HALLOWEEN DAY AND OCTOBER 2011 ACTIVITIES

Halloween day here started off very cool 30 degrees with another heavy frost on the pumpkins around here.
G-son was here bright and early as usual and was all dressed and ready for a change. His dad said he was up before him getting ready for school, he loves going and today was a special day.
I did morning chores as hubbie took him to pre-kindergarten.,brrr, there is a thicker skim of ice today.
Mrs. Red Silkie has hatched 4 out of the 6 eggs she had during this cold spell and they seem to be doing fine in this box sealed away from the wind with mama's warmth.One of each different color are so cute and closely watched by mom.
The morning was spent cleaning out the van from last night and putting everything away, I also put in a small Avon order while hubbie unhooked and greased the bush hog for winter. He hooked up the wood hauler.
When we picked g-son up we made a stop at Tractor Supply and Sam's on the way home.
The temperature stayed around 60 degrees all day with the sun trying it's best to warm things a little but the wind countered it's attempts.
Hubbie got on the roof and blowed all the leaves out of the gutters but there isn't really enough on the ground yet to rake.
For some reason they are hanging onto the trees longer this year than usual. Hope they do fall off before it snows here like it did up north.
G-son wanted to swing for a while and I painted a plate hanger black to match my other hangers.
Mom came shortly to pick him up to go trick or treating more down where other grandparents live.
Hubbie went over to daughter's to work and I caught up some loose ends around here such as changed the water in the beta fish bowl,filled all the bird feeders,started working on my Operation Christmas Child boxes along with regular chores.

A beautiful sunset on this Halloween eve.
Just as the sunset there was a terrible accident just up the road. Someone was hit as they walked along the road. The MAMA helicopter was called and landed in a field that hubbie bush hogs for the neighbor. D-in-love was very close to the accident scene but couldn't tell anything about who got hit. The 4 black males in the car ran into the ditch afterwards jumped from the car and ran but thankfully just as the sheriffs deputies began a search they returned to the accident scene. I was afraid they might be hiding in our barn. Praying for the victim tonight no matter who it was.

Got out the cords and turned on all my lights,ready for any trick or treaters that might come this far out.But only had one who got to take home a huge bag of candy.
He was kind of shy and tried to hide behind his mom.But had to laugh at a tickle from his aunt.He sported another super hero costume tonight called the Green Mile.
They left and I came inside to get warm as the temperature is dropping quickly without the sun's warmth.
I baked 46 layers tonight,the pound and wine cakes will have to wait until in the morning. Looking for business to really slow down with the end of the month and the cooler weather.
This picture of tonight's moon brings to an end this month of October. Click on this photo to see the craters in the moon's surface.(love my new camera)

A beautiful month both visually and in every other way as I have enjoyed creations as well as the creator all month long.

Enjoyed my family for a week's vacation at Holden Beach,NC at the beginning of the month.Enjoyed the beautiful fall colors this year.

Enjoyed all the birthday's this month, my great nephew M.was 1 on the 4th.
G-son was 5 on the 16th.
#1 son was the big 30 on the 16th.
I enjoyed the bountiful late garden harvest.
Enjoyed the festivals of the fall season this month.
Enjoyed a very busy market season.

Ended the month with a church activity to help bring the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ to our local community.Whew !!!! What a wonderfully busy month and I must say I've enjoyed every minute of it, well almost, except for the one day I was sick.
Looking forward to what God has in store for me in the month of November.
Good Night and God Bless.

HAPPY SPOOKY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE

TRUNK OR TREAT SUNDAY

This morning looking out over the pastures it looked like it had snowed here last night the frost was so heavy.
I'll take the frost compared to the folks in the northeast, some who got 2 feet of snow and where there are 3 million people without power this morning.
And to think all we had was a thin skim of ice on the water buckets !!

Church was nice today as we had a 5th Sunday morning singing where anyone could sign up to sing a song of their choice. We heard many very good songs and got some surprises at some of the voices we heard sing.

At lunch everyone made it except d-in-love who is working. After we ate hubbie and the boys took the camper cover off his pick-up and stored it away probably until next vacation.
When everyone else left ,hubbie and I checked out the estate sale that was this weekend ,but found only a couple Christmas things and a camping chair.

It was time to decorate my van for trunk or treat tonight at church. Daughter joined hubbie and I this year.Here we are all set up and ready to serve !! Devil, street preacher and angel.
The crowds were huge ,even bigger than last year.
Fishers of men ????
The fishing set up was a popular stop for all the kids.

This is my favorite little fisherman snagging his prize.

Checking out the real live fish in this bucket as his dad looks on.

G-son choose Captain America this year.

Inside the fellowship hall there were games and lots of food.Outside there was a bonfire for roasting marshmallows and a hay ride for kids and kids at heart alike.
All in all it was a fun time for everyone.
We gave out a large plastic storage carton full of candy.I cheat a little bit when it comes to the candy,but it allows us to be able to give a handful of pieces to each child. My secret is that after Halloween each year when Walmart has their 75% off sale I check the expiration dates on the bags finding most of them are actually years in the future,I stock up for the next year, storing it in a sealed plastic container in the cool basement. Shhhhhhh!!!!!! don't tell !!!!!!!!
It has been a nice sunny but cool day ,only 56 degrees after a morning low of 27 and we are headed back for the upper 20's again tonight.
Back home doing chores by flashlight I got pretty chilled so it felt good to come in and snuggle on the couch awhile with my 4-legged kids.

Praying tonight that God got glory from our out-reach efforts tonight in the community.
Good Night and God Bless.

HALLOWEEN SATURDAY AT MARKET

Feeling almost normal thankfully this morning after a good night's sleep. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep because I had slept the entire day yesterday but I slept soundly all night. I guess that's a sign of how sick I was !
Daughter and hubbie were here to help get to market this morning.
I even felt like wearing my witches hat, which I wear every year. Maybe next year I need to come up with something different.
Like my friend at market Mary as she is dressed up also.
I had a very good day at market selling out except for 1 cake and 2 loaves of daughter's bread.
Got a couple large Thanksgiving orders already. Daughter left to do some furniture shopping at some resale shops around town but didn't find anything.
After market I stopped by Ace hardware and World of Clothing to look at the rugs they have on sale but found nothing at either place. Went by daughter's house where her and hubbie were working then came home to get something bland to eat. My stomach is still feeling tender.
It is a very raw day here with temperatures in the low 40's and 20 mph wind cutting right through you.
I'm thankful we're not part of the historic snow storm that is pounding the northeast with up to 20" of October snow.
I've heard of frost on the pumpkin but not snow on the pumpkin !!
One of the main problems they are having is downed power lines because the leaves haven't fallen off the trees yet and are super heavy covered with snow,causing trees to fall on lines. The entire state of New Jersey is in emergency status with over 500,000 people out of power already.
New York has 4" of snow and expecting more for the first time since records were kept. There was 1" of snow there during the Civil War.
I moved some plants into the green house tonight because we are supposed to get to 30 degrees for our first freeze of the season.
After chores me and my 4-legged kids snuggled on the couch for a while.
I'm still feeling a little weak,probably from dehydration but slowly am getting back to normal. Talked to d-in-love today and she also is better today but now other g-ma is sick with it.
It is 11:30 and I'm looking forward to a good hot bath and a long snuggle in the arm bed tonight.
Grateful to God tonight for His undying love.
Good Night and God Bless.

SICK DAY FRIDAY

Well you teach your young ones that they should share,buuuttttt, if you had of asked me this morning I would have not been in favor of g-son sharing everything with me.
I woke up with his stomach bug today,yuck and double yuck.
His mom called me asking me to go pick him up from pre-K because she got up with it also this morning.
I stayed on the couch all day and slept most of it. Couldn't keep anything in my stomach all day .
I even made some jello water last night but it came straight through.
I gave up and went to bed.
Thanking God tonight that the sickness has been milder than it could have been.
Good Night and God Bless

MARKET SLOWING DOWN and 2001 DECADE PICTURES

Another early morning as I was up doing chores and wrapping and packing for market today. The temperature is cooler than expected this morning 38 but the sun is warming it up quickly.On the drive to market I noticed how empty the roads are already,or maybe it's that time already.
Market was pretty slow compared to the last couple Thursdays but I still had a decent day. Seems the customers warmed with the temperature.

After market I checked out a couple thrift shops for a white dress for my Halloween costume but came up empty,so a white sheet will do.
I ran my regular errands and stopped in a furniture store for daughter to see what they had. She'll have to check this one out as they do have some neat things.
As I pulled into Sav-Mor grocery I noticed this mountain with the last rays of the sun reflecting the colorful leaves.
As I finished my shopping and headed home it was almost 5:00 and I'm pooped !!
Hubbie was here and helped unload and get things put away then we had a small supper before chore time.
It was 72 degrees today when I left town but the temperature is dropping fast and tomorrow it will feel like winter with highs only in the 40's with wind and rain in the forecast.
To finish up my decade pictures for October I found these from 2001.Daughter helping with the feeding chores,loads up a roll of hay.Snowball waits patiently as the hay arrives.
All 3 of our kids learned to drive on a tractor.

I baked a big order of coconut cakes tonight with some pound and wine cakes for Saturday.
I've fought this picture upload thing until I'm very aggravated so I had better get away from the computer for a while !!

God is good all the time !!

Good Night and God Bless.

WINDOW WASHING DAY

Up and out extra early this morning to do the chores before taking daughter's jeep to the repair shop for her. Her air conditioning and heater are not working.
Dropped it off and caught a ride home with hubbie on his way from one school to another.
Another gorgeous morning so I'm off in just a t-shirt on my walk again today.
As I walked I noticed that enough leaves have fallen for me to be able to see both son's houses at once. #1 son's up on the hill behind #2 son's is usually hidden in the trees.

I also noticed this huge nest in this tree that has been hidden by the leaves.
Something big built this nest.
It always amazes me at the things the green leaves hide in the trees that are so obvious when the leaves fall off.
I walked a extra round this morning just because it is so nice out here and the weather wizards say these warm temperatures are coming to an end starting tomorrow. Oh well it is almost November,but wait that can't be, it just turned October, where did this month go ??????
On the way back to the house I passed by our Muscadine grape vines and spotted a handful of ripe ones, we have gotten very few grapes this year as a late freeze last spring evidently froze them out. We knew we were pushing the limit on the season here growing these but for a few years we got a bountiful harvest. Until last year and this year we've not gotten even a bowl full.
After icing 6 caramel cakes I had lunch then started housework. I cleaned all the floors and swept the leaves off the porches and patio.
After catching a few rays of vitamin D in the nice, almost hot sunshine I decided to tackle the sunroom windows. Instead of washing windows in the spring time I do it now because we spend more time in here in cooler weather than we do in the warm weather.
There are 10 6x3 foot windows in here plus a double french door,that's a lot of glass!
I got all the inside washed and vacuumed before hubbie got home.
We went to pick up daughter's jeep, the wiring harness was loose and we are hoping that is all that was wrong.It only cost her $60.
When we got back he helped me remove all the screens and he washed them while I washed and vacuumed the windows and sills. You don't realize how dirty these windows are until you pull the screens off. We barely beat darkness to finish the job,whew!!!
I did the evening chores while daughter fixed us some supper and this beautiful sunset had to be photographed.
With my back telling me I had overworked it today I took a break and watched Survivor on TV tonight before tackling the weekly paperwork.
Since hubbie only gets paid at the end of each month sometimes near the end of the month I feel like a juggler. But thanks to the graciousness of God it always works out.
I iced chocolate and coconut cakes tonight after daughter finished her baking.
Thankful tonight for the graciousness of a loving Lord.
Good Night and God Bless.

1991 DECADE MEMORY PHOTOS

Another beautiful Fall day, it was warm enough that I didn't need a jacket on my morning walk,just a t-shirt and the warm sun felt like summer.
Annie thought it was summer also as she took a long dip in the clear water of the creek.
After my walk I baked the wine cakes that I didn't get to last night and iced 6 caramel cakes. I started laundry and housework just before lunch.
As I hung the towels out on the line the sun felt so good I took a break and sat in the sun for a daily dose of Vit. D.
I delivered a caramel cake this afternoon and then put up my Halloween decorations.
G-son usually helps with this but he is still sick today and is staying home with mommy.
I'll make pictures when I get cords for the outside lights in place.
As I decorated it brought back many Halloween memories from when my kids were young. Back in October 1991 they were just the right age.You can see how excited they are to have their picture made in their costumes !!!!Hubbie and I always got into the act with the kids at our church carnival. I got a good laugh looking at the silver color in hubbie's beard as now it really is just that color,haha.

The other special thing that goes on every October was #1 son's birthday and in 1991 he was 10 years old.In this picture he is surrounded with his brother and sister plus all his 1st cousins from both sides of the family at the time.
I am loving doing these decade pics as they bring back such wonderful fun memories.

The high school volleyball team that daughter helps coach won their second play-off game tonight and will play again Thursday in the 3rd round.
Hubbie went over to her house again tonight and painted some more.
I sat outside and enjoyed the setting sun as I was watched by this little guy.As the sun drops behind the distant mountains the temperature also drops so me and my 4-legged kids head inside leaving Sadie alone in her favorite chair.Thanking God for the blessings of health and strength today as I enjoy this beautiful Fall season.
Good Night and God Bless.

HECTIC START, PEACEFUL END AND I'M IN LOVE

The phone ringing woke me up early this morning. Daughter was on the other end saying her bath water wouldn't pump out this morning after she took her shower.
When we finished an apartment in our basement, because it is below the level of the septic drain pipe we had to put in a special system that grinds and pumps the septic water actually up and out the pipe. We had our doubts about how this would work but until now it has worked like magic. Hubbie said he probably knew what was wrong as he had gotten a large ball of hair out of her bath tub drain last night and probably dislodged some more into the pump. He was exactly right but it took all day to get to the pump to get the hair out of it. I'll spare you the details as they weren't very pretty !!!
To make for an even more interesting day just as daughter was calling #1 son brought g-son in and said he might be sick. Bless his heart he was white as a sheet but said he felt okay at first but by the time it was time to leave for pre-school, which he loves, he said he didn't want to go. We knew he was sick then.
He was up and down all morning feeling okay then feeling bad again. Finally as he rode with me to make a cake delivery he went to sleep.Bernie watches over his sick friend.
While he slept and hubbie worked in the basement I decided to take care of all these.This is what I gleaned from our garden last week before the frost.

Now they look like this.Strings of Cayenne peppers will season our chili and other warm dishes.Even had enough for 4 strings to sell at market.
Bell peppers and jalapeno peppers are sliced and froze separately and then bagged so we can take out just what we need.
No shortage of peppers here this winter !!

G-son woke up feeling a lot better and had the color back in his face, he circled me on his tricycle while I worked.
Mom came and picked him up and hopefully he is over his sickness.

Hubbie finished one job and then bush hogged the upper pasture and a road around the bottom pasture for the last time this season.
We put Frontline on all the dogs hopefully for the last time this season also.

I took my new camera and went on a walk this evening ,I'm in love, yes I love this little guy. It makes such clear pics, see for yourself and enjoy the fall color around our farm.







Yes I am in love with my new camera but also with the beauty our Heavenly Father lays out before our eyes each and every day.
Just as hectic as this day began it ends with the peacefulness of a beautiful Fall season.

Unlike some folks in Turkey today,after yesterday's earthquake, over 300 people lost their lives and many are still buried beneath the rubble. Please pray for these people.
Survivor tent cities !!!And I just think I have problems !!!!!!

I baked 48 layers tonight plus 3 pound cakes and 2 wine cakes, got my mind on something and didn't notice the clock and shouldn't have mixed the last 3 as they will not come out of the ovens until 12:30. That still leaves me 2 more wine cakes to bake in the morning.
Thanking God tonight for the blessings of the day.
Good Night and God Bless.