It's nearly here, don't forget to look up

My October blue sky begins tomorrow! I'm looking forward to a stunning blue hue rivaled by nowhere else on earth. Look at my lil' guy, already got those big, round peepers of his looking for it!

The light is now strictly autumnal, which is - in my opinion - the prettiest light of all the seasons. I enjoy evening light in summer, too, when the temperature starts to dip a bit, and the light has softened and you can smell honeysuckle every time the breeze rolls over you. That's heaven.

I finally got our porch decorated! I kept it simple, two big pumpkins and my big pot of yellow mums. My husband was kind enough to scrub the porch and hose it down before I decorated. The door does not have a seasonal door covering, that's a reflection of some of the trees in our yard when I snapped the photo. It's nice to come home to the autumn pretties on the porch. I still love my navy ceiling and don't plan to repaint any time soon.

Look at this little sassy pumpkin! She had some sneezing the last couple of days, but with some medication and pampering (when is she NOT pampered), it seems to be better. She's not fond of going to the vet, so I'm truly glad the meds helped. This last batch of kittens is going to be the death of me from worry!

It's nearly Crocktober! First up this weekend on the menu is corn casserole. I'm pretty jazzed, it should be good because how on earth can you go wrong with cream corn, corn, butter, sour cream, eggs, honey, buttermilk, cheese and cornbread mix? If it turns out, I'll share pictures. 

 My days are packed with the ordinary right now. Funny how that works. A huge amount of busyness without anything new or different added in, just life in general. It seems like when we are busiest, that's the time that we add new projects, but this go-around, it's literally status quo. Our weather turned a bit warmer but nearly no humidity, so it's been stunning. Rain rolls in next week, but that's okay. It will help keep the leaves from drying out and falling off too soon, which means we could have some really nice color this year. No complaints here.

After Sunday, it looks like we are mid to low 70s and staying there. I would like to say that those temps are good comfort-food temperatures, but who am I kidding? Comfort food is good in any weather, and isn't it funny how each season has its own tastes and flavors? Orange or grape soda throws me back to summer in the 1970s when I was little. Any casserole but particularly potato casserole represents nearly every autumn of my life. 

Autumn is the season of melancholy and reflection for me, but it's also a season of sporadic invigoration on those days that are particularly cold and crisp. You can feel weather like that on your skin. It's the season of biscuits warmed up with a lot of butter and the addition of apple or pumpkin butter. It's the season of feeling the temperature start to dip as the sun sets, quite literally feeling the quick drop degree by rapid degree. Autumn feels shorter than any season, yet it is allotted the same exact amount of time. That big holiday at the end of the year takes over far too soon for my taste. I hold autumn close until I absolutely have to turn that page on the calendar to December and the madness that comes with it.

I hope your October is filled with some very good things. The simpleness of remembering to look up for that blue sky or treating yourself to a comfort food you don't have on a regular basis can give us a boost that we didn't even know we needed. Here's hoping this last quarter of the year slows down just a little bit.

Happy first day of Autumn (well, at 2:21 p.m. . . . . )!

Hard to believe that Autumn officially begins at 2:21 p.m. today. I have a couple of outdoor events on my calendar for the month of October. They are the type of events where you find really good Christmas presents, so I'm hoping it works out to go; perhaps the Covid thing will be a bit better by then. A lot can change in six weeks, and the numbers seem to be leveling off and even declining a bit in some cases. 

                                        

Autumn and a pot of mums is a real thing with me. I'm not big on plants in pots, they have to be tended to and watered every day. If you forget, there's the guilt of a living thing sitting there, thirsting to death, quite literally. But on the flip side, I have always loved a pot of yellow mums this time of year. Last year, I skipped the mums and regretted it. I'm not big on several small pots, either. I like one giant statement of mums. Has to be yellow, too. I have NO idea why. I love all the colors, but if the pot on my porch isn't yellow mums, then there's a void for me. Bizarre, I know. So I just get the yellow and don't bother looking at the varying colors each year. Roll your eyes with me . ...

The sign in the pot is from Dollar Tree. Cute, eh? Right now, the only thing on the porch is the mums. We haven't gotten around to decorating the yard yet. That happens Saturday. Time has gotten away. I'm usually ahead of the game on these things, but lately, that's not been possible. But, as we all know, time moves forward and, whether or not my porch and yard are ready, Autumn shows up! I'm looking forward to the foliage and carpet of leaves again this year. It's truly beautiful this time of year in this area of the country.

We have our first weenie roast on the schedule for this coming Sunday! I'm so excited! We are in the upper 40s the night before and only go to the mid-70s on Sunday. We are doing a noon weenie roast, which means that it will be around 70 by that time of day, nearly perfect for the first weekend of the season. Roasted hot dogs (vegan for me and my husband, and, yes, that's possible), baked beans, chips and French onion dip and I'm not yet sure what's for dessert! I'm actually thinking pecan pie may show up for the party. And, of course, roasted marshmallows. I mean, really. That's a must.

We are moving along on the babies' new house. The electrician has mostly done his thing. Our construction crew finishing out the house should be here in the next few weeks, our electrician will come back and finish up after they are done, and then I'm hoping to have those babies all set up and enjoying tons of windows and space by early November. Ever tried to build a house - even a small one - in this current environment? It's called "hurry up and wait," y'all. The demand on anyone in the building business is insane. Plus, there are surcharges in lumber, blah, blah, blah. It is what it is, you can't control it, and the lesson of patience is definitely in there somewhere!

The dark is beautiful this morning. It's 61 degrees, and there's a breeze (well, that's because rain is moving in yet again). My border collie, Lacey, loves to run in this weather. It's both precious and heartbreaking. I used to take my previous border collie, Max, for long walks on mornings like this. The smell of damp, the train whistle in the distance, the breeze and mist, the seasonal sound of the bugs as their urgency in their calls increase . . . . It feels like someone stabbed me in the heart when I think about it. I have to be careful not to go there too much. It puts me in a funk. Nobody lives forever, we all know this. I miss him terribly, and I'm so grateful to have Lacey. She's wonderful and perfect in every way. She helps ease the grief for sure.

I'm off to pour another cup of cinnamon churro coffee "seasoned" with caramel macchiato creamer. That's good stuff, right there. Just about perfect to kick off this season of better weather, fewer bugs, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin and pecan pie, Crocktober, comfort food, scary movies and podcasts and increased festivities. I hope you have some fun but SAFE things on your calendar for this season. Use your head when going places, I suggest you continue to mask up (just my opinion) for your sake and the sake of those you love, and maybe find things to do outdoors for just a while longer. 

Love to you on this first day of Autumn 2021. Don't forget to celebrate in some way, small or big, doesn't matter!

The "Bers" have begun and remembering

One full week of September is well behind us already, in fact, it's nearly two weeks now. This kicks off the months of the "bers," which basically signals the start of comfort food season. Our Labor Day weekend was beautiful. Mornings were in the 50s and the daytime highs never made it out of the 70s with low humidity out our way. No complaints here, it was very nearly perfect weather. 

Our pumpkin patch is not going to have much of a yield this year, but ironically, this gorgeous big guy is a result of our efforts. Isn't he beautiful? He has the spot of honor in the middle of the kitchen island. I probably need to name him since he'll be with us for an entire season. I do love a large, deep orange pumpkin this time of year.

It's been pumpkin donut weather for sure. As you can see, we made it to Peggy Ann bakery recently. These pumpkin donuts are wonderful, something to truly be experienced at least a couple of times during the month of September. They melt in your mouth.

I've been slowly gathering items for the babies' new house which should be ready in November. We have to order their Heat/A/C unit this week, as well. The rest of the list includes cordless blinds for the seven windows and two doors (we ordered lots of windows on purpose) and valances because with kitties, you don't generally want to hang curtains. Cats are climbers! Below are some quilts that will work nicely in their new giant living space, not that kittens care if there's something pretty to look at. But humans do, and we spend a lot of time with the little goobers!

My precious girls, Georgie and Lacey, are pictured below. Aren't these girls gorgeous? Georgie is about ten years old, and Lacey is nearly five. Both of these girls have lovely temperaments and are most definitely buddies. All of our dogs have loved kitties, which is a must when you do rescue work, and it's mostly feline rescue but you also always have a dog because you love dogs, too.

Have you decorated for Autumn yet? I did. We recently had a long weekend, thanks to Labor Day, so it seemed like the best time to fit it in since work will be getting more hectic as the year goes on. Isn't the card below adorable? My mom made it; nothing cuter than a moose and squirrel who go camping!

Let's talk about the great off-set. I don't know if people actually call it that, but I do. This is where, thanks to climbing inflation, noticeably higher prices have to be off-set somewhere in the budget. Even the most frugal store chains are showing enormous price increases of 33 percent or more when it comes to groceries, at least. There are just two of us to feed, I don't know how large families with low wages afford groceries, or the basics for that matter. Luckily, this is the time of year when our heat and A/C run infrequently. During the "ber" months of September and October, we usually see a large decline in our electric bill that will help off-set grocery prices. 

Each spending decision gets sizable consideration - do we NEED this? Is it just something we'll tire of and get rid of later (clutter)? Why are we buying it? I've followed this line of thinking for a while now, and I find that it curbs spending a lot, and also helps avoid additional clutter. Another way to curb spending is to eat the food you buy. That means that you don't go to the grocery store, then ignore that food and get take-out or go out to eat. That really adds up, and it's terrible for your health. If we eat out, it's one of two reasons: we have a gift card OR I've included that meal in our food budget, so that it's not an additional expense.

We use a general budget spreadsheet, nothing fancy, and it's not the detail-oriented type of ledger that you find from frugal bloggers or yoootoobers. But there are a couple of ladies whom I follow faithfully because they provide really good inspiration for frugal living. They are happy in their lives, and they actually enjoy the challenge of living well within and, most of the time, far below a strict budget. They are transparent about their expenses and how they live. There are common threads to their living, and the psychological part of it appeals to me the most. Two takeaways from these ladies that have helped me tremendously: 1. They don't care what others think about them or how they live and 2. They realize that their way of life is not for everyone. These two things are important to bear in mind in all facets of life, not just financial areas.

I'm only going to touch briefly on today's date - September 11. I remember everything about that day twenty years ago - where I was, what I was doing, who brought me the dark and incredibly sad news about what was happening, and how we stayed glued to a television for the next few hours at work, absolutely frozen in space and recognizing that the events unfolding before us would haunt us for the rest of our lives. There's the mantra out there "never forget," and I believe in that mantra. If we forget, we let our guard down, and it will happen again. Getting stuck in the event and drowning in the sorrow of it is not healthy. Moving forward is possible, while still remembering that day and every single feeling that went along with 9-11, feelings that lasted for years and still pay visit to our psyche every now and then.

It's a collected grief among those of us who love our country. I never allow anyone to talk poorly about the United States. We have never claimed to be perfect. But we are free, and we are still the land of opportunity and hope. We shine through the darkest moments, and when we fall down, we get back up and keep going. I love our flag. I love our song. I love our founding principles. We are beautiful, despite many scars, and the makeup of our human landscape is quite stunning if you think about it. Today is a day to remember and to grieve and to honor those whose lives were directly impacted by what happened twenty years ago. We should never forget.

Our weather looks beautiful today. We warm up a bit Sunday through Tuesday, then we fall back to much milder temps where it looks like we'll be staying. Here's hoping this last upcoming warm snap is summer's final showcase, and we move on along to autumn. I'm finally ready. Love to you on this weekend, can't believe it has rolled around yet again. Make the most of it!

 

Happy September! Maybe it will slow down? HA.

Happy September! It's hard to believe that it has rolled around already. I need to call Peggy Ann Bakery to find out about their pumpkin donuts baking schedule (it's usually only on Fridays in September) and order a dozen or two - some to share, some to eat, and some to freeze - so that we have them for the month of October, too! Speaking of donuts, look at these two yummy treats. The first picture, what can I say? Lil' guy/TC does what he wants, never mind that I've told him a thousand times to GET OFF THE COUNTER. He has no fear because he's spoiled rotten. So is the one in the second picture. They all get what they want, they run the show around here.

Let's talk about canned vegetarian chili. It's just kind of okay. You put it on a vegan hot dog? Meh. Just okay. Lately, though, I've realized what it needs - definitely a dollop of something sweet with it. That cuts the acidity of the tomato base of the chili and turns canned, vegan chili into something pretty tasty. For hot dogs, a sweet slaw on top of the canned chili is fantastic. Last night, it was vegan canned chili over brown rice, topped with sour cream and pineapple salsa. That salsa did the trick - just enough sweet to reduce the acidity in the chili and take out that twang. It. Was. GOOD. Now, homemade vegan chili - that's off-the charts-good. It's also part of my Crocktober repertoire. 

We were just on the brink of finally going to a movie at the theater when Delta started surging. We talked about it again last week and decided it just wouldn't be worth it. This is two years in a row, now, that our summer movie trips have been put on hold because of this pandemic. I've always loved the movie theater experience - the popcorn, the huge drink, the previews, and two hours of escapism where you don't have to think or converse. Heaven.

One of my fondest memories ever was going to a late matinee at our local 3-dollar movie theater (it has since closed) and afterwards as we walked to our car, my brand-new husband took my hand. It had just started getting cool at nights, and his hand felt safe and warm. We had gotten married in February of that year, and it was the first time ever that we went home together as a married couple after a movie date. That was over 23 years ago, and that memory still stands out and floods me with love all over again for someone I've loved for so very long. It was lovely. I still get a thrill when we go to a movie together. If I ever win the lottery, I'm going to buy and re-open that theater. 

Ida has pushed heavy rain over top of us, so we are saturated with more flood advisories. Normally the silver lining would be that it's good for the garden, but the garden is winding down. Fewer tomatoes, fewer flowers, lots of brown edges - you get the picture. Last night, we were watching a murder mystery (when am I NOT watching one of these, right?), and we had the front door open so that I could see the sun set via the glass door in our living room. The slant of the light is different now as dusk approaches. It's beautiful, far more golden than previous summer months. 

I'm not fond of Ida's deluges, but she is bringing us cooler temps, and for that I'm grateful. Last night, there was a very good breeze between rounds of rain, and the sun debuted for a bit. It felt like autumn knocking on our door, ready to say "hello." I think I'm ready for it now? We'll see. That first time I can't get a good tomato, I may do the old breakdown and pine for summer all over again.

We have a long weekend ahead of us, as we are off for Labor Day. Hurray! It'll mess me up for the rest of next week (I tend to lose track of days when we are off on a Monday, good grief), but I'm certainly grateful for the break. 

I am back on French toast bagels topped with a slice of sharp cheddar, butter and a vegan sausage patty for our breakfasts. This is one breakfast that I can eat day after day for weeks on end and never tire of it. I've tried different brands of French toast bagels, but honestly, the great value/Sam's Club ones are the best, in my opinion. Lender's is excellent, too. I've tried a few other brands, and they barely had the maple syrup flavor, which you must have to go with the vegan sausage. I also love cinnamon French toast sticks topped with apple or cherry pie filling. Waking up to that is like going to the county fair or the carnival first thing in the morning for funnel cake!

Blessed September to you. May your podcasts and movies get scarier as we approach the season of trick-or-treat and your blessings abound. Stay safe and use common sense during these times. And happy eating. After all, we are rolling on into the months where comfort foods abound!