Pumpkin Patch

 We've had some beautiful Fall weather here at the beach. So unusual in October, but so enjoyable.

Watercolor by favorite artis, Claire Fletcher:

Thursday was so perfect, a Ten Best, that L and I , spur of the moment, decided to go to the pumpkin patch at the  flower nursery. It's just over the bridges and lots of parking.

Of course I was thrilled, since many friends, as their kids get older, have stopped celebrating Halloween. How sad.

My brother even! The Halloween birthday boy!?  He told me yesterday that they no longer bother with Halloween, not even a pumpkin! He said, Only candy for the trick or treaters. Well! Be that as it may I loved the pumpkin patch. (I'm adding little peeks at a few of my Autumn quilts, I find Fall colors so inspiring, so happy, so Lizzy.)  How is anyone EVER too old for a jack-o-lantern? I was  flummoxed.

The garden center was very quiet and rather poorly stocked.  But let's walk through and enjoy.

No spookies on their farmhouse this year.

Main thing, BIG thing, lol--- this year is enormous carving pumpkins. Like laundry basket or bushel basket size. Knee high and so fat you can't put your arms around.

Less than usual, but  all the glorious squashes, decorative pumpkins, gourds.

Little cuties

Inspiration realised:

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The fall flowers were lovely,

though the mums were crazy expensive and  huge like shrubs.

Sweetest Fall violas and pansies, winter hardy here?

New to me, very Victorian ruffled pansies. These were hard to resist. So beautiful in a subtle way.

I was impressed by the other fall flower offerings: giant marigolds, like football mum corsages.

And dark red cockscomb, like velvet, annd colorful lantana .

Flowers for a more usual hot sunny Fall.

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A very  few decorative items. I always love Chinese Lanterns, dried, in an old stoneware crock.

This was amusing, hard to get a pic, a giant forklift bring more enormous carving pumpkins. Maybe restocking for kids to viist this weekend?

No apples, no cider, no paperwhite bulbs. And the baby animals in the petting zoo had the day off'

Yo can see why the colors and autumn vibes really touch my midwestern little girl soul. I hope you enjoyed our traditional visit too. Here's what I brought home. Can never resist the twisty colorful gourds. My mom and I always chose them oh so carefully at the local greengrocer/ farmstand each year, along with the now unavailable "Indian" corn and fresh bittersweet. So exciting. My family was very frugal and this, along with our shared jack o lantern pumpkin was a huge treat each October. [not a pumpkin spiced anything  in sight, unimaginable] Oddly I don't remember buying the pumpkin for out Jack o Lantern, must have come from cheaper Kroger store instead.

Happy October

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.......................

October skies...crescent moon. Magical. Then late nights, in the clear black sky, Orion and Sirius sparkle overhead. Be sure to look up.

The sunset makes the rooms glow pink. But no Baby Mo keeping vigil in his bed by the couch. My little friend. Note the huge ships on the horizon, center winter. They are 10-15 miles out at sea.

No Still haven't found a replacement LR rug, oh well.

Randomly October

 

Hi! This has been a poorly week past, lots of real life paperwork, life planning, medical planning/ eye surgery this winter. (moans Debbie Downer, sorry!) Flu shot, Covid shot? Which, when?  And I am struggling with drawing and painting as my double vision makes me draw lopsided; I miss the calm of even my scribble journal, plus watercolor journal. Eye surgery may help this, or at least clear my vision somewhat. New doctor to be seen-- scary!.

The fun part is that my friend L and I finally went to the newly opened giant craft store near the once hectic shopping mall.  L chose that over pumpkin patch and mums, a once beloved tradition. Note the marshes slowly turning gold. Early.

We called it early Christmas shopping, hahaha. Acres of Christmas---four football fields? Makes the big Costco look like a 5 & Dime---one aisle of Halloween, a single shelf of Thanksgiving. [perhaps the US has little to be thankful for?...And people only cook on TikTok, it seems, much of which is AI.] Anyway we got very lost! On the road and in the store. Things at the mega shopping mall area  have changed a lot post Covid and Amazon. 

I got a few stocking stuffers for Little Friend and some  sewing needles. L got  sewing project supplies--she wants to sew her own L L Bean tote bag. [my eyes are rolling; that heavy canvas. But fun.]

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Sunny days and a diehard sit outside and sew girl, yes I am. 

 As I sit there I notice the last of my garden. These miniature petunias, Super Belles? in the blue and white stripes have been outstanding. Must maybe incorporate their stripy charm into Posies project, even if just as the binding, like in Lizzy's Tulips? 

And a little deck posy always, eeking out summer as usual. 

And current favorite nibbles for me and the little sparrow tribe.

A few fabrics for my Halloween fabrics collection.  I love how they look spooky but in such a subtle way.

My fave, though, below.  I saw it as Stars. I always snap up Stars and crescent Moons too.

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I don't decorate for Fall till Columbus Day.  Spent an hour on Monday digging out quilts and faux jack o'lanterns. Washing the not-blue pitchers.

Acorn jam pot!

Dusting even tho the cleaner was just here. Lots of fine sand and sea grass pouffes, pollen.

Linens changed partly to flannel  for Fall. Cheddar quilts aired, selected. This is maybe my favorite of my antique quilts.

I know, I show it every year. Love the bright scrappy Nine Patch / Puss in the Corner blocks. Great fabrics to study. And the very wide cheddar cheddar sashing. Who says sashing has to 2" ? , 3" ?, and red polka dot corners. The textural Baptist Fan hand quilting. 

My mom found it in the window of a shop in Dennis, Cape Cod; we snapped it up, no regrets. It will be one of the last I sell or discard.

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Remember my October Bucket list last post? I found a corn maze. Even though they sound creepy and exhausting. But look:

Special hand soap, aromatherapy to convince me it is truly Fall. Nice and gentle on my hands too.

Now, when I sit out to sew or knit, I am always scanning the skies for birds. It's quiet now, much fewer helicopters, less people. These are part of a big flock that swirled in  last evening. Are they starlings? The shape seems wrong. They refused to come eat Goldfish crackers, prob just as well.

Then these. I thought I captured pics of the twosome/ threesome that flies over once in the morning, again at dusk. Those seem to be mallards, a male and two wives.  They have come to the swales each spring and fall for years. However on close look, the pictures sure look like gulls, don't they.

A little squirrel comes each evening too. I gave it a bit of carrot, but cannot let it depend on me for food, as feeding wildlife is prohibited here--plus I don't want her in my house, omigosh. I think they were attracted to my neighbor's abundant crop on their fig tree.

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Very off topic, from Instagram: this is where I used to live in Brooklyn. An historic area called Cobble Hill.  It was an old school gutted for lofts. They saved the beautiful old rock maple floors and door hardware, like PS 175 in bronze; 16' ceilings, huge windows. Big open loft style living space, plus: Two bedrooms, one office, one guestroom, working fireplace/ both gas and woodburning. Some walls old original brick. I used to hang my quilts there, gorgeous. Elevator, private parking. Central AC. Laundry room off kitchen.Views of NY harbor and Statue of Liberty. I adored living there. [here, beach house, was a weekend/ summer place].

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Last random thing to show you: Is this not the MOST adorable project? Someone's scribble journal [not mine!] used as a wool applique piece. Or it could be redwork, of course. I hope to be able to afford it, will post more when their reveal happens in November

You can see the shop's info on the screenshot, though this project is not available yet. I 'll put a link when it is.

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Yesterday I made Pot Roast  (thank you, Julierose, for making me hanker for comfort foods! :-) )---I was expecting cold days this week. LOL. 75* tomorrow. I also have but will freeze  a roast pork tenderloin to go with crispy roast potatoes and pan roasted root veg. Colorful carrots. Look really woody though, I'll let you know.  Dinner is pitas filled w cucumber  and goat cheese,  instead though

Next post I'll prob show you what decorating I did. I know many of you ''don't bother'', but I love seeing my fall quilts each year. So what the heck. Do you Fall decorate? Hopefully not before Fourth of July?  Lots of Christmas online, esp IG. Ugh. Bah humbug. Am I right!

more soon~~~~~

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....