Golden, Taste the Tradition, Halloween

1. The hairdresser enjoys working with Audrey's hair, satin gold that it is. I watch as she trims, sculpts, and plays with it for over an hour. Audrey certainly doesn't get her straight, golden hair from my side of the family. Perhaps this is why her hair intrigues me.
2. I spend the morning cooking meatballs and sauce as my mother and grandmother did. My treat is to fry the last few meatballs in the olive oil until they are crispy on the outside and eat them like this, sans sauce. As a kid, I hovered around the kitchen as my mother made the meatballs, waiting for the last ones to be fried and then shared with my dad.
3. After dark, we meet up with friends to "trick-or-treat". Groups of children materialize out of nowhere, building in numbers and creating a festive air. Parents stand and visit in the streets while the children march this way and that to houses promising them candy. We comment on the warm evening, cute costumes and heavy bags laden with candy.

When October Goes

A beautiful, sad song, but ever so worth sharing. The stills in this video capture the essence of winters in New York. When October Goes...

Lemon Pound cake, Daylight, Shopping Day

1. Lemon pound cake brushed with lemony glaze. I like brushing the glaze over the cracked top of the cake, watching it seep down into the moist nooks and crannies. This will be the tastiest part of each slice.
2. We hold dinner late so Tess can play outside, using up every last part of daylight.
3. I write my shopping list for Friday. I thumb through recipes, planning our meals for the week with all sorts of ambition. I can't wait to try new recipes people have recommended and the excitement builds for shopping day!

Raindrops, Clearing, Roaming the Fields

1. I fell asleep to the sound of raindrops on the window last night. It was so peaceful that I've remembered it all day.
2. When these rainy weather fronts move out of the mountains, they create beautiful landscapes and skies. Pockets of mist settle in the valleys while bright mountain peaks shine above. I'm glad I was out early so I could see this.
3. The kids go marching off through the fields, bright orange vests announcing their presence.

Bluebirds, Well-Stocked, Giggles

1. My bluebird friends were visiting the garden today, en masse! I routinely see one or two, but today there were six or seven!
2. I need to bring a refreshment with us tonight. I go to the pantry and pluck the ingredients from the shelf with great satisfaction. Nothing beats a well-stocked pantry when you're in a pinch.
3. Little baby, only 15 weeks old, laughs and giggles at Tess' antics. We are amazed that such a young life can produce such a belly laugh. Of course, we keep the silliness going for as long as she is willing to laugh.

Pumpkins, Saxophone, Wild Things

1. Chelsea and Tess carve pumpkins. Each time I pass by the table, I smell the nutty, fresh pumpkins.
2. It's a porch-sitting day with wonderful sunshine. Steve likes to play his saxophone out there. The closed door muffles the loudness just enough for those of us inside. I'm not sure what the neighbors think, or the cows, but I like it today.
3. We all head to Roanoke to finish celebrating Tess' birthday with Where the Wild things Are. We are first in the movie theater and have our choice of seats.

South Wind, Energized, Henri

1. The air was soft and balmy, unusually warm for late October. The warmth and rain released earthy scents from the woods and fields.
2. At first I thought my aggressive laundry plans were shot when the washer broke. I turned my energy to cooking and redeemed the day by cooking- a lot!
3. Henri gets ready to pounce. His chin is on the ground while his fanny is raised high. My view is from the rear and I have to burst out laughing at his comical stance.