October One Day at a Time

I can smell autumn dancing in the breeze.

The sweet chill of pumpkin and 

crisp sunburnt leaves.

~Author unknown

October 1

I was really, really hoping that October wouldn't start out rainy, seeing that it is my favorite month of the year. I was wishing for cool, crisp sunny days. I did not get my wish :-(

October 2

It is still raining today, more than yesterday. I decided it is a good day to stay home and make some spaghetti sauce and Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars that my sweet friend Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose posted on her blog. Wow, are they good!

October 3

Another rainy, cold day. My grandson JC is here before school with his new birthday fire truck.

October 4

Rainy day #4!

For the past few times I have taken my son to school I have driven by a house with a large tent full of vintage and antique items. This morning I decided that on the way home I was going to stop if someone was out there, and ask if they were having a sale. I saw the sale on my yard sale app but it wasn't supposed to start till tomorrow. As I drove by, there was a guy in a bright lime green shirt, so I mustered up some gumption and pulled in the driveway. They were the nicest people and let me look all I wanted. It started to downpour, but in the rain I found a trunk I have been looking for and a whole truck full of other treasures. It was well worth soaking my sandaled feet and clothes!

October 5

No rain today!

So that trunk you see in the picture above turned out to be too HUGE in front of the couch. It sure didn't look that big outside in the tent where I bought it. So.....seeing that I paid a mere $20 for it...yup, $20....I had to find a place to put it. I wasn't giving up on it that quick.

I bought the copper bowl and brass fish to sell but I think they have to settle here for awhile :-)

October 6

This was the forecast on my phone this morning for the whole day and it did downpour here. It did clear up but then it was hot and humid. As they say in New York state...wait a few minutes if you don't like the weather!

October 7

Do I dare mention it? Rainy day again!

Today would have been my nephew Christopher's 33rd birthday. He passed of a heart condition at age 25. He and my daughter Jena and niece Danielle were all born in the same year. This day is so sad every year. This picture of him was drawn by a friend. He had one of those smiles that lights up a room.

October 8

Today was a down day for me after a theatre event we had last evening. I decided to tackle (meaning cleaning, researching, photographing, listing) some of the vintage treasures I found at last week's fabulous sales.

Every time I went down "in the dungeon" to pack and weigh them for shipping, I was amazed at how my bubble wrap pile is growing. Thanks to my husband who goes dumpster diving at work to find bubble wrap, bubble pillows and paper for me. My daughter Jena has been getting bubble pillows at work and my daughter Candice and lots of other friends save their boxes for me.  The box pile is twice as high. Not sure I could sell on Etsy if I didn't have those donations. Packaging is expensive!

I am so ready for the holiday shopping blitz on Etsy. This is exciting stuff people.

Messy works for me. No sense straightening when I have to dig through it again!

October 9

I cannot resist taking a picture of a sunrise, even if it is with my cell phone while I am driving, literally aiming crossbody with my eyes on the road and clicking. Pretty good huh?

October 10

We have had two days of near 80 degrees, after 50's last week and 50's in the forcast for the end of this week. I went out to check my gardens and they are fading fast, as they should be this time of year. The Lantana and Bacopa pot is still going strong as is the Zinnia garden. The Zinnia never grew until mid September so I am happy to have them around still.

October 11

I know I sound like a broken record....raining today! Downpour actually. But nothing can keep me from an Antique Estate Sale. I know going in that the prices will be too high but I am too curious not to at least look. Wow, did I get an eyeful! The 1875 house was chock full of Antiques and Vintage. It looked like an Antique store and I found out that that is how the owners lived....with their huge collection displayed all around them in every room. It was quite the collection too. Every room looked like the one below, perfectly styled with a theme. Can I just say that I feel much better about my "hoard" of stuff at home!

October 12

My time in the kitchen is done for the day! My husband is having a Fireside tonight with some guys and he is serving Nathan's hot dogs with all the fixin's, including New York City pushcart onions. I was asked to make Italian Potato Salad and a dessert. Of course I chose Caramel Bacon Brownies, oh my!

October 13

I LOVE candy corn and today, on our anniversary date, my husband gave me Jelly Belly candy corn. I had no idea they existed and they are good!

It was a cold 40 degree day but my husband and I took the yearly Fall drive down Rt 21 from Canandaigua, at the top of Canandaigua Lake, to Naples at the end of the lake. The scenery along the way never gets old.

We were looking for colorful leaves but it was too early. It was a nice day anyways and we had a great lunch at Roots restaurant.

And a nice, but chilly, walk in the woods.

It's always a treat to stop in at Joseph's Farm Market for concord grapes, Macoun apples and grape bars. My Fall is now complete.

October 14

It's another beautiful day so I decided to wash all of my small area rugs and hang them on the line. My dying Christmas Tree fern bed needed some color anyways :-)

October 15

I made my Monday morning stop at Goodwill today. I hear that is the best day to go but it is always hit or miss there.  I did find some vintage treasures, a gift and a scarf for me.

October 16

My most favorite part of Fall are the recipes that I love to make year after year. Isn't it funny how we don't make those seasonal recipes any other time of year? This Cheddar Apple Bread is a long time favorite and because I needed it for two occasions this week, I made two!

October 17

My truck is getting old. It needs new all wheel tires $$$$ before winter. Until we get them I have to keep filling the ones on there. Good thing my husband loves these portable generators and put one in both our vehicles, in case of an emergency. The only thing I know how to do is inflate the tire. No idea how to use those red and black thingamajiggi's. Shhh...don't tell him!

October 18

First snow.....just a dusting...

October 19

Morning light...….the cows were mooing and the roosters cockadoodle do-ing while I was taking this picture.

October 20

I am laid up today with a bad back, my sciatica. I went to the chiropractor but the healing is going slow. I am up and down from the couch to standing, from standing to the couch. I'd much rather be jumping in a pile of these....

October 21

Still laid up with a bad back but since I have to get up and stand or walk around every now and then I decided to make some Grape Bread. I used concord grapes from the Finger Lakes. I was so taken with the pretty color of the dough!

October 22

The primary school that my granddaughter Chloe and grandson JC go to is one street over from me. Every now and then a class will take a walk around the block right by my house. I usually always see Chloe. Today it looked like the whole school took a walk around the block!

October 23

This morning I was in Canandaigua and I had about an hour to kill. What better place to spend time than on the shores of Canandaigua Lake?

That is the moon!

That is snow on the line of rocks!

October 24

CAUGHT!! Cyrus likes to jump on top of my cupboard to see what's up there. Here he is nibbling on my Indian Corn. Naughty kitty! He is too cute to be mad for long though :-)

October 25

I decided it was to time to make the Concord Grape Pie from the filling that I made last week and froze, before I forget about it in the freezer!

SO GOOD!!

October 26

With the weekend before Halloween coming up, I think this field may be pretty picked over by next Wednesday.

October 27

It's that kind of day.....
With a nor'easter in the forecast and 100% chance of rain, what else is there to do?!

October 28

Every night between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. we are serenaded by my son Michael playing his guitar. He practices an hour or more every day. This discipline has earned him high praise from his guitar teacher.

October 29

One of my favorite things in Fall....the Burning Bush turning red. I know I need to trim back all the bushes in the front of my house but when I know this red is coming, I don't have the heart to do it. Plus it is nice privacy for our front porch. They do cover up a lot of the architecture of this old 1870's house so I may need to call a landscaper next Spring :-(

October 30

Today was a perfect Fall day and one that Mom Jane and I have been looking forward to. It was to celebrate her 80th birthday so she wanted to go to the Sodus Point Lighthouse Museum. We took the tour, took lots of pictures and enjoyed the sunny, crisp Fall day. At lunch we shared a piece of the best pumpkin cheesecake I have eaten. A memorable day.

October 31

I have been making pumpkin cookies for over 30 years and decorating them with my grandchildren for the past 9 years, starting with Cassidy. There's always frosting, peanut butter (so good on the cookies) mini chocolate chips, candy corn, pumpkins, raisins and sprinkles to decorate with.

Left - Chloe 7, middle - JC  4, Right - Cassidy 13 as Harley Quinn

Goodbye October.....hello November! You are already a busy month.....

Happy Fall!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these blog parties:

Anything Goes Pink Saturday

Best of the Weekend
Over The Moon Linky Party
Tuesdays with a Twist
Home Sweet Home