Thursday, October 31, 2013

A Beautiful Halloween

This has been a wonderful day. .. early before dawn my son came by, dressed in his spooky best for work.   They were having a party today, so Mom and I baked him two pans of her famed fudge brownies...

I decided today was the perfect day for Witch's Brew Stew. ..  a pot is bubbling in my cauldron...  the weather cooperated wIth gloomy rain. .. soaking the layers of golden Maple leaves.   Candles flicker.   Treats lure in wait for the families of neighbors and friends. ..

The Good Witch Cafe served a plate lunch to two special guests. ...?????  You know it's Mom and I...  Happy Halloween. .

Monday, October 28, 2013

GPS..... The Wandering Continues







Before tomorrow's rains we though it might be fun to drive through New Cambria and Ethel...  A couple of years ago we did that, finishing the beautiful ride about fifty miles to the North and eating lunch at a Ruby Tuesday in Kirksville..  Today I must gave veered to the left on one of the many "choices" offered on those country black tops.  Oh my!  We found ourselves on a stretch of one Lane gravel....(or dirt).  I'm not entirely sure what countries we visited...  Probably South America because we found a llama strolling down the road at one point... ?????

As all good Missouri back roads do,  our path came out at a huge curving three-way stop...  Time for lunch. Brookfield:  22 miles...  Home just before the overcast skies materialized...   Beauty reigns supreme.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Weekly Magic


Only these last, beautiful days in October are able to fill one soul to the brim...  Incredibly busy, merry at heart, and drinking in the variance of warmth, then frosty chill...  Where do I begin?  Last week I finished the majority of the Seasonal Scrub, (named by Brocante Home's own Alison)...  With an arsenal of natural cleaners and the Mt. Vernon cleaning method. I tackled and completed every room in the house except the pantry and a dear little "insulator room" filled with my Dad's lovelies...  My sweet sister/cousin came down one afternoon and helped me run the sweeper and finish my bedroom.



We entertained some friends on Thursday and Saturday...  I attended the Seasonal closing of the garden at Marguerite's...  


And Mom and I readied the treat for Thursday might guests...  Oh, other surprises have entered the world of Oatmeal and Whimsy...  But I'll save a few for another post!

For now, my evening plans include a cup of mulled cider, a flickering of candles, and an encore viewing of last night's Episode Six of The Good Witch's Destiny...

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Enjoying the Ride...

Here I am! This has been a busy week...  Just finishing up some long overdue work around the house.


Tonight the roads are getting a little sleet and wintry mix....  Are we ready for this?

I'll be back again by the weekend.  Enjoy the beauty!  These shots were taken on a little drive with Mom this past weekend.




Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Along the Mississippi in Autumn... American Queens on a Day Away...

Every so often, it's just good for the soul to go vagabond...  So on Monday my sister/cousin and I decided to take a little road trip to Hannibal.  We both are total Autumn fanatics, so we had high hopes for lots of pretty sights.

Oh, let me tell you, the day did not disappoint.  A reluctant sun finally broke shining through the clouds about half way there...  We had by that time enjoyed a frosted doughnut and a cup of McDonald's new pumpkin latte...  Feeling pretty wonderful, we headed to the Mississippi River.

Oh, my goodness!  How much of a treat to find the American Queen Riverboat!  She is the largest Riverboat ever made, filled with Victorian and Antebellum suites...  Simply majestic...  Her passengers were touring the familiar (to us)  Mark Twain things...  We took our time snapping photos from many angles...  This is her Home Page:  American Queen Steamboat Company


  I have ridden the one always docked there..  It usually looks big, but alongside you know who....  Look at the huge tour busses by her side!


My cousin always has fantastic ideas, so we grabbed some sandwiches and drinks and headed up... And up... To Riverview Park...  More beautiful leaves, views of the river, of course, and then we heard it!  The calliope from the American Queen as she left the dock and continued her Mississippi Fall Foliage cruise...  If you are interested, you can look at the website...  Pretty pricey at over 6,000 per cruise for the ultimate rooms...  But if I had the money, I believe I personally would like this as well or better than an Island adventure...   Either one will be fine though!








I was able to use the video cam on my phone to capture part of the calliope concert...


We felt as lucky as lottery winners.  Tight time, right place thing, you know...

We drove along the river, took a few pictures from Lovers' Leap, and came home filled with the happy thoughts of a good memory day...





Sunday, October 13, 2013

October Sunday~~



A delicious chill in the morning air, memories of a great evening with long-time friends last night, a steaming cup of pumpkin coffee (with that seasonal low calorie pumpkin creamer)...  And family coming for lunch.  

Have a wonderful Sunday!


Friday, October 11, 2013

The Long and Winding Autumn Road...

In all honesty, the end of summer is kind of a beginning for me.  I usually feel more like starting a new routine or embracing the true core of my being in early Autumn...    "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." (Said F. Scott Fitzgerald). And I agree.  (All of these photos come from Facebook and Pinterest.  I'm sorry, but I don't remember the actual contributors.)

I'm kind of one to analyze "the why" on things like that.  Obviously Autumn has always been important to me because a teacher truly does begin her year, as does a student, in that glow of scarlet- painted leaves, in the light of a sun toning down, with gratitude for another chance to get it right.  Well, I never really did.  I had decades of really great years as a teacher, but that magic mojo we pray for was the green light in the distance, elusive...  Just beyond the grasp.  And it was hard to give up that dream.

I also loved the harvest season.  My dad, who worked a full time career with Ma Bell, also was a farmer.  Harvest season made him happy, and it brought him in for the evenings instead of out in the fields somewhere.  We watched some TV in the sixties, and it was comforting to watch as a family.  Mom sat with her feet curled under herself, books and magazines around her, pen ready to work on her lists and letters.  Daddy had a great corduroy pillow, and he stretched out on the hardwood floor.  Sometimes he'd snore a bit, but he was never asleep---just resting his eyes.  That memory comforts me.

I enjoy the simpatico of fall colors.  They bring to mind my grandmother, my aunts, and a dear friend of mine...  A visit to Quincy was always in the wings in the fall.  One great-aunt lived there...  And she loved those trendy sixties oranges, beiges, and tonal greens.

So, of course, this Autumn, I'm reworking the summer schedule and reclaiming a new start.. Again.  Another "Do-over" like the one on City Slickers...  My elusive wardrobe and closet, Daddy's collections, the bay of the barn, "laying-by" the neglected flower beds, a back porch with its reproachful, dusty collections, my old home and all its mess weighing down my son...  All those jobs await.  But the contentment in new beginnings lies in the tranquility inherent in a fresh slate, a revised timetable, and a little nap before I start.



Thursday, October 10, 2013

Busy Times



This week has been a series of beautiful and blessed events!  From Monday's spontaneous trip with my son...  I had a great lunch Tuesday with three "girls" from my graduating class...  I came home and chatted with one of our dearest family friends who had stopped to visit Mom...  Then I fixed an Autumn casserole and salad for my son and friend...

Wednesday was a great day...  Lunch and conversation with a long time friend from the first class I ever sponsored.  We had such a great time.

Then later that evening my cousin came down, and we created these cute little crows.  They are made with fabric yoyos, burlap, pearls...  We started making the yoyos last fall...  Our first two lady crows are named Jeannie and Annie...  After our middle names.  We have four more to evolve!

Today has been a wonderful blessing. A potentially scary health issue is now under medication, and my son is home feeling better.  Had a pre-dawn run to the ER..  But we stopped at IHOP on the way home with a sweet friend of his who had also made the fifty mile trip to the hospital.  I tucked in a take-home sack one of those highly advertised strawberry-stuffed, French toast entrees for Mom.

All in all, I'm ready to go to bed with a lovely book...   Tomorrow will be Mom's day!