A Visit To The Lake And Other Things

 My county is widely considered one of the most stunning and scenic areas of northern California.  It offers us mountain peaks, serene lakes, and lush forests.  I make it a point to visit nature in my town, but I wanted to see the lake at the start of fall, which is on the outskirts of my town.  My son came with me, and I'm glad, as there are mountain lions and other animals lurking in the wild.  We first got a breakfast burrito and a coffee and then drove over to the lake.  It was as pretty as I remember it last time, and here's a few pics.

Not sure what these red berries were, but they looked like a Christmas card.  *thank you, Shug, for identifying it as the Pyracantha bush.    

The other side of the lake.

The fall leaves were changing color, and were much more vibrant at the lake than anywhere in town.

This is the dock area facing the sun.

The waterfalls are very close to the lake, so I wanted to go there next, but the parking lot was full when we arrived.  So, do you think I would leave without seeing the falls?  Nope, I know the side roads and shortcuts in every town I've lived in, and managed to see these majestic falls once again.  I'll have to return again this autumn because the area I drove through I could only see the falls through the trees.  Very pretty though.

School Picture Day!  When Nel showed me this picture of Mia it reminded me so much of the dress I wore on picture day in third grade.

I know, what was my eight-year-old self thinking back then?  I wanted a pixie cut really bad, and my mom agreed to chop all my hair off.  She was good that way; she always let me express myself with clothes and hairstyles.  When I was a child, I had blondish-brown hair.  This was my favorite dress, and I think my mom got it at JC Penney for that first week of school.

You know, I've tried many coffee brands over the years, and I always come back to Starbuck's.  I love the House blend and French Roast, but this one is probably my favorite.

Some fun facts about Starbucks:

*It is the largest coffeehouse chain in the world, and operates in more than 80 countries  worldwide.

*When the first store opened in Seattle in 1971, it sold whole-bean coffee and equipment.  They did not sell their first latte until 1983.

*The Twin-Tailed Mermaid: the famous logo features a siren from Greek mythology.

*The first Starbuck's holiday cup debuted in 1997.  And it was purple, not red.

*The famous Pumpkin Spice Latte was invented in 2003.

Nel and Jess and I always get excited when the new holiday cups come out.

It was a fun week.  I met brother-in-law at the Chinese Restaurant.  I don't know if I was hungry or what, but it was exceptional this time - spicy soup, kung pow chicken, rice, egg roll, crab with cream cheese wonton, chow mein, and coke.  Then, I headed over to the new boutique in town.  They have a nice clothing line and good quality, but most of the sweaters were cropped, and I don't care for cropped tops.  How 'bout you?

  Some pretties in town.  Isn't it funny how daisies remind me of my mom when I don't remember her particularly liking them?

After that third-grade pixie cut, I've had long hair ever since.

~Welcome October~

The Pumpkin That Says It All

I told you last time that I wanted to get a pumpkin at the grocery store with a funny face, and this week I rummaged through the box, and found the perfect one.  It even has a word written on it.  People in the world sometimes say and do bizarre things, and we are surprised and just flabbergasted when it happens.  We hear it on the news and even see it in our own towns and neighborhoods.  Whenever that happens, the only response that I can come up with is.......

I made one of my favorite things of all - my mother-in-law's potato salad.  It's such a simple recipe, and I love it.  I always add more eggs than she used to though.  ; )

Some people go to the store when they have a meal to prepare.  For me, I use what's in the cupboards and fridge most of the time.  *Some cooked bacon (I took the fat off), broccoli, bell peppers, onions, red potatoes, a little milk to keep it moist, sprinkle with a generous amount of cheese, cover with foil, and bake at 350 for about an hour.  It turned out really delicious.

Francesca is in her second year of Holy Communion classes.  This grandma is so pleased that she will receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion (the Eucharist).  She came out of her class one day wearing this sticker on her forehead.

Jess bought a new car!  And she celebrated by driving to Ventura Beach for the day.

"One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats."

~Iris Murdoch

Nel and Jess have a way with decorating for the seasons, and here are a few pics of Nel's creative fall ideas.  The greens are pretty that she used this year in her decorating.

These scarecrows belonged to her grandma.  I love that she puts them out every year.

This just cracks me up.

The landscaper came by and did so much work around here.  I like to get caught up on fall chores to get prepared for the cold winters we have.  The lawn looks nice, so I wanted to get a pumpkin for the porch.  It's just the right size and shape.

It's deer season, and they seem to come around in September.  Not a good pic, but it was exciting to see a doe across the street at my neighbor's house.

It's so neat that Renecke coaches Mia's soccer team.  When I first saw this picture, I saw a little "me" in Mia.  It's funny; every once in a while, when we see our grandkids, we see not only our children in them, but ourselves.  It can be a look they make, a smile, or even their personality. 

Along with the cooler weather, this is the first real sign of Fall.  We're supposed to get more rain this winter than usual, so I've heard.

So, if you're ever appalled at some of the things you see and hear out there, you can use my response if you'd like.......

Fall Hutch

This was the first time I decorated my hutch for fall, and I had a fun time doing it.  I don't usually decorate excessively for fall, but I have just enough stuff to fill this delightful hutch with autumn goodness.

I've had this white rose vase forever it seems, and it's the one thing I've never been able to part with.

I found this cute bowl this year, and filled it with chocolate.

I put my little accordion Hummel out because he has an orange scarf and he just looks like fall.

My hutch will be even more fun to decorate for Christmas, but for now, I will enjoy this autumn season with some cherished pieces - both new and ones that I've had for years.

I received a wonderful gift in the mail from my friend, Shug.  I was so excited when I saw all the goodies.  First of all, it was wrapped beautifully with a heart stamp, and everything was intact when it was delivered.  There was a devotional book with scripture verses, a funny face pen, some bookmarks, dried flowers, and a card with the most dear written words.  

I had a nice phone conversation with my sister, and it was so good to catch up with her.  It was like having a cup of coffee at a cafe' and chatting with someone so dear to you.

"We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us."

~John Muir

Have you ever tried Franz cinnamon swirl bread?  I make toast with butter sometimes, and it's wonderful.

These were in the Safeway parking lot, and I thought they were so Fall looking.

Then, I always have to put out my white pumpkin with the gold glitter stem during fall.

I ran into M. at the grocery store, the owner of the vintage shop in town, and we had a nice chat.  This is the vintage shop that I buy things from now and then, and I also donate stuff.  She travels every day from the city to her shop, which takes about 50 minutes each way.  I told her that's a lot, and she said she didn't mind it.  She's an inspiration to me, and I'm glad her charming shop is still open for us all.  I also saw some mini pumpkins with faces at the grocery store while I was there.  I think I'll get one next time - they're so funny and cheerful for fall.  Have a lovely September week.