How long will this last?

I caught the baking bug... and baked banana bread today...and filled my jar with candy corn! I wonder how long this will last?

the name game...

I have been tagged by Martha over at Elizabeth Hill Cottage! It's the game where you list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name...Mine is Marie, short but sweet. M. of course I automatically think of my husband's name Mark...we met when we were 9 months old in the waiting room of the doctors office,(no joke) my Mom loves to tell this story.., I was shy and not walking and Mark was walking all over the place and came up to say Hi to me.. love at first sight? we met again in second grade when we were in my sister's and his brother's wedding, years went by and he asked me to a basketball game when we were fifteen. We always knew we would end up married. (no we are not Amish). I love him more now
after 28 years of marriage!I would have to say he is the kindest person I have ever known. A. apples They are everywhere around here this time of year! they remind me of my Dad who passed away last winter...He would go to the apple orchard and get a ton of apples and drive all over the place leaving them with friends and family...when I would come home and there were apples on my counter I would know Dad was there! R. railroad tracks We live about three blocks from the railroad tracks that wind threw our little town...everyday at four o clock you can hear the whistle of the train making it way thru town. Every once in awhile the train will stop and the conductor gets out and goes to the meat market (which is next to the tracks) and picks up dinner! ( No I do not live in Petticoat Junction!) I. Itchy! I came across some poison ivy while picking bittersweet a few weeks ago and I am still itchy! E. Everything everything I love...my husband, Mom, nieces and nephews, sisters, FALL, antique hunting with friends, decorating, the north shore, shopping, reading and creating!!! and a Snickers with diet coke. yewh! I am thankful my middle name is short. The picture posted on today's blog is of my birdbath(pumpkin holder) in my garden...I wrapped some fresh grapevine around it. I love the simplicity of it!Thanks for tagging me Martha! I decided not to tag anyone, You probably have been tagged already but if not consider yourself tagged!

Four Generation picture...

My family was flattered to be asked to pose for a four generation picture for a brochure promoting my Mom's assisted living facility...Isn't Addi the sweetest? on the left is her Mommy and me in the back and my Mom...It was really nice to have this professional picture done for us. But it was bittersweet...Instead of me in the picture it should of been my sister who passed away 15 years ago. Addi is her granddaughter and Addi's mommy is my sister's daughter. When my sister passed her daughters were 14 and 18 and she asked me to always look after them.I promised I would...this came very naturally since I was very close with my nieces since they were babies, well fast forward 15 years and both of my nieces are beautiful women who each have two children of their own (one of which is Addi) I am looked at as their Grandma and not having any children of my own, well all I can say is I am blessed! I feel guilt sometimes, especially at really important moments with my nieces(their weddings, births, four generation pictures,etc.) that my sister is not there and that I am. As I write this my little niece Addi is playing at my feet...my sister would love her so!

the little stool....

I finally finished a few little projects that were in my garage...It took awhile but I got to it, and to think I used to get truck loads of this stuff done in no time!Below is the picture (the before shot)of a little stool I bought last August at the flea market and here is the after picture! what a difference a good cleaning and a lot of varnish can do!

she has her smile back....

It has been a long week for little Addison...she had a viral infection and is teething. But today she seemed better so we took our morning walk and it was so nice, the leaves are turning and there was a warm summery breeze blowing...what was mostly a frown this week has turned into big smiles! She is napping now...Auntie is going to lie on the couch....a very long week indeed!

itchy!

I love the bittersweet I recently picked...but I am wondering if it was worth it! my poison ivy buster boots failed me! I have poison ivy behind both of my knees, which is painful and hard to walk around...I won't go into detail. It is not pretty. MENTAL NOTE: next year buy bittersweet at the farmer's market! Anyone know how to treat poison ivy?

Last Hurrah!

We had one last hurrah this weekend...not long before we will close down the cabin for the winter. We had beautiful weather, nice and cool for biking! there is a gorgeous trail near our cabin (pictured on the trail are my husband and his sister, her son and my great nephew (godson) ( best kid ever!)
Hubby and kidlets....

before and after....

I bought these gnarly looking apple gourds at my local apple orchard...Isn't it cruddy looking? all full of dirt and grime and a layer of green film! I scrubbed them with ammonia and water and waited until they were dry and brushed on a coat of varnish....the color just pops out of them with the coat of varnish...I love them nestled in with my hydrangeas in a basket!
I love this time of year....

Bittersweet Harvest

What a beautiful Sunday! the sun is shinning and it is 65 degrees! I have been waiting for this weeks! A perfect day to go out in the woods and harvest some bittersweet vines! So I dug out my rubber boots (I like to think of them as my poison ivy busters) and headed to my secret spot...shhh. sorry I can't tell where this is....
I did really well, a wheel barrow full! I added some to my white picket fence...Tomorrow I will start filling totes and the mantle inside my house... Did I say how I love this time of year???

I'm soooooooooo over this heat!

91 degrees today...ugh. So I pulled out all my pink impatients and summery flowers out of my urns and added mums and pumpkins! Bring it on Fall! I am ready for you....

back home.

We are back from the lake...beautiful weather the entire time! a feeling of fall was definitely in the air...We picked a basket of apples from the tree my Dad planted, and did a lot of boating. It was just my husband and I this time and it was very relaxing...we had a yummy steak dinner Sat. night out on the boat, the weather was gorgeous! There were so many garage sales on the way but my husband had other ideas, he had one vision and that was to get to the cabin! So I headed back into town when we got there and SCORE...I got this clock for .25 cents! and couple other little diddles...Hope everyone had a great holiday!