...there is magic in the air

to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish,
'til death do us join eternally...

Just like a ghost, you've been a-hauntin' my dreams, So I'll propose on Halloween. Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.

and then came 4...

Tis the night - the night
Of the grave's delight,
And the warlocks are at their play;
Ye think that without
The wild winds shout,
But no, it is they - it is they.
~Arthur Cleveland Coxe

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.


Hark! Hark to the wind! Tis the night, they say,
When all souls come back from the far away~
The dead, forgotten this many a day.
~Virna Sheard


Jack-O-Lantern smiling bright
Witches flying in the night
Ghosts and Goblins, cats and bats
Witches with their funny hats
A full moon can't be beat
As we go out to Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween

Spooky

Apples hanging in a row.
Flaming candles all aglow.
Witches flying everywhere,
Magic music in the air.
There'll be mischief now I ween
On this mystic Halloween!
~Vintage Postcard

Idyllic

Bus Stop

Frost Faerie

My favorite shot of the day. My daughter is hilarious and the hardest part for both of us when taking her picture is keeping our composure. We have been known to have to take giggle breaks quite often. This time I kept shooting through the laughter because these are the memories I want to keep.

Yesterday

Ever have one of those strange days where the impossible happens and you keep wondering if your dreaming? I had a day like that yesterday. It wasn't grandiose but for me it was amazing. My wedding anniversary is coming up in 12 days and my husband, being a sweetheart, gave me my present early last week, a sweet new lens, it makes my heart sing, But, what was even more amazing was that yesterday all of my kids wanted their photos taken. They've never all volunteered at once. Sure, Mother's Day they went along with my plans but yesterday it was all them, even the boys- the boys I tell you! Plus, they were happy kids! I even got a shot of the 2 oldest together which hasn't been done since they were 2 and 3 years old. Days like that don't happen often. It may never happen again and today I'm left with this feeling of wonder and a bit of unease, it was strange after all.

The teens, together, still blinking my eyes over this one.

Even a new black and white for my B&W wall in progress.

The Raven

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling


products used in layout from Flergs Helter Skelter and the raven is of course from Falling Leaves

Good Night Sweet Prince

Cold Winter?

This is the legendary woolly worm, that mysterious predictor of weather. Supposedly, if there is more black then orange there will be a harsh winter. According to this guy, I should be buying a new bikini and more daiquiri mix instead of knitting mittens. I was pretty doubtful of my luck so I started investigating this little fortune teller. It turns out they go through 6 larval stages before winter and their color and band changes for each one, as it becomes older and closer to the pupa stage, it becomes completely orange. So, I'm thinking this guy is just old and not telling me to stock up on sunscreen while it's on clearance . Secretly, I couldn't be happier because I love cold, stormy winters. The kind of winter where the schools close for days and we all get to sit around in our pajamas playing board games, and when the kids go sledding down our hill and I make hot chocolate... ahhhh sigh... I'm glad there's still a chance for that. So, still on my quest for a prediction, I checked the Farmers' Almanac knowing they're always right. November is looking very promising this year!

By the way, this weed started my search for snow predictions. There are tons of these along the edge of the woods behind my house right now and they look like settled snow to me. Y'all can see it too... right? It's not just me is it? Is this the wrong time to mention that I really want to decorate for Christmas already? Twinkle lights and evergreens are calling my name...

It's only October 14th, I might be in trouble here, must think Halloween thoughts... Do you suppose I could incorporate twinkle lights into my Halloween decorating?

Changing

Good Old Fashioned Caramel Apples

I love these things! Thankfully, in my mind and for my waist, I believe one should only eat them in October lol. So, I made some this morning and thought I would share another wonderful fall recipe. This may become a new feature on my blog during these colder months. I can't seem to resist cooking and I can't resist sharing when it's really good, so maybe a few recipes thrown in wouldn't be a bad thing...

8 large apples, washed and dried
2 cups of nuts, chopped (I used cashews because we were out of peanuts)
2~ 14 ounce packages of caramels
4 tablespoons of water
2 cups of semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening
8 wooden pop-sickle sticks

Wash and dry your apples, removing stems and inserting pop-sickle sticks where stems were, set aside. Chop the nuts and place in a bowl. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat, melt caramels and water and stir until smooth. Turn off burner but leave the pan on it to keep the caramel melted while you work. Dip, swirl, coat apple with caramel and then dip bottoms into the nuts and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Repeat for all apples. In a bowl microwave chocolate and shortening in 30 second increments checking, stirring and repeating until smooth (my microwave took about a minute and a half). Put melted chocolate in a ziplock baggy, seal, clip the tip of a corner off and use as a decorator bag to swirl chocolate over the apples. And, if you like, sprinkle additional crushed nuts over top mmmmm.... Chill for a couple of hours and then enjoy some old fashioned goodness!


Also, because my youngest son is in braces and his orthodontist says NO caramel apples, I peeled and chopped an apple and drizzled a very, very small amount of caramel and extra chocolate over the pieces. He hates nuts so we skipped them. It's just an idea for if you can't bare for one of your kids to miss out. I know I can't.

A Day In The Life Of A Faerie Princess

Yawn, Stretch, flutter your long lashes and open your eyes. Awake, and with the first words whispered of the new morning softly sigh... I want wings.

Fairies are invisible and inaudible like angels. But their magic sparkles in nature. ~Lynn Holland

Harvest Cake

With the arrival of Autumn means the beginning of the massive cooking season. Something about the fall always gets me stock piling the pantry and cooking warm, hearty foods that take all day, and baking, lots of baking! Right now in my crock pot there is a roast with potatoes, carrots and onions; on my table, a Harvest Cake. Harvest Cake is an old recipe and I have found that with most old recipes, if they're still around then they are good! All of my family loves this cake and it just screams Autumn cooking. So, I thought I would share it with you. That way, if you're like me, and feel compelled to bake during this season your family can try it too. You never know, it might become a new favorite.

Harvest Cake

2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups brown sugar
One 16 ounce can of pumpkin (or fresh pumpkin)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup of sour milk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice

Sift dry ingredients together. Beat first five ingredients two minutes with an electric mixer. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake 40 (I had to add 15 minutes to that time this year) minutes at 350 degrees. It should be like a zucchini bread. Invert on plate to cool.

Caramel Glaze

1/4 cup of margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt margarine. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Beat in powdered sugar. Drizzle over warm Harvest Cake.

Autumn Beauty

Falling Leaves

Download Elements

As the nights grow longer and a chill fills the air, when the moon hangs heavy and low, you can be sure the time of enchantment has arrived, the time of the falling leaves. Tis a season of magic and of harvest, festival and feast. When the leaves are aflame and the pumpkins grown may now wear grins like a beast. May this kit bring the feeling of Autumn to your pages. It is filled with 63 elements and 14 papers of Autumn goodness just waiting for you to pick them. Candy corn and candy apples, corn and pumpkins too, apples, berries, mushrooms, and a crow await for you. You'll find a harvest moon, reaching, bare branched trees, and though the limbs have dropped them don't forget the falling leaves.

Falling Leaves... the papers

The matching papers for you broken into 2 downloads:

Download Paper 1

Download Paper 2

JetjeZ

I'm sooo excited! A completely awesome designer has generously offered to make one of her amazing pages into a quick page for you from the Falling Leaves kit! I would like to introduce you all to JetjeZ. If you are unfamiliar with her work, take some time to visit her blog : The Life And Times Of JetjeZ. You wont be disappointed, this is one talented lady! While you're there make sure you pick up this beautiful page:

To JetjeZ's Blog