A slow Fall kind of Saturday

The hot days are still hanging on, much to my chagrin, but there are signs that things are changing and that my favorite time of year is slowly creeping in.  I will admit that some of these signs are self imposed, put on by my own hand in a way to force this new season to arrive, knowing full well that I have zero impact in the weather, or the seasons, but I like to think that at least inside my house, I can control it.

 

Many love summer, many enjoy the hot weather and the busy chaos it brings, vacations, pool and lake, family get togethers and barbecues.  I however, seem to melt into a puddle of unhappiness during these 3 months.  

 

I start my mornings pretty much the same.  Head to the kitchen, give Elliott a ton of kisses and hugs, feed him, start my water boiling for our coffees, then open the back door and either go let the chickens out if it's my turn (on the weekends), or just open the door then go back to make the coffees and pack Curt's lunch for work.  Whichever one of these is going on, I can tell you that the mornings seem a little cooler, crisper, and just yesterday the neighborhood owls have started hooting high up on my soapberry tree.  A sure sign that seasons are changing.   

Our weekends have been jam packed, full of activities, places to be and things to do.  We may as well just have long weeks because it doesn't feel like we rest much.  Thankfully this weekend, we have a bit of a break and I fully indulged.

 

I spent the day pottering around the house, taking care of all my plants, moving things here and there, bird watching, eating healthy snacks, reading, watching tv and just allowing my body to slow down. 

I pulled out my Fall decorations and was only wanting one or two pieces, but before long, every room and every corner of the house, had some sort of item reminding me of what is to come.

 

Soft warm blankets in dark greens, browns and reds.

 

Little mushroom houses sitting on a bench.

 

Fall colored flower arrangements spreading their beauty and joy on coffee tables.

 

And the first scent of a pumpkin cheesecake candle lit early morning. 

It may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, or even be in any way representative of the weather we are still having outside, but in my mind, and between these four walls, we are closing the door on summer and welcoming in the BER months and the cooler weather.

 

And for that, I will not apologize, I am not a summer person, I don't enjoy it, I don't thrive in it, and like some people get the blues in Winter, I get the blues in summer.  It just is what it is.

 

I'm off to enjoy a cup of tea and get a bit more reading in my book.  Have a blessed Saturday! 

{ Autumn around here }

 

It is a beautiful Autumn morning, except for the unwanted wind which has been at it since Sunday afternoon.  My allergies are awful, and I don't say that lightly.  At this point, if I could scratch out my eyes and nose, I would.  It doesn't help that I really dislike taking allergy meds because of the drowsiness they give me, so I try to suffer it out, but honestly?  I can't wait for this wind to disappear, which seems to be happening only tomorrow.  *sigh*

I haven't done many update daily, life posts.  This month has been mainly filled with the Husband prayers, but since it's winding down and getting ready to end, I thought it was time to start bringing in the usual day in the life, what am I doing, kind of posts.

Just finished going by to visit all the Happy Homemaker Monday participants, and leaving some comments.  I love interacting with you all but don't always have the time.  

 

 

Autumn is finally starting to show it's full face.  It's been slow going, and up until what seems like overnight, it didn't seem like the leaves and the trees were going to change at all.  But, there's definite signs now, thank goodness.

I do love the changing colors, and maybe you're like me, and can smell the change in the air.  There is a specific change to the light of the day and the smell in the air.  It's pure bliss, to me at least.

 

I've been loving waking up each morning, opening the blinds and windows and just stretching and waking up to the crisp air.  Well except for days like these with wind, there's no way I'm taking in a whiff of that wind, not with my allergies like this.  Hahahah

 

I spend a little time with the babies too.  They give us unconditional love, all day long, and they don't ask for much at all, so I love showering them with love and attention.  They certainly appreciate it ♥

 

Books have been read, and when I say that, I mean quite a few.  I am back on my reading streak and have just been inhaling books, left, right and center.  I feel like I can't get enough.  It does help that I'm a fast reader, so if I have time, I will usually start and sometimes finish a book the same day or the very next morning.

I've started dedicating my Sunday's to book reading as well.  After getting home from church and gym, I will take my shower, have a quick lunch then get into bed with a warm blanket, a hot cup of milky tea and a book.  I then spend the next 3 hours or so, just reading, sometimes napping but mainly reading.  It's been a very welcome calming routine that I think helps end the weekend, and reset our bodies for the week ahead.

 

I've also been making it a priority to grab my camera more, and to take photos of life around me.  I've always enjoyed taking pictures of birds, so any chance I get, I take advantage.

This gorgeous mourning dove was perched on the tree right outside my bedroom window.  It sat there for a long time, just looking at me while I took photos.  How beautiful is it?

 

 

Life has been slowing down, but I know that here soon it will kick into high gear again with the holidays upon us.  I am already planning our Thanksgiving, Christmas Cards, Christmas shopping and so forth.

I love Christmas cards and I miss the days where sending out cards was a thing.  It feels like over the years people have gotten more comfortable with just sending an online card, or just wishing someone a Merry Christmas over a text or an impersonal post on social media.

But I love the exchange of actual cards and I really want to send more out this year.  I think we need to do that.  We need to make an effort to send out actual cards in the mail, and I would love to send some of you a card too, especially if you're one of my usual readers.  It would be quite fun to do a card exchange between us blog readers.

What do you think?  Let me know.

Right, it is almost 8:30am, and I'm still sitting in bed.  I need to do my prayers, read my devotional and my Bible and then get started with my day.

On the to do list for today:

Clean living room and dining room windows

Vacuum and dust

Pay bills

Start Thanksgiving Menu

Iron a pile of clothes

Workout and get my 10k steps in

Have a blessed Tuesday friends!

Autumn is slowly creeping in!

 

 

I opened the back door this morning and the most wonderful of chills came in.  It is the first day that opening the door didn't feel like checking your cake in the oven.   Another sign that summer is truly over.

Aside from the chill, the one other thing that tells me Autumn is creeping in, is the change in lighting.  It becomes warmer and everything seems golden and orange.  God truly is a master creator, I couldn't even imagine in my little brain, a fraction of the colors and details that He does. 

The past week I have truly immersed myself in crafting.  There's a shift in our emotional well being, when we pull away from social media and the world, and dig deep into hobbies, pretty things and connecting with the earth around us.

I've been enjoying my time outdoors more, not even going far, but a simple walk into the backyard with Kaia while she does her business, leaves me feeling so much happier.  Everything around us is changing, the leaves are turning from deep greens to dark oranges.  

I love this leaf in my grape vine, I feel like it shows the transition from summer to autumn.  I couldn't believe just how amazing it looked, almost as if perfectly cut down the middle, or as if we are watching a video transition slowly moving from green to orange. 

As things change outside, they slowly start shifting indoor as well.  I used to not decorate for Autumn, I just felt that it was pointless, so I would do Christmas and Halloween.  There was never really an inbetween season of decorating for me, but this was back many years ago, when the kids were little and I still did Halloween not understanding just how evil it truly is.  (I know we all have different opinions, but since this is my blog and my space, I can express mine and speak for myself)

That's a talk for another time and not something I really want to get into right now.....so.....back to the beautiful Autumn change.

I've brought out my decorations and have slowly been pulling things out, a little at a time.  Usually I would take it all out at once and be done, but I'm enjoying doing it slowly this year, just inching into the season with calmness.  We seem to rush into everything and want everything immediately and for last year.  But when we take the time to really take in each moment, we enjoy it more.

Above you can see the Granny Stripe Pumpkins I made a few days ago.  I just love how they turned out and they look perfect in my living room.

I made another one which needs a stem, and I have to find my glue gun sticks.  I know I have them but can't for the life of me remember where I put them, so can't really glue anything yet.  The two cinnamon stick stems in the pumpkins above are in place but I just want to secure them with some hot glue, to be sure they don't pop off.  For now though, they're right there, and no one messes with them so they're fine.

These little woodland candle holders are just the cutest aren't they?  They are the perfect size for a tealight and I love seeing them lit up at night, they look beautiful next to the autumn leaf garland.

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in real quick and show you just a little glimpse of Autumn around here. 

How is it going in your area, are you seeing signs yet, are the leaves turning, or are you still dealing with summer?

Grocery shopping Day

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.”- Shira Tamir

We have reached that part of Autumn, where the trees are all but orange and yellow.  The most beautiful shades, intermingled throughout the leaves.  I love nothing more than looking outside my window, and seeing the changing trees on our property.

It's these little details that often go overlooked during our day.  We are busy, we have this and that to do, and not much time to actually look out the window, or to enjoy the displays nature puts out for us.  But I want to ask you to stop reading, right now, and just take a look out your window.

Let that visual sink in, absorb it, take into your soul.  I bet it will lift your spirits and bring a smile to your face, all day long.

 

Just look at that!!!  How can that not make you smile?

It was just the uplifting I needed, before getting groceries.  Hahaha  If you know, you know!  

I mean, if not for the insane high prices themselves, but the fact that once we bring it all home, we have to put it away.  Is it just me or does it seem to take hours to get groceries put up?  It's not like we don't know where they go, but for some reason the action of taking it all out of the bags, and placing them where they belong, just drags.

 

My morning started pretty slowly.  While the fur babies slept on the bed, I sipped my coffee, finished my grocery and menu plan, and paid some bills.

 

The rain had started outside, and while I love rain, I don't care to drive in it, so I tried to be as quick as I could to get out the door, and back home.  Thankfully it didn't take me too long.  However, bringing in groceries in the rain, is not fun, I'll tell you that much. 

 

Hair flying all over the place, hands filled with bags, and the face of "let this end, please."

 

It did take me 2 hours to get it all sorted, I think also because I tend to clean as I go.  So I clean my fridge when I get groceries, which now come to think of it, is why it takes so long.  But, I don't like putting in fresh food in a fridge that needs some wiping down, maybe I'm just weird.

 

Can we talk about turkeys real quick?  Thankfully we had a turkey already in the freezer, but my hubby went to the commissary on Thursday, and they only had one turkey, for the wonderful price of $66.  No, you didn't read that wrong.  He sent me a picture of the price and I sarcastically replied with "Oh wow, that's a great price."  Hahahah

He told me after he thought I was being serious but couldn't bring himself to buy it, and I told him that's a good thing.  I don't think I could eat a $66 turkey.  Good grief!!!  

He did find one at Walmart for $11.  *whew*

 

The rest of the afternoon, I spent cleaning around the house, and in the kitchen.  My Nicholas loves these muffins and is always asking me to make them.  He actually told me a few days ago, that the reason he doesn't eat bananas when I buy them, is because he is waiting for them to become too ripe, because then I have to make the muffins.

Little bugger, or rather, BIG bugger at 6 foot 2.

 

 

I will have the recipe up on the blog, either this afternoon or tomorrow.  I did add two recipes yesterday, for the Oven Kibbeh (which is already here on the main blog), and the Chocolate Yogurt Cake.

I'm slowly getting the food blog updated, thankfully.  I have far too many handwritten recipes laying around, that need to be put in a safer place.

Today, I am dealing with the constant mountain of laundry, I also have a pile I need to iron so I might put on a movie and get that done.

I hope you're all having a fantastic Saturday, and thank you as always for stopping by. 

End of week

 

I just finished tidying up the house, and editing the photos for today's post, and decided to come and sit on my warm bed, to write up this post.

One of the bedroom windows is open, letting the most wonderful breeze.  The sheer white curtains are dancing, the birds are chirping loudly outside, and every once in a while Henry, the rooster, crows.  I think it's his way of letting me know he wants some attention, because once I get out there and give them a snack or check on their water and food, he is good to go.

I must say, my adventure as a chicken mama is nothing like I expected, and I'm not saying that in a bad way whatsoever, it's actually much better than I ever envisioned.  We're already talking about adding more chickens to the coop, but that is something for Spring time.

I don't want to put out the new babies when we are smack dab in the middle of winter, which would be around the time they would be ready to head outside.

 

 

It's cold enough that we've brought the plants in.  I still have a tomato plant, a pepper plant, a berry bush, lemon tree, and my avocado tree that I've been growing from seed.  I don't want them to die already, because even though it's just the beginning of November, we have had freezing temperatures.

 

So what have I been doing the past few days? 

 

Well....I'll just show you. 

 

Feeding my fruitcakes, and they smell so good. I keep resisting the urge to leave one out for us to eat. In order for me not to do that, I've just made a different cake to draw the attention away, from the Christmas ones.

 

It worked, although it is so good, that I'm afraid it didn't last but 2 days, and the boys are all asking me to make another, so that will probably happen tomorrow.  I'll try to add it to the food blog too.

 

 

 

I've kept a close eye on the chickens, because it's their first experience with really cold weather.  We've weather proved their coop and run, and they are extremely happy.

This is my favorite girl, Puffy.  She loves me so much, she hears my voice and comes running.  I pick her up and hold her, pet her, and she just stares up at me, closes her eyes and stays.  

 

The colder temperatures, have also brought out in me, the need to start moving things around, getting ready for Thanksgiving, and creating little corners for those really cold days.

Corners near the fireplace, fluffy blankets and pillows, and reading nooks.  Very much looking forward to that first cold, dark day, where I can sit near the fireplace and the tree, and read a good book.

 

I've also pulled out my Christmas books, for inspiration.  I especially love these Vintage ones because they take me back to my childhood.  

When I think of Christmas, I think of the vintage drawings, the books, the cards, the cartoons.  I find that, as the years have gone by, they've tried so hard to modernize  all, that it's lost that appeal, that magic that made the season so special.

 

And then of course, the Gooseberry Patch Christmas cookbooks.  I have to thank my sweet friend Tamy at Chasing my Life, for sending me all these.

She knows that I would absolutely love having these, and would put them to good use, so a few years ago, I received a box in the mail with all these goodies.  They have a special place on my bookshelf, as well as my heart.

Thank you Tamy ♥

 

 

My TV watching has also shifted a little, I do still watch my Turkish shows, but I'm not watching them as much as I was a few months ago.

Are you also the kind that changes with the seasons?

I used to think it wasn't a thing, but I've realized it is, at least with me.  This time of the year makes me want to read Little House on the Prairie and Beatrix Potter books, watch Jane Austen and other period dramas and listen to classic old Christmas music.

There's actually a channel on Youtube called Vintage Radio which I want to share with you, because I think many of you will enjoy it too.  

 

 

 

From Thanksgiving playlists, to Christmas, Sleep, Workday, Autumn, Summer days, spring cleaning.  There's just so many to choose from, and I really think you all will love them.

I just put one on the TV and go about my day.  It helps to drown out the world, which I think a lot of us are wanting to do at the moment, at least, for a while, to sit in our homes, in peace and quiet and just focus on our families.

That's what I've been focusing on, and I tell you, it's been wonderful.  It helps to keep you grounded and pulls you away from all the sadness, and negativity that seems to be filling the entire the world.

Anyway, it is Friday, thankfully, which means I get to stay up later, wake up later, and have a slow weekend.  Tonight for dinner I am making Brazilian hotdogs, and if you want to see what I do, make you're following me on Instagram because I do daily stories, and I share all my dinners on there.

Some days I show the whole process, and some days I just show the finished meal, but either way, I pretty much share every dinner, which is quite popular with my followers.

Have a wonderful start to the weekend, and I'll see you all tomorrow.