So Sublimely November

It just feels like November. The evenings are darker, the air is cooler, and the leaves are fading into muted versions of their former vibrant hues of October.  It's a time to clear out the brambles, trim the vines and rake the leaves.


So many leaves.

And it's a great time to teach children the importance of service.  {grin}

Leopard Is A Girl's Best Friend

I imagine that when most people think of Marilyn Monroe from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, an image of her in that bubblegum pink gown and covered in diamonds is what comes to mind.  Strangely, I think of her in another outfit: a stunning navy dress with a leopard stole and muff ... and covered in diamonds.  There is something so striking and luxe about the spotted fir against the dark blue.

A big fashion trend I see this fall is the use of leopard print.  I'm generally a pretty plain and simple girl when it comes to prints and textures, but I can't help it - I'm falling in love with leopard!


Upon perusing fashion magazines and style websites, I've been seeing the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Cameron Diaz sporting some lovely leopard ballet flats.  They look great with jeans and add an instant touch of class to any outfit.  

Reese Witherspoon and Cameron Diaz.

Elle McPherson

Katherine Heigl

So I bought some.  Now, mine aren't exactly Louboutins or the Tory Burch pair that Katherine Heigl wears, but I think they are just as nice looking and I didn't pay nearly as much.  I got mine at Target for $24.99, they are calf hair and feature a beautiful scalloped detail around the edge.

Ah, aren't they adorable?  They look great with both my trouser style and skinny jeans.

Generally I would say that I am a heels kind of a girl, but these babies make me feel foxy when I wear them.  And they are far more convenient for walking my kids to school in the early morning.

Saturday At The Patch

Fall really is my favorite time of year.  And every year I look forward to taking the little ones to the pumpkin patch for our annual pumpkin hunt and family photo.  This year was even more fun than usual.

Now that we are living in a bigger town, there is more to choose from in terms of pumpkin patches.  We chose a farm that featured a petting zoo, hay rides and a country store ... why not go all out, right?  We went with some friends and it was a joy to watch all of the kids feeding the goats and marveling at the giant sunflowers.  There was a huge variety of pumpkins and fresh produce too.  

So much fun was had, I'm kinda thinking I might like to go back this weekend!

Anthropological Dig

Sure it's still summer, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about fall!  There is something about mid-August that has me dreaming of autumn style and cooler days.  Plus, Anthropologie keeps sending me their beautiful and drool worthy catalogs, filled with pages of stunning photos and high end goodness.

Just one glance at their gemstone colored flats and stylized loafers and I am hooked!  I think I would like just about every pair of heels in the book, not to mention the structured skirts and charming cardigans.

These are my favorites!  I am particularly drawn to the "Aim High Heels" and at nearly $400 a pair, I probably won't ever own them, but a girl can still window shop can't she?

I can already imagine the outfits I can assemble with these shoes.  And can I just say, I am SO glad to see that heeled loafers are making a comeback!?  I had a pair in the mid-90s and thought they were the greatest thing.  I admit that there are a few other looks from that decade that I am hoping will come back: sleeveless turtlenecks, anyone?

Stay tuned for some more finds on my "Anthopological Dig".  In the meantime, what is inspiring you?

An October Tradition

Whew!  I honestly didn't think we were going to make it this year.  We just had to, it's tradition!  We FINALLY made it out to the pumpkin patch on October 31st, and we were cutting it close.  It had been raining a lot last week, so the mud was abundant.  But fortunately for us, so were the pumpkins and great lighting for photos.

The goats provided great entertainment, especially when the mama goat would move in toward the camera for her closeup.  

My son in particular had so much fun that he is already asking to go again.  Sorry my boy ... October is an entire year away.

I'll Tell You A Tale Of The Bottomless Blue ...

"Mom, I just love to dress up as something I could never be" she told me as I applied pink shimmer to my little girl's cheeks.  This is why I love to be a mom on Halloween.  I don't care for the scary.  I don't take my kids to haunted houses.  I don't always get around to carving Jack-o-Lanterns.  But dressing my kids up in fun costumes and taking their picture as they show off their new persona is an absolute joy!

This year I was not able to make any costumes as I have done in the past because my sewing machine is packed away while we are trying to sell our house and move.  So, we kept it simple this time and bought them.  My daughter immediately gravitated toward, as you may have guessed, a sparkly pink Barbie mermaid costume!  It's got glittery scales and frilly fins.  We even got a long blond wig to go with it, and I spent 15 minutes spray painting hot pink highlights into the golden locks.  She feels beautiful.  She looks beautiful.  And makes the perfect mermaid if you ask me.

Then there is my son.  This is really the first year that he was able to choose his own costume.  His first choice was to be "Woody" from Toy Story, and while that would have been SO cute, there were no costumes in his size.  Then I saw a "Mario" outfit that appealed to him as well.  Can I just say that this boy looks great in a mustache?!  When I first put it on him his eyes got as big as saucers as he saw himself in the mirror.  But, shock eventually gave way to excitement and I knew we had a winning look.

We had a trial run on the costumes as I took the kids to my daughter's school Fall Carnival.  Little girls admired the mermaid's pink and blond tresses and everywhere we went people would shout "Look!  It's Mario!"

So, if you see these two joyful characters on your doorstep come Sunday ... won't you toss a bit of candy their way?  It will be guaranteed to make their smiles grow even bigger!

L'automne, L'AUTOMNE!

I found this two-sided flash card at Prize in Ashland.  I'm guessing that it was used as far back as the 1950s, and I love the vintage colors and simple drawing.  I may not have studied French in grade school, but this card somehow transports me to my younger years. 

It also makes me wish I had some deciduous trees growing in my yard so that I would have leaves to rake followed by a cup of hot apple cider.  Instead, I will gaze upon this card and let the word "l'automne" roll off my tongue ... l'automne, L'AUTOMNE!  I also have a flash card that says "le train", but somehow it lacks the drama that "l'automne" does.

Automne heureux (happy autumn), everybody!

Last Days Of Summer

With today as the first day of fall (oh happy day!), I am looking back at how my kids chose to spend the last days of summer:

Hiding under an umbrella and pretending the sprinklers are autumn rain.  Well, I guess I'm not the only one who has been looking forward to wetter weather!

Makin' A Stink

Now that Halloween has come and gone, I have been going through pictures that we took of our little trick-or-treaters. I have to say that the images of my son are particularly amusing. He was a skunk, and not too thrilled about it either ...

Here he is reluctantly showing off his tail.

This was his expression in most of the photos ... making a big stink about being a skunk.

And here he miraculously perked up when he found out CANDY was involved!

I cannot deny that this store bought costume was more for the entertainment of my husband and myself. Whew ... we couldn't stop laughing! He walked around like he was a run-over skunk rather than a woodland creature.

We had loads of fun this All Hallows Eve as we went on a scavenger hunt at church and of course trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. My daughter received a lot of compliments on her mommy-made costume and flaming red hair, and our son received a lot of chuckles. Another successful Pumpkin Day under our belts, and a TON of candy left to consume!

Happy Little Jack-O-Lanterns

Despite being sick for the greater part of October, we finally did make it out to the pumpkin patch as a family. It is always a joy to watch the kids choose their pumpkins and run around in the corn maze.

Oh, how I love these happy little jack-o-lanterns of mine!

I chose these warty mini-pumpkins for my window boxes. Their bumpy texture makes me smile.

The splash of orange from the pumpkins is in perfect contrast to the dark purple-green of the coral bells. Our dog, Gracie, seems to agree.

Part Of That World

It was the neatest thing ... meeting this spirited mermaid. She had the most beautiful voice. Her day-glo red hair was blinding in the sunlight. And her scaly fins sparkled brilliantly as she swam in the mysterious fathoms below.

She told me all about her life under the sea. About her friend the newt who plays the flute and about a carp who plays the harp ...
...she described her secret underwater grotto where she keeps all of her human treasures ...

... and she sang about her deep longings to be a part of our world ...

But with such lovely fins, it's hard to understand why she would want to become one of us.

Autumnal Textures

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~Stanley Horowitz


Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot


For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad. ~Edwin Way Teale


Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter. ~Carol Bishop Hipps


Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus


No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.
~John Donne

Mother/Son/Pumpkin Date

One of the benefits of my daughter going to school is that I get to spend more time with my son. There are times where he is easily overshadowed by his big sister who has a big personality, and I have enjoyed getting to know him better.

Today we went on a mother/son date to the pumpkin patch. Along with a few other moms and kids from church, we had exclusive reign over the farm. And boy did we have fun ...

... picking out the perfect pumpkin ...

... and thinking that this smiley scarecrow couldn't scare anything away...

... and eating our lunch on a bale of hay while the kids rummaged through bins of knobby gourds. We have yet to go out to the patch as a family, but I am grateful for the time I had with just my boy.

Mum's The Word

I couldn't stand it any longer! The hot pink petunias and periwinkle lobelias just didn't fit in with the whole Autumn thing anymore, so I ripped them out of my flower box to replace them with some more season friendly colors. Don't worry, they were dying out anyway. As I took out the massive amounts of lobelias, I discovered that my poor perennial grasses were over taken by the showy annuals. I think they enjoyed seeing the light of day again.

I am happy to say that I LOVE the new flowers, mainly mums, that are joyfully showing off right now. The combination of the greenish-purple leaves of the coral bells and the lilac and sunset hued mums is striking. And I can't wait to prop some miniature pumpkins on the window boxes to fill out the space. It's just what I wanted!

While I was busy yanking out the old flowers, I kept seeing something dark and moving out of the corner of my eye. Much to my delight, it was a little frog that had taken up shelter in the damp forest of foliage. He was so cute, I named him "Bernard". Then I saw a second frog, his wife I presume, in the same planter and I named her "Bertha", "Bertie" for short. I let them hang out in the box while I was busy planting the new flowers, but without the shelter of the old ones, they promptly jumped out.

Bertie (in front) and Bernard before they disappeared, probably in search of a cozy little hideaway.

This evening I plan to enjoy a cup of hot cider to celebrate my gardening accomplishments, and soak in every moment of this beautiful season.

Sketching Fins

SuperCat Rangi already knows what she is going to be for Halloween!

Here we are almost a week into October and I am suddenly feeling the crunch to get costumes for the kids! My son could care less what he will be, but my daughter is BIG on dressing up to go door-to-door to show off her latest getup. And since she seems to have the terrible flu that is going around, having her home makes this week the perfect time to get started.

I do this to myself every year ... I have to make or assemble a costume to top all others and this year will be no exception. Last year I was pretty pleased with the job I did on her Tinkerbell costume, but this time we are going extravagant: Ariel the Little Mermaid!

Now if you will excuse me, I have to figure out how to make a mermaid costume - complete with fins - that is modest, warm and that she can walk in. Hmm ... thank heavens for flesh colored polar fleece!

The Orange Month

This is the first day of my favorite month of the year. To me, October is unlike any other month, right down to its smell. And strangely, I always think of it as "The Orange Month". Today I was able to enjoy a chilly October morning by taking a walk with my son through the park. Together we collected acorns, breathed in the cool foggy air, and made footprints in the frosty grass.

The celebration didn't stop there.

We sipped Starbucks - a Pumpkin Spice latte for me and a hot chocolate for him - and wiped whipped cream off our noses. We carefully selected a "Fairytale" pumpkin for our front yard, and plan to decorate the house later today for Autumn. I painted my fingernails a deep purple, and I am feeling cozy in my favorite cashmere sweater. All in all, today has been a lovely dream.

This type of pumpkin is actually called a "Fairytale" pumpkin. It looks like it would have had a happy home in the pumpkin patch in Cinderella. It is a muted orange with gray in the creases and actually looks hand painted. The perfect start to the Autumn season!

Fresh Pear Still Life

The image of this trio inspires me to get back into painting. I'm thinking watercolor!

It seems with the change of season I also have a change in taste buds. Now that it is Autumn I start craving things with cinnamon, pumpkin and a hearty texture. These pears are calling to me. Should I make a pear & sour cherry clafoutis? Perhaps a fresh pear pie? Or a coffee cake? The possibilities are endless.

But for now, I just enjoy gazing upon them as they sit ripening on my kitchen table.

Ah, L'automne!

Longing for fall.

Blog Fodder

Rained Out

Our annual family camping trip was this last (Labor Day) weekend. It almost didn't happen because of the weather report: in the low 60s with rain and showers Saturday AND Sunday. We powered through until about Sunday, then several of us had had enough sogginess and many went home a day early due to the constant rain. You might say it really put a damper on things ... ha! We couldn't sit outside and roast marshmallows or go play in the lake. And when everyone in our party just stayed in their trailers instead of socializing, the purpose of the trip wasn't fulfilled. Still it was great to see everyone and I'm glad we got to use our tent trailer one more time before we have to button it up for the winter.

Our very sad and lonely campfire. (Note the unused boats in the background)

Shopping My Closet

I have been going through my clothes and sorting out things to donate, trying things on to create new ensembles, and making lists of things I would like to acquire. In doing so, I have realized that my Fall/Winter clothes are lacking in a variety of color. I am a "Winter", meaning the colors that look best on me are from the Winter palette such as black, gray, ivory, navy, red, wine and chocolate - which I have plenty of garments in these shades. Fortunately, I look good in jewel tones such as turquoise, azure, raspberry and butter yellow. Which brings me to my coveted color of the season: marigold.

After seeing Sandra Bullock wear a cardigan this cheery and rich shade in The Proposal, I have desired something very similar.

It may be just a temporary want, after all last year I had a brief affair with the color eggplant (that quickly passed), but I just will not be satisfied until I have something this color this season.


OxiClean

Seriously, this stuff is awesome! For example: just last week I bought my daughter a brand new pair of tennis shoes that she needed for school and she wore them camping. Needless to say, they ended up begrimed and unrecognizable. I wasn't going to stand for that! I took a wash bin and filled it with lukewarm water and a little bit of OxiClean. After letting the shoes to soak for a while, I scrubbed at the mud with a brush and popped them into the washing machine. After a run in the machine they were as good as new ... no joke! I also like to use a scoop of it with every load of wash I do.


Foux Du FaFa


With my favorite shows being reruns during the summertime, I have resorted to either watching nothing or exploring my Netflix options. And while at the local library one day, my son picked up a CD by a band called Flight of the Conchords. As it turns out, this "band" (who dubbed themselves as "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo") is actually an award comedy act who have an HBO series, and two seasons are available on DVD. After checking out the CD and listening to their comedic tunes I had to see what the show was all about. I am just now getting through the second season and I am quite impressed with all the wit and clevernesss - not to mention the New Zealand jokes. It's about two naive guys from New Zealand who are trying to make it as musicians in New York and they face many of life's obstacles like eviction, girl troubles, an obsessed fan and a not-so-bright band manager.

I'm hooked! So ... when does season three come out?