding inside...

It's been so dry that they're going to seed early...I'm going to be sure to save as much as I can.  They are cross-pollinated, meaning that the insects carrying pollen from flower to flower will cause the seed to produce an interesting blend of colors.  If you're interested in an identical version of a flower like this, it's best to order the seed directly from a seed company!

Still plenty of insects, but cooler nights and mornings mean that bees are sleeping later and later.  

They'll be around until it gets fairly cold, but right now, they're loving the temperatures.  The resurgence of warm weather has brought out the wood ducks, too!  

Some friends brought their pup over for a hike this week.  She was happy to see the kittens...through the glass, of course!

They're usually too busy to be bothered with company.

Nice early autumn days with a little bit of baking...

apple cider muffins

...a little bit of quilting...

...and a little bit of knitting.

A nice way to ease into the season.  Have a great week!  

first snow glow

 First snow!  First snow!!

The day before, it was so warm that I was still seeing bees and butterflies.  It was almost too warm for our bonfire!

you've got to have marshmallows!

Then...temperature drop, and winter wonderland.

Even as a child, I knew that there was something special about the first snowfall.  The crisp air, the silence, the clean white landscape...and now that I'm older, I love the atmosphere that it creates within the house.  This weekend, there were lazy late breakfasts with two cuddly kittens and homemade quilts...

...long knitting sessions...and there's nothing better than a good book by the fire.  Winter always brings amazing sunrises/sunsets, too.   

For me, winter is a time to recharge, to release expectations and to slowly form new intentions.  I have greater focus and more compassion for myself. Gone is the persistent pressure to go go go. I let myself read more...knit more...and take long afternoon naps if work permits.  I bake bread and make thick, hearty soups.  I've always preferred winter clothing and love my hand-knitted sweaters and jeans.  It's a wonderful time.  Then, when I start feeling restless...when the cold begins to wear on me and I'm tired of grey and brown outside...it's usually about time for spring.

We're all excited about what the next months will bring.

Have a great week!