CRAZY FOR THESE

I have always decorated for

Autumn and Halloween

in a BIG way.

This year is no exception. But I'm into things this time around

that I have

NEVER

been into before.

I have discovered

FAUX PRIMITIVE

skeleton, pumpkin and cat dolls.

Nothing in my house will ever be the same.

I LOVE these. Absolutely smitten.

Something sweet and endearing about them.

I see them with

a childlike innocence and wonderment.

I can NOT sew very well

 so there is no sense in me

buying a

'pattern' 

to make one.

Though, 

I would LOVE nothing more.

I have searched high and low.

Finding a REAL primitive doll 

for this season

in an antique/secondhand store

has proven fruitless.

So I guess I will stick to

the FABULOUS fakes

I found in Joann Fabrics.

They MADE my day.

YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS TO BELIEVE IT

We recently took a trip to Michigan.

While driving home, in the middle of nowhere

out of the corner of his eye,

my hubby saw this

TRACTOR IN THE SKY.

He was so shocked,

he made a U-Turn,

trying to find out how to get closer.

He wanted me to take a photo of it.

There were trees blocking our view

from almost every angle.

But after going down a side road

I was able to snap a few pictures.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
A vintage tractor

sitting up on a silo

about 60-75 feet

off the ground.

Some things just defy

explanation, don't they?

IN MEMORIAM OF A ROLE MODEL

"Back in 1969

the ENTIRE world

stopped

and took a collective

BREATH

when a man named

ARMSTRONG

walked upon the moon.

Today...

we wipe away our tears

and mourn his loss. "

"What was most significant

about the lunar voyage

was not that

men set foot on the moon

but that they

set eyes upon the

EARTH."

My NANA loved LOBO

Remember this song?

ABOUT a MAN named ARMSTRONG.

GOING NOWHERE FAST

We were FLAT OUT of luck.

So we called our friends at

AAA.

Been members over 30 years.

In 15 minutes 

they sent someone 

to the rescue.

He JACKED up the car

and took the flat tire off.

Then CHECKED to see WHY it was flat?

He could NOT find a reason?
No holes, nothing stuck in it.
Just would not hold air.

So he couldn't put a plug in it.

My hubby and him

went to search for the spare tire.

We were not sure I even had one???

They found it

 but it NEEDED air.

The guy's compressor took

FOREVER

to fill it.

But eventually it did.

And he put the spare on the car.

Put on the bolts.

Tightened them.

And said

GOODBYE

while we put out

other fires that cropped up.

Like this fallen branch

for instance.

It's ALWAYS something.

"A bad attitude is like a flat tire.

If you don’t change it, you’ll never go anywhere."

PRICE IS RIGHT. MAKING WORK FOR MYSELF

Some days you get LUCKY and find a bargain.

On this particular day I found two.

One BIG and one SMALL.

First this.

Aren't these beautiful AUTUMN placemats?
They go perfectly with my rust colored tablecloth.

Can you believe the price? $1.50 a piece.

I purchased six of them from Big Lots.

Moseying down the road...
this also caught my eye. 

I had been looking for a sideboard for months.

But truth be told, couldn't afford the high price tag.

So when I stopped by

The Goodwill Store and ran across this one...

 I couldn't believe my good fortune.
It was solid oak and marked $59.99.

I bought it on the spot.
Yet, had no way to transport it home,

since all I had was my car.

I called my husband.
He drives the van.
He left work a little early,

driving two hours from Indiana

 so we could bring it home.

There are no pictures of my hubby and I

lugging it out of the van,

inside the house, at 10:30 that night.

But I will tell you it was

slightly reminiscent of a good

Laurel and Hardy Movie.

Of course, while we were resting

from all this strenuous activity...
our cats thoroughly 

inspected the new piece of furniture...

Ultimately giving it, their final stamp of approval.

After moving a few pieces of artwork on the wall...

Then decorating the top of the sideboard

with a couple of my favorite things.

I am ready to add some of

my reading material inside.

I own MORE books than a library.

I have my WORK cut out for me.

DON'T MISS A THING SHARING

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN

GET TO THE HEART

OF A SANDWICH

WITHOUT THE BREAD?

And it's so much better for you.

Because of my diabetes

  I can't afford the extra carbs

in a slice of bread, much less two pieces.

So I now ask for my bread

on the side or not at all

if I go out to eat.

And most restaurants

are happy to oblige.
LATER ON MY WAY HOME

I share that BREAD I didn't touch

with a few of my friends.

Seems they can never get their fill of it.

LIFE IS A FESTIVAL

We haven't really gone anywhere this summer that you could call a vacation. BUT... we have made a number of DAY trips here and there. A few weekends ago we caught a festival in full swing close to home. It was hot outside. Temps were over 95. My hubby doesn't do well in that kind of heat because of his COPD. But he knew how much I wanted to see all the merchants and entertainment there. So off we went. He sat out most of the time and I scooted along from booth to booth.

FOOD vendors had a BLOCK to themselves. The smells were intoxicating and the temptation was great.

 

I must confess I  LOVE  gryos. And wanted one. But we had just eaten at home, so I really wasn't hungry and neither was the hubby.

Colorful dresses lined the street.

Purses and shades were in abundance.

Earrings galore. And dream catchers too.

Interesting hats and more shoulder bags.

And a booth dedicated to pumpkin boxes.

Little dancers were center stage putting on a show.

A man juggled his balls.

An artist drew impromptu portraits.

And we saw the CUTEST baby in the whole world.

(No relation to us, I might add.)

Suddenly the sky opened up and it began to pour rain.

The festivities were over for the day.

But I managed to snag one

of these gorgeous Harvest Trees before I left.

Ain't it pretty?