Backyard Decoration

 Enjoy the Fall, life is good!  Stay safe and God Bless America!

The Porch Is Decorated

My sister-in-law emailed me that they had gone out and bought their mums and pumpkins and were ready to decorate there in Ohio.  I was inspired so I went out and bought a pumpkin for our porch.

Life is good.  Stay safe, people!  God Bless America!

A Story

I have always liked Vera Bradley purses.  I first discovered them years ago on one of our beach trips for a golf tournament.  I was window shopping at Broadway at the Beach and found the first one I bought at a small boutique.  At the time, due to developing joint issues, my doctor and PT person had told me to always use a cross-body bag and keep it light.  Vera met those requirements.

A few years ago the Vera Bradley company got new management.  I have no idea what they were thinking but they really have made some awful bags since then; rough sticking zippers, not so great fabrics.  They changed the construction of the bags.  The real topper for me was when they promoted a new bag in a Harry Potter print.  I got emails, texts, and Facebook posts about it for months.  When it was released, their website jammed, then shut down, and by the time I could get to it, they were all gone.  When I inquired about restocking, I was told "oh, no, that was a special issue".  And I put Vera on "my list".  You know, that taking names and keeping track list.  I am sure most of us have one of those lists.

Since then, the only Vera bag I have purchased was from their online closeout sale of discontinued items.  I had found a bag of the type I like best, in a color I liked.  Otherwise, I have just been rotating my bags that I've kept.  

I have always loved Harry Potter.  I've read the books several times, and lost count of how many times we've watched the movies.  So I really had a dilemma recently when I got an email advertising the new Harry Potter line from Vera.  I thought about it for a day or so and Les said "just order it".  It arrived yesterday!

I left that little card in the very small pocket so you could see it. 😊

If only my wand would work!

And I just have to add this picture to the post.  This was taken in 2003.  Jordan and I were in costume for a Harry Potter night at the Boxwood Inn.  Les and Jacquie went as Muggles. 😊

Life is good.  Stay safe and take care of yourselves.  God Bless America!

Another Pretty Day

I posted a pretty sky picture two days ago.  Yesterday it was dark and rained all day as a weather front came through our area.  I took this picture this morning.

It was a little after 7:00 a.m. and I was standing in the Lowe's parking lot after getting some stain for an "art" project.  I just had to take this picture!  

BTW, that is a great time of day to be shopping at Lowe's. And in case anyone is interested, they now have all their Halloween and Christmas decorations on display right at the entrance.  

After Lowe's I went to Kroger for a head of lettuce and then to Starbucks. 😊

It's cooler today, only 61 when we got up this morning.  

All is well.  Take care of yourselves and stay safe.  Life is good.  God Bless America!

Happy Fall!

Today it is official!  It's Fall!

At the moment it is 81 degrees and 79% humidity, so it doesn't really feel like Fall, but a front is headed through here later today and it's supposed to cool off and rain.  

Here's a picture of our morning sky.  Took this while I was out early this morning.

And since I was taking pictures, here are a couple of the blooming azalea and the geraniums that are still going strong.

Take care and stay safe.  Life is good!  God Bless America!

Hey!

Well, I have made some short posts lately, but realize I have not actually said much.  So here are some updates. 😊

The official "Fall cleaning" is done.  That does not mean that cleaning will not continue to be done regularly around here.  It just means I have completed a traditional Fall ritual passed down through Mom and Grama.  So, YAY!  I am sure they are looking down watching me and are happy I've kept up their tradition.

Les had a short "Guys' golf trip" to Myrtle Beach.  His brother went along so they got to visit.  Everyone  was careful and took some precautions.  Golf is really one of the safer activities nowadays.  The players are out in the fresh air, and not enclosed in a tight space.  This trip was with the regular group of guys he plays with during the week and they have all been trying to keep safe.  

Our fence is all done, we had someone come and put the weather protectant on it.  The yard is still a mess in spots but our yard guys come the week of the 27th to aerate, seed, fertilize.  Les and I have done some cleanup and taken care of some things out there.  I was just out this morning doing some tidying up in the mulched areas and doing some pruning.

School is still going okay for our grandchildren.  Keep your fingers crossed. We'd all like for the kids to stay in classrooms.  Although Cutie Girl says she's ready for a vacation and Little Miss E wants to know when she can have a snow day. 💓😊

I had my annual mammogram.  It was an 8:00 a.m. appointment and by 10:30 I had the report that all was well.  So I will schedule for next year.

I also had a haircut and it feels and looks better.  I've tried to keep up with errands.  I have my annual eye appointment at the end of the month.

Les and I have been using our new elliptical machine.  I can do a little longer each time I use it.  This was a good decision.

I will be checking with our doctor's office this coming week.  If they have the senior flu vaccines available we will go get them.  After having some scheduling confusion, the Covid boosters will be in November for us as per our doctor.

So, life is good!  Stay safe and take care of yourselves.  God Bless America!

Mr. Gnome Is Ready for Fall, Too

Mr. Gnome has been doing his Fall yard cleanup, too.

Stay safe and take care of yourselves.  Life is good.  And God Bless America!

Just a Good Thought

 

Take care of yourselves and stay safe.  Life is good.  And God Bless America!

Never Forget

 God Bless America!

A Breath of Fresh Fall Air

Yesterday it was raining off and on all day and it was dark, hot, and muggy.  This morning when I went outside it was sunny and 60, with low humidity.  Just made me think "Fall"!  Of course, it's supposed to get back to around 90 again in the next few days, but today is lovely.

I had some errands to do.  They took a lot longer than they should have.  Many roads were closed for a while because of the vice-president visiting Hampton University.  Personally, I think one of the helicopters flying overhead could have taken her directly there.  But that's just me and that's all I'll say.

The Fall cleaning has been going well.  I have just a couple small jobs to do yet and then I will declare that I am done. 🍂 Mainly it's just a bit of touch-up painting to do in a couple spots.

In the spirit of fresh Fall air, Angus is agreeing.  And he took his cool weather spot again under the quilt.

That lump under the quilt is him.  😊

Take care of yourselves and stay safe.  Life is good!  God Bless America!

Basically Just a Picture

 

It was time to get our ceramic pumpkins out; just had to take a picture. There are some others sitting around the house, too.

I got some yard work done this morning.  Wanted to do it before it got hotter.  I took care of the parts that were bothering me, so all is well.

Life is good.  Take care of yourselves and stay safe.  God Bless America!

Fall

 

Yes, I am ready for Fall.  I'm ready for cooler weather.  I'm ready for the Fall colors.  They make me happy.  My Mom always liked Fall colors.  

When I was little Granpa would take us all for drives out "in the country".  He'd stop along the roads and Mom and Grama would pick dried milkweed pods and pick up bright colored leaves.  Granpa helped when they found a batch of bittersweet growing somewhere.  He would cut some and when we got home Fall arrangements were made to set around their home.  We also picked up a LOT of Buckeyes!

I've been working on our "official" Fall cleaning.  This was a ritual for Mom and Grama.  I remember helping Grama clean wall paper with the stuff that looked like and smelled like green Playdoh!  I also remember her hauling her rugs out and onto a line in the yard.  I got to help beat them with a thing like a tennis racket.  I am sure it has a name, but that's what it looked like.  Mom would get down on her hands and knees and scrub and wax the floors.

Even though I try to always keep things clean and neat, I do like Fall cleaning.  Thankfully, this cleaning is a bit easier now.  But it still takes time, patience, and energy.  Some days those things are in short supply.  But I've been working on it and all the rooms have had walls wiped down, baseboards cleaned, floors cleaned, windows washed, etc.  Nothing like the smell of PineSol cleaner on the floors and Lemon Pledge on the furniture!  

The last thing on the list is to clean and put the sealer on the granite in the bathrooms and the kitchen.  I will get to that in the next day or two.  Then I can see about some of the small outside jobs in the yard.  The fence is completed.  We have some guys coming to put the weather protectant on it sometime soon.  Unfortunately, the fence work made a mess of some areas of our yard.  We're working on that.  I'm pretty sure when our yard guys come at the end of the month to aerate, seed, and fertilize, it will all get better.

This is the first year for these lovely Fall pillow covers that Pam made. Thanks, Pam!

Jacquie and Chris came and helped move some things out of our upstairs room. Thank you! 

The semi-recumbent elliptical machine is all set up and we've been using it.  We're still deciding exactly what to get for a chair/convertible bed up there.  We may move a couple things around, but for now it's mostly open space.  The elliptical won't be moving.  Probably never moving ever according to the three men who got it up there!  

So, life is good.  Take care of yourselves and stay safe.  God Bless America!

A Visitor

Every once in a while I look out and see a hawk sitting on our fence.  Today I saw this handsome guy, right there on the new fence!

Life is good.  Stay safe and take care of yourselves.  God Bless America!