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.