Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile!

Autumn is sure putting on a gorgeous display here in Michigan again this year.

I L.O.V.E. it!

I wake up to this gorgeous scene day after day. This is across the road from our house.

I guess there are perks to living in Michigan on a back, dirt road after all. I mean
you just don't see this beauty in the city.

"Come, little leaves"
said the wind one day,
"Come to the meadows
with me and play.
Put on your dresses of red and gold;
For summer is past,
and the days grow cold."
~ George Cooper

I shot these photos yesterday in our front yard when the sun was shining through the trees after a rain.

Can you say AMAZING??

Delicious Autumn!
 My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird
I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns!

~ George Elliot

Fall...the most wonderful time of the year!

It really is on the way right?? I know the leaves are starting to fall here in Michigan although there is no real color on the trees yet. I do realize it is kinda early, but I am beginning to see pumpkins out for sale along the main road here.

 I LOVE FALL!!! 

Remember my bargain table? Fixed her up for fall and she loves it. :) 

Had to throw in a bit for Halloween. I have never been much of a Halloween decorator, but I have been beginning to feel the urge in the last couple years. Maybe it is the "witch" coming out in me. hee hee! 

I also wanted to share my clematis with you. I LOVE this climbing vine!!
Enjoy your week...we are off to watch our granddaughter Annika practice for soccer.
Blessings~ 

Are you ready??

I took a stroll outside yesterday and took a few snapshots of the last vestiges of summer.

 Does that make sense?

 I know "Vestige" means " a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists".

Sounds like summer to me. :)

My gorgeous hollyhocks that have a very few flowers left on them. I really need to do some trimming today, but the weather here calls for HOT, HOT, and more HOT along with possible rain.
 That part of summer has NOT disappeared. 

I can't believe that I have beautiful flowers like this and also leaves falling from the trees. Just seems wrong somehow. 

 I found that the huge field directly across from our house is filled with big orange pumpkins.

 Definitely FALL coming!!  I am ready...

Are YOU ready??

Bittersweet

I can truly say that FALL is my favorite season! I do love the other seasons also,
but there is just something about autumn and the beautiful fall colors that
grabs all my attention and doesn't let go until winter is upon us.

Hubby and I hopped in his little ole' truck last weekend and drove up and down the
back roads hunting for bittersweet. It is so hard to come by now,  so I was thrilled
 when we found a small patch.

I don't use much color in my fall decorating except for some bittersweet when I can
find it. {The hooks above are where I hang all my extra until I find the exact spot
where I want to place in my decor}

I  really think that a branch of it here and there is all that is needed to announce that
*FALL IS HERE*. 

Just the right touch of fall above my french themed frame.

I remember my mom collecting bittersweet from the time I was very young. She started
 the tradition and now since she isn't able to get out and look for it , I share mine with
 her. We were very lucky to find any this year. I want to plant my own, but I have to find
 the plants first. I tried it one year only to read later that you need a male plant and a
female plant for it to produce berries. Who knew?? :)

I will say that if you have little children , I do NOT recommend it as it is poisonous.

This is my welcome sign just inside the back door that I have probably shared with you before. I found
 this old frame a couple years ago at a garage sale for $1.00. I painted it white and added a board that I
painted with chalkboard paint. I love it!

A few gourds along with bittersweet in my front porch decor. Will try to get more pictures later
and not just a *snippet*. lol

Delicious autumn! My very would is wedded to it and
if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking
 the successive autumns.
~ George Eliot

                           

Fall in Michigan {and Godzilla} ~

What's not to

love

about fall in Michigan~ It is the one time of year that

I am glad I live here~

beautiful little pumpkins admist the falling leaves ~

my front yard awash in brilliant colored foliage ~

I don't think I would get much raking done with

this, but it made for a good picture...lol ~

beautiful trees in my front yard ~

gorgeous mums ~

sunlight blending with the flowers~

I took the above photo at the greenhouse~

I don't even want to think of raking these...

they look so pretty~

majestic tree at my home ~

I am just beside myself because our electic company

is out and about trimming trees away from the

electric lines. They will decide whether to totally

cut down our trees or trim them. I pray that they only trim them

or yours truly just may

have to stage a

Sit in ~

The trees do look awful after a trimming. They look like a giant Godzilla came along and

took huge bites out of them and they look

strange...

but I would much rather have that than

to lose the trees. These are the only trees

in the front yard and we don't

have many in the back yard either.

Keeping my fingers crossed ~ Blessings~

Yummy Salad ~

I rarely do two posts in one day , but I made myself a delicious salad for lunch and wanted to share it with you. I also made it for Easter to take to my moms (only I used mandarin oranges then) and it was a hit. I love it!

I used mixed greens (mixed a head of lettuce with a bag of spring mix), chopped up some orange segments, tossed in some cranberry craisins and a few chopped toasted pecans. Topped it all with Marzetti Poppy Seed Dressing...so good!!

This is what was left of my salad before I realized I needed to take a picture of the finished product. You know how all the goodies stay at the bottom of the bowl so I have a lot of nuts and craisins in this picture. I hurried and took the picture before I ate it all up othewise I would have had to make me another one...hmmm maybe I should have. :) Blessings ~