Happy Halloween!

I woke up this morning feeling a little sad.........here it is Halloween, which used to be the most exciting day of the year.......and now it's kind of just another day. When the kids were little it was a day full of witch hunts, ghostly visits, rummaging through the "dress up" clothes for possible costumes. For dinner there'd be pizza or mashed potatoes made to look like a pumpkin and for dessert a special ghost cake. But the best part would be tromping around in the cold with the littlest member , who ever it happened to be that year, going door-to-door with them as they bashfully uttered..."Trick-or-Treat"!

I probably was too busy in those days to really value all those precious minutes and I know someday I'll look back on the days I'm living now and realize I should have been valuing every minute more........it's a beautiful Fall day outside, it rained all night, but now the sun is out....the air smells so fresh and I live in such a beautiful place.

Jilly just called and I talked to each of the boys.....full of Halloween excitement.....and guess what !! They're having a Halloween pizza and Anders said a witch was going to visit them! Happy, Happy Halloween!!!!

Paintin' the Pickets!

Our latest project around here is refurbishing the picket fence. I always wanted a picket fence kind of place , but right now I'm not so sure! Yesterday I counted and we have 586 pickets to paint.......that is after they've been sanded and primed! Jim and I have been sort of a tag team.......with me being more of the tag and Jim being most of the team.......the man works like a possessed person! I try to do my painting early in the morning......it's quiet and still outside....I actually find it very soothing. It's my kind of painting.....you don't have to worry so much about staying "inside the lines" and thank goodness for latex paint, it eventually comes off my hands!

Today I taking my Mom down to Sacramento to see her friend Pearl who just had a hip replacement......then hurry home to yet more sewing.

October Bash!

Gee, it's seems it takes me longer and longer to get things posted this time of year.........too much sewing......not enough fun!!! Well, catch up time again.

On Saturday Lupine Hill Farm hosted the October Birthday Bash.......celebrating family members whose birthdays are in October.............Granny, Jerry, Jack and Denny. Jerry and Barbara weren't able to make it this year as they were on DC. Tess and Ryan couldn't make it because they live too far away and Seth wasn't here because of work......so it was a smaller than usual version of the "Bash". Still, a good time was had by all.........good food......broccoli salad and birthday cake.........present opening and after dinner political talk. I remembered to record the event with my camera just as Jack and Donna were leaving....hence the above photo.

On Monday Granny and I went down to Davis to hang out with Molly .....always a good time. Other than that I've been upstairs sewing, with occasional breaks to work in the garden , or as I did today.......make some Halloween cookies! Oh yeah.......Tessy called this morning a we had a great visit. She's doing fine and sounds happy. I miss her........haven't seen her for about a month, but she and Ryan and Maddie will be here for Xmas......I can't wait!!!

Autumn Bounty!

I think the season of food preservation is over for this year! Pickles, relish, chili sauce and chutney........plus a baskets and baskets of squash and a freezer full of hot and Bell peppers. We'll be eating well this Winter......with lots of help from the local grocery store! Every since I've been a little girl....many eons ago.....I've been like a squirrel in the fall, I like my food stores to be full. I guess I played "pioneer" too much............it's a great feeling to have food stored up for the coming Winter. I always thought I was born in the wrong century!

However, since I am here now, I'll let you know what's happening around here the last few days. Well, actually not so much! Seth and I did some work on the picket fence this morning and then I put some of the new knobs on the cabinets in the laundry room. Slowly, but surely we're getting things done that we've thought about doing since we moved in about 12 years ago. I love this house and this property......I can't imagine a more "homey" place.........easy to say in this most wonderful Autumn weather......ask me again in the dog days of August!

Granny's 86th Birthday!

Yesterday, October 10, was my Mom's 86th birthday......and as usual we celebrated in style! We had the big "party" the night before , as Denny and Joan were going out of town the next day. Joanie and I supplied the food and Denny barbecued ......and a delicious carrot cake to boot! It was a wonderful meal,as always, filled with laughter. After dinner we gave Mom her present ......a laptop! She was beyond surprised! We spent the next couple of hours showing her the ropes.......I think she's got Solitaire down pat! About 11:00 Jim, Seth and I headed up the hill.

Yesterday I went back down to take Mom out for a birthday lunch and then spent the afternoon getting her signed up for Internet service and give her a Solitaire refresher course. Once she's online I plan on setting up a blog site for her.......I'll let you all know when she's up and running with her e-mail address........she'll be thrilled to hear from everyone!

It's cold and windy here on Lupine Hill today.......we've got a big fire going. Guess I should be getting upstairs and start sewing, but maybe I'll curl up with a book for a few minutes!

Soggy Eggplant!

I finally got a photo of me and my little "store"! When I apply for new shows they always want a photo of me........why I don't know! NOW I have a relevant photo to send in. This photo was taken this weekend at the Loomis Eggplant Festival. I almost didn't go because of the weather. The night before it was windy and rainy. Even when I woke up Saturday morning it was rainy and cold here, but our weather is so different than down in the valley that I decided to head on down and try to salvage my $70 "rent" at the festival. By the time I got there the weather had improved dramatically and so I got busy setting up. By mid-morning it was a beautiful day.

Molly showed up about noon and spent the afternoon with me.......a great help as well as great company! She snapped the above picture for me.......thanks, Molls!

I did fairly well, money wise........the wet night didn't keep too many people away......so i started a little Xmas shopping with my Mom yesterday. Now I'm broke again........oh well, there'll be another show soon!

Debate Watch Party!

A much anticipated event here on Lupine Hill Farm.......the Biden- Palin debate. Many of you know how I feel about Sarah Palin.......I think she's dangerous, bogus and mostly brain dead! Anyyyyyyyhow........I guess the "mean Janet "surfaced in the last few weeks because I really wanted her to be humiliated last night . I must admit I don't feel she actually humiliated herself, but I do feel she humiliated the Republican Party, who condoned that farce of a debate! Wow.....she IS made for Hollywood...she can memorize lines and deliver such adorable smiles! Needless to say the thought of her anywhere near the White House is so scary to me.

On a less partisan note........Granny, Seth, Tess, Jim and I had a great little party!

Obama in Reno!

Big excitement here! Yesterday Seth, Tess and I made a trek to Reno on a beautiful Autumn day to see Barack Obama!! He was speaking at the University of Nevada. There were so many people! All ages, colors and gender.....everyone totally stoked to see Sen. Obama. After snaking through a long, long line.....it took about an hour.....we finally got through security. We worked our way up toward the stage and found a pretty good observation point. I think we were about a couple of hundred feet ........I suck at distance estimates....from the podium. However, there were masses of people in front of us and so a clear view of him speaking was often hit or miss. He gave a very stirring speech.....sprinkled with a clear sense of humor. He spoke for approx. 30 minutes....keeping the majority of the crowd spellbound. When he was done speaking we headed over to where his car was waiting and it was there that Tess got the best photo......we were about 50 ft away. Before he got over to the car however Seth noticed that Obama had moved down into the crowd and was shaking hands so he headed over there . He didn't shake hands , but got a close up view! .

We finally headed back to the car ......a long hike back......among the throngs of happy supporters!

We had a beautiful drive home ......the foliage is amazing right now......my Ipod controlled the air waves........I couldn't have been happier!