The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

Thunderstorms are coming but this is going to be a beautiful day~~in more ways than one I hope :)    We have been experiencing a very hot Summer and the most humid that I can remember. Not used to it and not liking it! Bring on the Fall! PLEASE! The heat certainly has not slowed us down though. We have been busy and it has been a good Summer despite the temps. Today on this dark day I have a list a mile long of things I would like to do and things I SHOULD do. Hopefully I will accomplish some of each :)

Like Father, Like Son---My husband Billy and son Billy--that's my son in the workshop in the garage cutting out wood figures of all kinds. He has learned so much from my husband, and he has the gift of carpentry. He had been itching to do this for quite a while so my husband set him up and made it possible. Using some templates and also just designing items based on things around our house, he so far has cut out a pumpkin trio, a couple of Halloween scaredy cats, barn stars, hearts and lots of ghosts! They are ready to be painted and decorated! We had fun looking for "ghosts" in the leftover scraps of wood and you would be surprised how many you can see--some facing towards us, some turned to the side, others pointing at something beyond etc. And when they are painted they will be defined! He has had so much fun and I have too watching him. It was a joy to see him at home in the sawdust and shavings. Serene in his task as if it is what he is meant to do. How lucky if he realizes that the honorable profession of carpentry is what his calling is. He is his father's son.
We plan to paint or varnish the barn stars and hearts and either decal some or do some rub on transfer images., We might paint sayings on them. We purchased the paint for the pumpkins and ghosts. We are doing the ghosts eyes in black sparkle paint so they glow in the night and glisten in the day. We bought our rustic colors for the stars and hearts and Billy made a list of sayings he likes for them--Live Simply, Welcome, Home Sweet Home, Be Grateful-----and that also sums up his personality and feelings. If you knew him you would agree.
I have started working on my Fall decorating. A little at a time :)  Little changes here and there. The kids go back to school September 5th so I don't want them to feel I am wishing their Summer away!

By Labor Day I traditionally have my Fall decorations out and Halloween decorations displayed by the end of September. I have already checked the schedule for apple picking. We are trying a new spot this year just to change it up a bit! We have been to this place before but it has been many years. We are going to Applewood Orchards in Warwick instead of Maskers Apples in Warwick this year. We are also going earlier as well! So far they are saying macintosh and grannys will be at the end of September so away we shall go.

 My love for Autums encompasses so many things--first and foremost is the general feeling I get. The warmth of the colors-the oranges, reds, browns and tans. The homey feeling I feel about the season; that nesting urge, the abundance of activities that are outdoors for this time of year. The snuggleness (I made that word up) of sweaters and quilts, the comfort foods, the joy of trick or treating, raking leaves, and sitting down with my family at Thanksgiving dinner. It fills my heart like no other season.

But we are in August now and I shall tell you about what a nice August it has been. We finally managed to go away for a weekend that had been postponed from July. My husband is busy so the two nights/three days was such a treat for us. We headed to Pennsylvania to Amish Country and Philadelphia. In our Lancaster County we "ate ourselves full" as the Amish say. We enjoyed the scenery, the food, the shops, everything. I came home with some goodies too! No surprise there , right ;)  Plus, I brought some New York bagels to a shopkeeper friend of mine! I made some mental notes of a  table and a cabinet I want to buy next time. My husband had brought the measuring tape but we still decided to wait till the next trip. We did purchase a cool house for the foyer that lights up--picture posted  (My husband spotted it and said it was a must have; I agreed) and my son purchased the mounted birdhouse for our porch.  He surprised me with it when we were at a great store called Almost Paradise. As I was exiting the store and packing the car up with my multiple purchases :)   he said "Mom, what do you think of this birdhouse? Wouldn't it look good on the porch?" He was right--it would! He then told me he bought it was a family gift. My son sure loves his home and the things we decorate with. What a great husband he'll make someday.
The kids loved where we stayed--Caitlin REALLY loved the pools!Her swimming has really taken off this Summer so she was swimming underwater, jumping off diving boards--my little fishy. Whereas my son always loved to swim, she has taken it to a new level of excitement! Caitlin swims and jumps in with so much gusto! Oh my! She jumps in and keeps on going like the energizer bunny.

As we traveled around I photographed some lovely ideas to take home and copy! I always do that--I can't remember everything so my camera is my life. She (the camera) has  been giving me a bit of trouble lately but she gets the job done. I think I might need a new one under the Christmas tree!

On the last day of our trip, we went to Philadelphia and that was great too! We went to Besty Ross's house first. Caitlin had done her very first book report on her  not long before school ended. She was thrilled to go to her house! What a great little tour! We went to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Ben Franklin Square. We are history lovers so of course we were in heaven. It also made us want to go back to Massachusetts! At Betsy Ross's house, "Betsy" spoke directly to you about her life and her shop that George Washington visited and showed her a plan for a flag he had in mind to represent our country. Upon looking at his ideas on scrap paper, Betsy told the respected General that she had a better idea of what the flag should like! Although they had similar ideas, he liked her design better and so the flag was born.  A great stop in Philly if you ever visit! I get goosebumps walking in Independence Hall and to the Liberty Bell knowing who also walked through those doors. The history just overwhelms me.

The Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in America and it was amazing. Although it was a hot day, most of the animals were active....except our favorites--the BIG CATS. Those lazy guys were sleeping and just a little twitch of the tail or an occasional short walk to another sleeping spot is all we saw. KIND OF LIKE MY CATS AT HOME :)     Oh yes, they did treat us to a few big yawns so we saw their teeth.  The giraffe were active as were the polar bears. All in all we had a great time viewing them all and it was a pleasant day.

Back home, as I said I am stealing some pretty ideas from Amish Country that I liked. I'm sure you have seen the idea of using a votive candle inserted into a larger clear glass container and the outer container is filled with unpopped popcorn. Pop in a Fall colored votive and it is finished. SO FAll-ish!  I loved that one. Saw that in the Old Candle Barn. I think I will make a cluster...
I also saw, but I forgot where, a very cute idea to recycle your tarts or old candles by melting them into mini rustic frying pans or metal receptacles and then before the wax hardens, you add wax stars or hearts or a few bowl fillers and then you let the wax harden around it. It is adorable! So I am saving my wax tarts to do just that! ...and I will be making more bowl fillers out of cinnamon this Fall.

That's my boy!

Scaredy Cats!

My Water Girl

Walking through the covered bridge

Betsy Ross House

Goosebumps I  tell you!

Love it and stealing the idea!Thanks!

Wax tarts

Billy's purchase for our porch

My husband has good eyes for spotting goodies

in the foyer she goes

the Halloween pussycat plate is out

leaves to be wrapped around the base of the hook and an electric candle in his mouth!

Other items I purchased on my trip--the star shaped orange pip wreath and every shop ther ewas had this pumpkin lantern on this hook! I loved it and had to have it for two reasons--it was adorable and everyone in Lancaster had it so I had to too :)   I also bought new pip berry wreath for my  kitchen table chandelier! Only $9.99 what a steal.

Before I end, I wanted to show you my  hydrangeas that have dried. These are just some of them. I have them in a vase in my parlor. I followed a method of drying that I learned from the internet---let them dry on the bush itself! Don't cut the flowers off and just keep an eye on them and when you see they have completely dried, cut them off! I did, it worked and I am happy!

Have a splendid day and if you have a chance please see my new friend Joyce's incredible blog that I have  added to my sidebar--October Farm! I have already made one of her recipes and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD!  Farfalle Pasta& Sausage-----heaven on earth!