Autumn Blessings

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile".
-William Cullen Bryant

Fall truly is the loveliest time of year, hands down.  I always get sentimental this time of year.  I also get excited, because there are so many changes coming.  Lots of exciting events to look forward to.  My favorite holidays, harvest time, several family birthdays, hunting season, and of course, the fall colors.  But that last event comes and goes way too fast.  I guess that's why so many people take endless photos of the trees in their various stages of dress.  But I never tire of it.  My husband and I attended a conference in Duluth this past weekend and the colors were at peak.  We are both past the half-century mark in age, and yet, we were both in awe of the vistas as we came up over 'the hill' on our way home.  It never gets old.

We have another reason for excitement this fall - two more grandbabies.  One came just before conference.  We just couldn't wait to meet him, so squeezed in two-day trip to Iowa before Duluth.  It was so worth it.  We spent a day spoiling the two other grandchildren so that my son and daughter-in-law could have a day with the new baby.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and totally wore out the kids (ourselves too!).

Meet Owen.  Love the name.  

Big brother and sister.  They are so cute - they love their little brother!

Yeah, I'm a proud Nana! :)


The next baby comes in November, just before Thanksgiving.  That will be grandchild number 8.

Spending the rest of my week cooking apples!  I think I'll make apple butter and make apple pie filling to go into the freezer.  The ranch is listed for sale, but no buyers yet, so we have the good fortune to be able to harvest apples from the orchard one more year.

Much to be thankful for in my corner of the world!

Marie

Breaking the Chain

So my friend Connie at Crafty Home Cottage was kind enough to invite me to participate in a blog hop.  Because I really like Connie and her blog, I immediately said yes!  I needed to prepare a bio along with a photo for her by the following Monday.  Easy peasy.  I know, I'm pretty vague about these things when it comes to blogging.  I am flattered when people read what I write, of course, who wouldn't be!  I blog because if I don't write, the words inside my head roll around and around and pretty soon I can't hear what people are saying to me because there are too many words crowding inside my head.  I also use my blog as a journal/scrapbook of sorts.  I just looked back at pictures of my Littles the other day and it was amazing to see how much they have grown.  But I guess I just don't pay attention to things like Blog Hops, and Something Monday, or Something Else Thursday, or What Have You because I was clueless as to what they meant and didn't have the time to figure it out.

Now I thought I was finished at that point, go ahead and laugh :)  I found out from Connie the end of this past week that it was also my responsibility to find three people from my list of followers to share their bio on my blog so that I could introduce them in the blog hop for this upcoming week.  Ok, I could do that, and it was my intention to accomplish that some time between Friday and Sunday, but - no such luck.  We had some major storm damage up at the ranch.  Some downed trees and part of the fence blew over in the paddock.  And there is no internet up there.  Not much I could do about that.  It reminds me of when I used to get chain letters and did not pass them on.  So I guess I broke the chain again...

Is there a time out for breaking the blog hop chain???

Here's this week's favorite photo:

Foggy morning on the lake yesterday and I got lucky with this photo :)

Marie

Change is Good: And It's Good to Be Back!

It's time to get back into the swing of things.  We spent a few months at the ranch and then found a lake home that we loved at first sight.  We moved in this summer.  It was a difficult move for all of us, mainly because we have too much 'stuff'.  It has taught us a lesson about acquiring possessions.  We think more carefully before accepting or buying anything these days.  And we are more apt to give things away, rather than hang onto them 'just in case' we might need them some day.
I sent E. off to her first day at the new school the other day and decided it was time to check in with my blog - finally.  When I saw the the last sentence of my last post, I felt it was so fitting because I had just posted a status on Facebook:  Sent my 'baby' girl off to her first day at a new school. She was nervous. So was/am I. Change is hard. But also good.  

Lake living is so much fun for all ages :)

                                                                                                                         

Sometimes the view takes your breath away..

Embrace Change!

Marie