Pumpkin Crazy

The world is going pumpkin crazy.

I went to Trader Joe's this morning and the pumpkins have taken over.

There's Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Pumpkin Bread Mix

Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Pumpkin Yogurt

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Pumpkin Cream Cheese to go on the

Pumpkin Bagels

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Spice Chai

Kennebunkport Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale

Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli

Pumpkin Butter 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Pumpkin Macarons

Pumpkin Cheesecake

and that's just a few of the pumpkin "things".

I found a succulent in a pumpkin ceramic pot that came home with me.

Must be why Pumpkin is the "Pumpking" this time of year!

Then there are the pumpkins on my block.

A big pumpkin and a pumpkin Pooh!

I did find a skeleton among the pumpkins.

It's Pumpkin Crazy time!

I'm joining the lovely Judith for Mosaic Monday.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Happy Pumpkin Time!

It Must Be Autumn

There's a storm coming today.

Lots of wind and rain.

Tomorrow fall makes another appearance with

low temps in the high 50s and highs in the low 70s.

Yippee! 

I just have to get through the storms today.

The light wasn't good for picture taking, but I did it anyway.

Most of my decorating for Halloween is done --
I picked up this little kitty and his mouse friend
at an after Halloween sale last year.
I giggle everytime I see him.

He likes to have tea!

Lenox has made a whole set of dishes called Butterfly Meadow.
This is the fritillary butterfly cup and saucer.
I love the little lady bug on the saucer.
Pretty wavy rims on the teacup and the saucer.

Lovely detail on the cup.

It must be Autumn if the Pumpkin Spice Bagels are on the grocery shelves!
I'm going to make a nice cup of green tea.
I don't want my tea to compete with the taste of the bagel.
And then I'm going to settle down to read Autumn by Susan Branch.

I'm joining some tea parties today:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

Good Morning!

Boo!

Oh let us cast dull care away

Again be children for a day

Witches, Goblins have their sway

Tis Hallowe'en, let's joke and play

Wishing all of YOU well and much joy.

Happy Halloween!

Photos taken at Zoo Boo 2013

Happy Owloween!

Halloween is just around the corner and
 I'm celebrating potion (tea) making Owl style!

I found the owl teapot and cups and saucers at Macy's -- on sale!

Yippee!

The pattern is Edle Rose by Rachel Bilson Dinnerware, Owl Teapot

I don't believe the butterflies on the saucers have a true function other than being cute!

I'm careful how I handle and store them. 

I'm joining:

Nancy for Tuesday Muse 

 and some lovely tea parties:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Wishing all of you well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

Happy Owloween!

Potpourri

It's Friday!

This week has really flown by.

Time for some this and that with a little randomness thrown in. 

*

Believe it or not, I never had a Barbie doll. 

**

Halloween is just around the corner.
I'm keeping my eye on some Halloween decorations at my favorite gift shop.
Hoping one or more of my favorites will be 50% off one day!

***

But, if I really told the truth -- the best reason to visit the gift shop is the *manager*, Lucy!

Isn't she cute!!!!!
Talk about a perpetual motion machine.

****


I'm going to join another challenge in November ...
Art Every Day Month.
I've been looking at some of my art and craft books.
I'd like to try some new techniques.
This should be a good way to use up some of the *stuff* I have.



*****

Here's another reproduction Halloween postcard.

The artist of the original postcard was Ellen Hattie Clapsaddle (January 8, 1865 - January 7, 1934) an American illustrator/commercial artist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Not only is her style greatly admired and well recognized, today she is recognized as the most prolific souvenir/postcard and greeting card artist of her era. From the Halloween Postcard Book published by Darling & Co., Seattle.

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

Thank you Nancy!

Wishing all of you well and much joy.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Potpourri

It's Friday.

A little this and that with a dash of randomness is called for.

*

I've been sort of blah this week.

Our wedding anniversary was Tuesday.

We would have been married 30 years.

I call it our legal anniversary as we lived together several years before we married.

Gosh, darn it all.

I seem to miss Mr. Dragon more each day.

Life has gotten easier -- more used to him not being here.

But my heart still cries out to him.

**
Now for some fun.
Halloween is just around the corner.
It's been awhile since I've shared a postcard.

This is a reproduction postcard from a book of Halloween postcards

published by Darling and Company, Seattle.

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

Here's my version of a happy witch.

I really do enjoy playing with water color.

The witch and the cat both look like they've been hitting the hard cider a little too much.

Those eyes!!!

****

The weather has been lovely.

Teddy and I have been sitting on the balcony watching the world go by.

Cassie and Mina haven't been interested in sitting with us.

That's fine.

I'm afraid that Mina would see a squirrel and she'd be over the edge in a flash!

She's an action first and think about it after kind of girl. 

*****

Another lovely day today and I'm going to take advantage.

Off to the Japanese Garden and the Zoo!

YeeHaw!

Thank you Nancy!

Wishing all of YOU well and much joy.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Potpourri

It's Friday!

Time for Five Random Things with Nancy.

*

My crochet for Halloween is almost finished.

I have one more ghost to make and I think I'm done.

I found the pattern for the ghost hot pads at Moms Love of Crochet.

Even if I do say so myself, they are cute!

**

Michael's had yarn on sale.

Perfect, I thought.

I could get all the yarn I needed for my Halloween projects.

Wrong.

They didn't have the colors I needed.

I ended up ordering Lily Sugar N Cream yarn from Dick Blick!

The cheapest online that I could find. 

***

The new cat toy of the week -- a small empty cat food box that I placed a few toys into.

Something a little different to keep them interested -- for 10 minutes! 

****

Are you ready for football?!!!!

It's that time.

*****

Yes, it is UGHust and the hot and humid is back.

Hope everyone has a fun filled Labor Day weekend.

Don't Labor too hard!

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Potpourri

It's Friday.

Time to look back on the week and join Nancy with Five Random Things.

*

I have a new dentist.

I decided it was crazy to drive half way across town to have my teeth cleaned

when I live in an area (near the medical center) where there are dozens of dentists to pick from.

To make the story short ... I like her!

And I like the hygienist.

And, when the weather is nice, I can walk to my appointment and have lunch after.

Sounds like a good deal to me.

**

The kitty toy of choice right now is the common, ordinary drink straw.

YeeHaw!

***

August was the month for doctor appointments.

Cassie and Mina both had their annual exams and were very good girls at the vet office.

I had my eyes checked today.

I have a family history of glaucoma and have my pressure checked very six months.

I passed again.

****

I am crocheting some Halloween hot pads.

Here is the pumpkin.

Cute!

I'm working on some ghosts and will share them next week!

*****

I can't complain much about the weather ... except still no rain.

The heat this UGHust hasn't been as bad as past years, but UGHust isn't over yet!

Now, if it would rain ... lightly ... for several days ... that would be nice!

Thanks for dropping by.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

BOO!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween ICAD 2012

Halloween ICAD 2012

Tea With The Ghouls

In a few days it will be Halloween.

It is the perfect day for tea with the ghouls.

My Favorite Halloween Card

Let's start with the treat first -- a key lime cupcake.

Tea in a fancy orange decorated cup found at Anthropologie.

If tea isn't enough for the ghouls,

perhaps a specially prepared punch

served from this pitcher will do.

Happy Halloween!

Here are just a few of the tea parties in Blogland:

Tea Time Tuesday
Friends Sharing Tea
Teacup Tuesday

Wishing you well, much joy, and a wonderful cup of tea.

This and That

I have rediscovered root beer -- A&W diet root beer.

No caffeine.
Maybe it's a return to my youth!

Yum!

***

Did I tell you that I have a pen pal?

We met each other through Susan Branch. 

What fun it is getting to know someone the old-fashioned way -- through snail mail!

I really look forward to her letters.

She lives in Wisconsin and sent me this lovely postcard.

She and her DH celebrated their 25th anniversary by visiting her favorite place,

the Village of Ephraim in Door County, Wisconsin.

"Splendid views, shopping"

Looks like a wonderful spot.

***

I do love mail call!

My buddy Janet at Random Acts of Art sent me a mail art mixed media postcard.

Isn't it great?!!!

Thanks, Janet!

***

I haven't had much time, but I did sit down 

and played with some iPhoto effects on a few of my photos.

I think this one is my favorite so far.

Black and white with some edge burr.

I think I like it because of the doily!

***

A cold front has arrived and I just finished MY Jack-O-Lantern lapghan.

The other lapghans have found happy homes for Halloween.

Don't worry.  

There's plenty of room for my toes underneath the lapghan.

I thought I could use this photo someday as a self-portrait of sorts! 

A cold front means soup time.

Split pea soup is calling to me, but since I have lentils I'll make lentil soup today.

I did look through the freezer and found a package of chopped turkey.

Turkey vegetable will be later in the week.

It also means good walking weather.

Walk to my village for breakfast or lunch.

A trip to the zoo and the Japanese Garden will definitely be in order.

I wonder if I can get the visits in before the temperature goes back up or

has FALL finally arrived?!!!!

I'll let you know.

***

Last, because Halloween is just around the corner,

here is another reproduction vintage postcard

from the Halloween Postcard Book by Darling and Company, Seattle.

Happy Halloween! 

Wishing you well and a joy filled weekend.

Sending lots of love and light to the lovely Beth 

who hosts Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

Good Morning!

It's Postcard Day!

I wanted to share a couple of postcards with you before my day gets swamped!

I love this postcard from Shanghai of the old mailboxes on Yuyuan Lane.

My good friend is in China studying on a Fulbright and she sends me a postcard every now and then.

The photograph is by Yin Ying.

 

The stamps are lovely.

 

One more postcard to celebrate Halloween.

This is a reproduction of a vintage Halloween postcard

from the Halloween Postcard Book published by Darling & Company, Seattle.

There is no artist or publisher listed on the back of the postcard, 

but on the bottom of the card it reads

Painting Copyright by -- and then I can't make out the rest --

1908.

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

Wishing you well and a fun filled weekend!

Good Morning!

"There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch."

                                            ~Robert Brault

NoteCard Party: Halloween

It's time for Vee's Note Card Party.

Since it is October and Halloween is just around the corner,

I've selected recently posted Halloween items starting with

Henry Higgins and Eliza Boolittle! 

Seen in the neighborhood: A Smiling Ghost and

a smiling Pumpkin Man!

Last, my pumpkin crochet lapghan.

Wishing you well and much joy!

OWLing Time!

Halloween is just around the corner and it's time to invite the

OWLS for tea! 

One of the local tea houses has owl tea cups.

Every time I visit with them I pick the owl cup for my tea.

Mr. Dragon searched and searched and found the teapot and teacup set.

He knew how much I enjoyed tea with the owls! 

It is one of my most precious possessions.

I can't help but think about Mr. Dragon and all the love we shared when I use this set.

It brings a very big smile to my face.

He would like to know I'm smiling and laughing.

How about a cup of chai and a pumpkin muffin?

Sounds good to me!

Thanking our tea party hosts:

Tea Time Tuesday
Friends Sharing Tea
Teacup Tuesday

Tuesday Cup'a Tea

Wishing you well, much joy, and a wonderful cup of tea.