The Calendar says August but it's Fall in my House!

August was great; as a matter of fact June and July was good too! We had a quiet but fun Summer--we went to Stormville to the antique flea market, we went to Amish Country with family and had fun, the Philadelphia Zoo to see furry friends, did Vacation Bible School, the library club, we were swimming and enjoying nights outside on the porch as well as our firepit roasting marshmallows and making smores. We helped Grandma move into her new pad :)   We did woodworking, we junk hunted, refurbished, painted, crafted and created. We had theme nights for food, had movie nights, game nights, had sleepovers.....We have had a great Summer. School starts September 5th. Even though I am out of school since 1983 I can't help but still look at the school calendar to see when the LAST day of school is! It's the first page I flip to! Silly, right? I enjoy the kids home. I love snow days. I love holidays. I love when they close the school for parent/teacher conferences. School may be coming...the long term assignments, the spelling tests, the algebra, all of it....but we still manage to have OUR fun. As I said to Caitlin (who is entering into 2nd grade already), we have so much to look forward to! Apple picking, baking with our apples, making applesauce, pumpkin picking, Halloween, our Halloween party, and so much more. Bye Bye August. We want the Fall to come!

To put a smile on your face, please see the pictures of my little squirrel friend who decided to help himself to our peanut supply. You see, I have always fed the squirrels, the raccoons, and stray cats (if any). I'm Italian--we feed everyone! We can't help it. Food=Love   (do the math)   Sooooo, I always keep this little bucket filled with peanuts by my rear door as my squirrels know to go there and wait patiently till I see them, then I feed them and they go on their merry way. Well, this little guy, who incidentally also likes to eat his peanuts sitting on my front porch or upon my mailbox, happened to notice that someone hadn't quite closed the rear door. Not mentioning any names who the culprit was...Caitlin...It wasn't "clicked" shut. And I guess he didn't want to bother me so he helped himself! BUT what he didn't know was that I had actually heard him reaching into the little bucket, and I got it on video and took some photos. Now I know everyone might say that I took a chance that he could run all over my house but I knew that was not his intention. He saw, he grabbed,  he ate. END OF STORY. The little cutie. Then he shared them with our baby blue jay friends. (maybe the blue jays were in on the plan all along)  ;)

As I am taking my Fall decorations out, I also take out my 1970's orange decorations. The orange cat and the orange bucket that I made an arrangement in last year were my Mom's. I grew up in the 1970's when it was fashionable to have an orange kitchen...and we did! So while it may not appeal to many to have an orange cat candle holder or an orange bucket, I always loved them and I thought they blended in well with my Fall decorations! I still remember exactly where my Mom had them in the kitchen too! My old friends are out for the season once again! My Mom always smiles when she sees them in my kitchen!

 I also made a few candle decorations. This weekend Billy will be taking down my cartons from the shed so I can really get started. I took down the scarecrows...they'll be out by Labor Day. Wow, this whole process of  decorating has completely tuckered Red Cat out. A nap was needed so that he would be frisky for FAll again!

We took a ride out on our North Fork again yesterday. Just for a couple of hours. We saw pumpkins already; I was quite shocked to see them this soon.  Signs for roasted corn and hay rides too! The season is starting early for everyone! Greenport is a lovely town--you can take a ferry to Connecticut and Shelter Island out there!

Time for me to go! I am making chicken soup today! The house will be smelling yummy in no time!

Happy Fall!

The coast is clear for a theft!

quietly, very quietly......

Oh no! The jig is up, as they say!

All mine!

You know Mr. Blue Jay--this makes you an accessory to the crime

Orange cat and bucket!

He has worked so hard!

Downtown Greenport, Long Island

The edge of Long Island, next stop is the ocean and Connecticut

Have a great day and before I go, I want to thank the new visitors I had to my blog. I really appreciate the comments and fellowship! Really, really, really!