Halloween Eve~Our Pumpkins Carved an Our Marshmallows Eaten

Last night was no-hands-down,my most enjoyable Fall Fun; 
No big menu, no parties, no guest.
I do enjoy the yummy treats and our wild Monster Mash was super-fantastic, 
and I do love company.
but...
We hand not been able to carve our pumpkins yet. My daughters schedule can be quite full between all the cheerleading and band competitions that consume her almost daily and we couldn't carve our pumpkins without her.
So, we've been waiting. I've been stalling and Jack was becoming very impatient.
We also had a big bag of large marshmallows that I promised we would roast in the cabinet.
Finally, everyone was accounted for and the carving was on!

By the time we were done there was nothing left but pulp.
As a matter of fact in the morning light there is pulp everywhere.
(maybe not everywhere it is surely hanging around)

There's something about that gooey pumpkin pulp that gets the giggles going.
The Ole Man(husband) came in from work and he seemed more than just entertained by all the goings on. He has a hardy laugh that would compare to Errol Flynn that will
 steal my heart every time.

The kids carved the pumpkins and placed them with Fred the Scarecrow.
They made good company.
We placed some of those $.97 solar lights inside.
They gave off a very warm glow.

I want to wish a safe and enjoyable evening 
to everyone as they hit the streets 
on their Trick-or-Treat Adventures.

Thanks for stopping by.
BE BLESSED!

p.s. Get over and check out the HomeAcre Harvest Hop.

Also check out The Self Sufficient Homeacre

Our Monster Mash Food

I thought I'd share the foods we served-up at our 

Monster Mash Party.

Witch Fingers

How yummy...

Jump over to Summers Acres and grab my sister recipe.

Hawaiian Eyeball Punch

When Jessca from A Million Moments shared this recipe 

I knew this one was the one for us.

Mummy Men

put a new twist to an old favorite.

Dirt Cake

I also made up a batch of

Caramel Candy Apples

We also served up the usual

chips

and for us older bunch a

good cup of coffee 

to wash these sweets down.

Not complicated all fun.

Thanks for stopping by to check out our treats.

Be Blessed!

Take a Hay Ride~Monday Music Moves Me

It's Monday!

&

This is another 

Monday Music Moves Me.

It seems like everyone around here has got take a hayride

but me.

I'm positive if there was hay to get up they'd been here to pick me up 

but since that hasn't happened I'm taking my own kind of hayride.

Well...Come On! You're invited too.

                          

Let's ride on by the Opry and  see what's going on down there.

                            

Listen to ole Flatt & Scruggs..you can't do nothin' with 'em boys.

You must be careful on a hayride. You don't want to fall into 
A Ring of Fire

                             

Then ya might end up in Jackson

                               

                                 

Oh my...Archie's up to his tales.

                                 

Ho!.!  Get outta way Dan Tucker  this wagons rollin'

                               

I thankin' somebody been drankin'
Mountain Dew 
and maybe some

White Lightening
too.

                           
                              

Thanks for taking this ride with me 
but I've got to dance on outta here.

                               

BE BLESSED!

The Monster Mash

My sister and I put together a little Autumn fun for our little bunch of monsters(kids). This is the third year we've got together as a family for some fall fun. 

The number of children are growing. We had a princess, a black ninja warrior, a character from the Hunger Games, a flannel wearing Spiderman, cowbody and cowgirl, one little wild man, some that have grown "too old" to dress up, and our sweet little lamb.

Jack was glad to have a helpful cowhand.

The kids decorated tiny pumpkin, and played a whole host of games like Boo Bingo, 

Mummy Wrap, 

and 

Bobbing for Apples.

I'll have to say there is a lot of fun to be had with 

a tub of water and some apples.

   

Even Roscoe wanted in on the fun.

Thanks for dropping in to spend some time 

with 

My Family & Friends.

BE BLESSED!

Jack and All His Friends

Well...No Silly!
Not my Jack,
Jack-o-lantern.

We've been getting a little more DIY going on around here.

Isn't it great when it's simple and cheap.

Wash-up & de-label some empty soda bottles

&

get you spray paint out.

Didn't I tell you I am no artist?

My first one I used way to heavy a hand.

After him, I sprayed much lighter and some I used a permanent marker on.

Yes, we stuck some here there....and everywhere.

I was out of bottles and we still wanted more,

so an old Maxwell House coffee jug work out.

Here's looking at ya!

Be Blessed!

Putting Up Scarecrow Fred

I could barely wait for Jack to get home from school 
so we could get Fred, our scarecrow put out.

I thought we would have gotten him together over the weekend but rainy weather put a damper on most things this weekend. I must seem to be running behind the rest of the world when it comes to decorating but it is typical for us to get in the real feel of Autumn and Halloween about a week before and then we tend to roll with that until Thanksgiving.(I hate to be rushed through my holidays)
We're also more geared toward a harvesting theme over the Ghouls & Ghost
 but..
We'll be throwing in a little spookiness for our annual Monster Mash party that my sister helps me put on for our little band of  monster(kids).

This is how we started out with Fred.
A pair of my worn out bibs and button up shirt will serve as our scarecrows body.
Jack kept asking if he was going to be a boy or a girl.
Last year Fred should have been Fredricka due to the hat we chose but I told him it would surely be a boy.

I initially thought to get some burlap for the head but apparently the price of burlap is on the rise in Patrick County so we went with 
this cheaper cotton.
This isn't a very clear picture but I basically made a sack.
Folding it in have sewed the seams on both sides 
and then
I base stitched about 3 inches from each side seam allowing us to stuff the head and then draw it up.

We just used some old pieces of planks we had laying around nailed together for a frame.
We had already decided we were going to set him in an old chair we found in the edge of the woods so we went with shorter boards;
if you plan to stand him up longer boards would most likely work better.

Now your ready....
Stuff, stuff and keep stuffing.
We used some straw.
then 
We sat him in his chair and put on his hat.

Once I gather some pumpkins around him I'm sure 
Fred will be very pleased.
Thanks for stopping by.
BE BLESSED
and 
Be a Blessing!

It's a Spine-tingling Monday Music Moves Me

Good Monday to everyone!

Here we are looking at the beginning of a new week 

and 

another

Monday Music Moves Me.

This weeks theme is Spine-tingling Music.

What's makes one persons spine tingle may vary greatly from what makes anothers

and

for some folks that spine tingle is a good thing and for others a bad.

Just being alone makes many a folks spine tingle.

           

As for others ooh..they're scared of stuff like Voodoo.

I have a friend that goes freaky over dolls and puppets.
Some are most likely scared of the Master of Puppets.

              

And
 how do people fear the dreams in the night 

so scared of the Sandman.

                                 

We may all be crazy 

or maybe we're scared of those who call us crazy.

                               

I don't like things that Creep.

Maybe, we're all just afraid of being creepy.

            

If things such of these bother you  I hope the words from

Dark Bird  can help you out.

          

Do remember we're just

Wayfaring Strangers.

           

Thanks you for stopping by.

October in Patrick County

 Old, trucks, old tractor, the barn, the buildings.               Yeah you're in Patrick County.

  

         Let the road take ya!

How Great is out God!

Thanks for stopping by.

BE BLESSED!

Getting Ready for Anything and Everything Apple

Hey Yeah!!

It's that time of year again; Stuart Virginia's annual 

Apple Dumpling Festival!

October 19, 2013

I'm think I should conjure up some apple goodness but to get myself in the right apple state of mind I thought I'd revisit last years festival and gather some ideas. 

Since I was taking a stroll down memory lane I thought you might want to stroll it with me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Here you go!

Stuart, Virginia's Annual

Apple Dumpling Festival

Great turn out!

Lots of Artisans!

Yum..

Yum, yum

Local grown apple

                                               The guest of honor..Apple Dumplings

How 'bout Homemade ice cream atop those dumplings?

Music at the amphitheatre

C.C. Coates Band

Am I in the warm sun in the middle of the day?

Or..

Some dimly lit corner?

Great Blues Band!

What a way to enjoy an autumn day? This is just one of a few festivals that Stuart puts on but it definitely is a favorite. Nothing screams the turning leaves and the brisk air like the Apple Dumpling Festival. As you can see folks turned out from all over. Definitely a stopping point for many traveler. This little town is at the foot of the Blue Ridge Parkway and makes a wonderful place to stop on your next leaf watching adventure. I thank you for letting me share my day with you and thank you for stopping by 

Southern Direction.

Be blessed.