Upon rising yesterday (and today, for that matter) a quick glance at the thermometer presented me with a prime example of an instant wake-up call to Fall’s arrival. Chilly much?
It’s not quite freezing out (yet). There has been no frost on the free pumpkin I scored on Friday at the grand opening of a new grocery store.
Isn’t it cute?
I picked it because I was smitten with the shape and, of course, the handle. It reminded me of when the kids were little and loved picking out their pumpkins. An easy-to-grab and sturdy handle was imperative. I doubt I’ll carve it. This will be an example of a display pumpkin for looks until I cut it up and let the deer eat in the field this winter. Maybe I’ll catch a picture of them doing so? 🤔
Back to the chilly fall temps. Fall is definitely here. Mr. and I are again seeing how long it will take either one of us to beg to turn on the furnace. I’m getting close to the begging moment as I type. I grabbed a warm cup of fresh coffee – warm enough to see the steam floating above the cup. It felt great to hold in my hands.
Mr. will build a fire in the woodstove today and we’ll forget how chilly it is outside.
As Mr. prepared breakfast, I watched the steam float out the cracks from the sides of the chaffle iron. It was a good thing the chaffles needed to cool before he prepped the final product.
I got a photo of them. The cheddar cheese is made for the fun crunch factor.
He presented me with this glorious breakfast sandwich.
As I munched away on it, I paused after each bite to wipe and lick my fingers. It was that good.
I looked out the window and sighed. Fall is here and winter is near. I thought about what pictures I took over the summer that I hadn’t used in any blog post. I found a bunch when I devoted time to deleting photos this week. I may just be at a net zero after I took some more on Saturday. 🤣
Here’s a milk week destroyed by a worm.
I’ve lost count of how many times the Mullein has regrown in the yard. It is so interesting to look at. I snagged this photo before Mr. mowed the lawn this week for the last time until Spring arrives.
I began and completed my 5-minute ritual of decorating for October. These adorable little 3D ghosts Mr. printed for me make me smile. They don’t take up much space at all which I like.
The flowers I picked earlier in the week looked like they felt a bit bummed as well.
So I decided a new bouquet was in order. I picked a few from the flowers remaining in the garden beds. A couple of Zinnias, several Cosmos Pinkies, and a Giant Marigold. Aw…glorious, right?
Of course, I had to capture several angles. It’s hard for me to know when to stop (as you all know!)
I was tickled pink with the display. Pink goes with everything, right?
As an aspiring photographer, I took a lot of photos. The textures of the flowers fascinated me.
The Cosmos Pinkie is so delicate, yet strong. The batch I planted is over 3 feet tall. It just blows in the wind – bobbing and weaving with the changes in direction.
Same with the Giant Marigold. The texture of the blossoms is soft and wavy. Yet stalks are very sturdy.
Over my midday snack, I paused to admire the simple decorations on my window sill.
Okay, I couldn’t resist, the camera was sitting there at the ready, so I took a couple more of the Cosmos Pinkies.
Look at the scalloped edges. Exquisite, eh?
It was hard not to keep looking at it.
Past it in the yard, I watched the finches playing while Mr. prepared leftovers for us to eat. This little finch was interested in me as much as I was interested in it. Well, maybe not.
Until this shot. “Hey lady…go eat, what are you waiting for?”
“Ah…okay, little birdie!” So, I did just that.
As I nibbled on my dinner of Turkey Chili on top of a Beef Hot Dog (think Chicago-style hotdog without the bun), which was Yummy by the way, I remembered I had taken a couple of photos of the flowers with the sun that peaked out from the clouds.
I think they might just be my favorites of the bunch. I love the bokeh of the flowers of the garden bed in the background mixed in with soft reflections on the window.
Is horizontal better? Yes, and No, but it’s the one I chose for the feature photo for the blog post. And, I found my way to the end of another blog post 😍
Post Inspiration: Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “prime.” Use it as an adjective or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun! Anne-Christine for Lens-Artists #270 On Display and Terri Webster Schrandts’ Sunday Stills – October 8 Textures.
PS – I think I’ve asked this before, but which do you prefer in photos? Horizontal or Vertical? What is your favorite decoration for the fall? What requirements do you have for picking out a pumpkin? Do you dig pumpkin spice-flavored beverages? What is your favorite type of chili? What’s new with you this week?
Wow, Shelley, your post is loaded with textured displays of autumn, pumpkins, birds and florals! High fives on meeting several challenges yourself! I just love the textures of the waffles and they look delish–you did quite well capturing their deliciousness! Your floral closeups are gorgeous! Well done this week!
Thank you, Terri – it was fun to take indoor photos to warm up to the idea of the days when it’ll be too cold to go outside and play with my camera.
I just watched Mr. make some more of those chaffles for dinner. They’re so easy to make and so fun to eat.
I enjoyed all of your photos in the challenge too. Way to combine all the prompts together 😍 I hope you have a great week!!
We had frost on our sunroom roof this morning. 😝 Love your flowers.
Hi Laurel!! It’s great to hear from you – I hope you’re doing well, despite the arrival of frost on your roof. 😆 I’m sure we’ll be seeing frost on our tea house roof this week too.
I’m glad you enjoyed the flowers too 🥰😊
Your flowers are just beautiful. I’ve been slow to cut my zinnias. In fact I think I’ve only cut them twice, and both times it was to make a bouquet for neighbors who were recuperating from something or other. I have company company tomorrow, so I’ll cut some (given we don’t get a freeze tonight) in the morning for their room. My mom always put fresh flowers in my room when I visited, so I try to do that if the season is right. Makes me think of her. And…your chaffles? I thought you just had a typo the first time I saw that word…but seriously…cheese waffles? Is it regular waffle with shredded cheddar on top? I think that would be A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Oh…and I really liked your image of the before flowers. Would be a lovely painting.
Thank you, Dawn, they are all at the tale end of summer. The Zinnias didn’t do a stellar job, it was a rough summer for them. I think next year I’ll buy new seeds to see if that helps. That is so sweet that your mom picked fresh flowers for them. I bet your guests enjoyed the flowers you picked for them.
Yes, chaffles are so delicious. These are SO simple. 2 Tablespoons of cottage cheese, 2 eggs, salt/pepper/seasonings to taste, blended together in a food processor (we use the magic bullet) and right before pouring the mixture into the griddle, sprinkle cheddar cheese in it to form the fun crispy factor. They are light and fluffy and savory.
Aw, thanks – glad you enjoyed the flower – if only I could paint! I’d try that for a painting. My daughter can paint though…and so can you 😉😊
PS – thanks for the invite to Walktober!!
Tell Mr his lecture about too many photographs fell on deaf ears Shelley, so there! The flowers are lovely, especially the close up. We had 70 here this morning and I had to turn around from my morning walk to put on longer pants – UGH! I do enjoy the cooler temps as our sun warms everything up beautifully here in the south but NOT YET PLEASE!!!! Have a great week and thanks for joining us.
LOL – yes, it appears that I’m a hopeless take too many photos kind of gal!
I’m glad you enjoyed the flowers. It’s 70 in our house this morning, the fire we had yesterday kept the home warm. But, it’s 38 outside so I’ll be bundled up too when we take our walk outside. I hope the chilly weather holds off for you and that you have a great week too!!
You’re right about the flowers. As beautiful as the colors are, the shapes and textures are great too. As for pumpkins: Pumpkin beer seems to be pretty popular. I’m a beer lover overall, but I’m not crazy about pumpkin beer.
Thank you, Neal, glad you enjoyed the flowers. Our local brewery (Leinenkugel’s) has put out a Pumpkin Spice version of their lager beer and it was okay. We haven’t had beer in years, but I remember it being fun to try the different flavors, especially in the fall. Cheers to you and your future shorts! 😉
Full on textures and a bit of food and birds, looks like a good week Shelley 🙂
Yes, indeed! Thanks for taking a peek at the week that was! 😉😊
Horizontal, which I think is wide end at the top and bottom (also called landscape) is my favorite. We don’t decorate for Halloween, so we don’t look for pumpkins. Mary does use pumpkin puree in pumpkin bread and muffins (she also uses pumpkin spice in those). Plain old beef chili is our favorite. Mary uses brisket instead of ground beef which makes it different.
What’s new: a new backup drive for the computer. I’m now running Mac OS 14 (Sonoma), which came available yesterday, and a couple of new browsers, Arc and SigmaOS. I like the former more than the latter, but I’ve been working with it more. Apart from that, everything is status quo…
Hi John, thanks for sharing your thoughts on photos and pumpkin and beef! Brisket in the chili sounds extra special.
Yay for a new backup drive and new Mac OS. I’m running Windows and their updates drive me crazy. I didn’t know about the new browsers. Are they just for Macs? You’re so brave to test out all the new things. I’m still struggling with the system I have to work with. 🤣
I know Arc is for Mac and iOS, and I think SigmaOS is as well. For now, anyway…
Good to know! Thank you for clarifying.
I like your pumpkin Shelley – it is perfect, no blemishes or mud so I think you should get some pics of it if possible when you feed it to the deer. At Elizabeth Park, where I walk sometimes, many residents in that city take their pumpkins to Elizabeth Park for the critters to eat them. I usually try to visit the Saturday after Halloween to see if I can get any critter/pumpkin interactions – they have tons of squirrels there. I like horizontal shots, but sometimes it’s vertical or nothing. I have never gotten a real pumpkin, except as a kid. I like pumpkin-flavored bevereages, but last year or year before I saw Starbucks had powered PSL and I bought a package with four or six in it. I found it sickening sweet to be honest. I do like the flavored creamers in my coffee, but the powered creamers as I find the liquid cools the coffee down too quickly. The grocery store already has the holiday liquid coffee creamers out. Too soon! I like chili, haven’t made it in a while though – my mom put cubed potatoes in her chili and sometimes corn and she used pork and beans, not kidney beans as that’s how she always ate it. I turned the heat on at 69 degrees – it was just too cold in the house – you are brave. I like your row of decorations and the pink Cosmos.
Thanks, Linda, I feel the same way about my pumpkin, it’s just so perfect.
Maybe we’ll both have pictures of critters with pumpkins to share at the same time.
I’ve heard that Starbucks PSL is way too sweet. It has 50 grams of sugar in it! That’s more than I eat of carbs in one day. I prefer heavy cream if I add anything to my coffee. Yes, we remember when the creamers would come out with seasonal flavors, our daughters loved them in their coffee.
Your mom’s chili recipe sounds yummy and comforting.
With the fire Mr. built yesterday, the house stayed warm, it’s still 70 in here and only 38 outside. We’ll see what it feels like today.
Thank you – I’m glad you liked the row of decorations. I picked some more flowers and added another vase on the sill. It’s kind of sad though, they’re attracting the birds to the window, so I may need to move the flowers! 🤔
You don’t often have a perfect pumpkin Shelley, although the pie pumpkins are prettier. When I still walked back and forth to the Park through the neighborhoods, after Halloween it was fun watching the squirrels climbing into the pumpkins to root round for pulp and/or seeds. They’d climb right on in through the top, then enlarge the mouth/nose/eyes and climb in that way. 🙂
I never bought the PSL again – it was just way too sweet. I used to like the Hills Bros Cappucino drinks, that you added boiling water to the drink mix, but I find them a bit too sweet now too, but I keep one canister on hand for each Winter for a special treat.
It was very cold here again today – around 42 when I left and it was windy and blustery. Not the best day to be off and walking at a big park with lots of open spaces and I was out in it most of the day, then errands and not online until late in the day.
Are you putting the bird feeder your friend bought you that attaches to the window up again this year?
You’re right, not every pumpkin is perfect looking. This one is cute, and I’m looking forward to setting it out for the critters to eat. I wonder who will be first to find it?
I have samples of LMNT Chocolate Salt that I like to put in coffee. It’s just the right amount of salt/sweet to make the coffee taste delightful.
It was a bit warmer yesterday (of course, I was back to work!). Today it’s only 41. I think fall/winter has officially arrived. Yikes, your long walk in the park sounds chilly! I hope your home felt warm and cozy when you returned.
Yes, we’re going to put that feeder out again. We’re waiting until we put away the bird baths so that the birds are more anxious to look past the fence and come to the window feeder.
I saw someone put a pumpkin at the Park and cut it in two and the squirrels were feasting on it (til they saw me and peanuts) and made a beeline over. Our City is doing something new this year and on November 4th, everyone should take their pumpkin to Council Point Park and they will have an event to “smash your pumpkin” … I personally think taking the pumpkin to the Park and letting the squirrels feast on it makes more sense, but ….
We had another very gray and chilly day – weatherman said it was like a November day … so we went from August-like weather to November-like weather, just like that, which is crazy. I was glad the house was warm and I couldn’t get warmed up though for a good while, even after coffee.
That will be fun watching the birds close-up again. I keep seeing a sponsored ad on Facebook for a birdfeeder with a hidden camera in it to see the birds very close-up … looks like fun.
That’s interesting about the pumpkin smashing event. I suppose that helps keep people from tossing them in the streets or vandalism?
It was chilly here too! It’s clear, calm, and 39 this morning. I can see every star, Venus, and the sliver of a moon. It’s picture worthy even if I can’t get a picture of it. It does feel very November like.
I’ve seen that feeder too – it would be fun, but we don’t have a window it would work on. I think it might give our cats a heart attack! 😂
Shelley, the flowers are gorgeous and the food is making me hungry. We are getting ready for winter. No rush (yet) but the normal things we do this time of year. I hope you have a great week.
Thank you, Dan! We’re doing the normal things too, and keep telling ourselves that we have more time before the snow flies. My cousin sent me a photo of 2013 when they got 58 inches of snow on October 4-5th. Snow happens and we’re gonna wish we were ready for it I bet. 😆
I hope you have a great week too!
I love your flower photos, Shelley. As much as I love this season, it always means the end of our beauties…at some point. I have been slowly cleaning up the patio, but the impatiens were so gorgeous this summer that I will wait for the frost to put them gently to sleep.
I turned the heat on yesterday morning. It was chilly in the apartment, especially my NE facing bedroom. Since I don’t pay for heat here, it’s a no-brainer to stay warm with the cooler days.
Thank you, Mary! I’m with you in the feelings of wanting to take the removal of the flowers as slow as possible. I love the idea of putting them gently to sleep with the frost.
Lucky you for the paid heat! We have one apartment we own that we do that and trust me the costs you’re saving are substantial. 😉😊
Take care and happy healing with your surgeries. 🤗
I need to pick up some pumpkins to decorate our stoop–about all the fall decorating I do. Our lone pumpkin out there (which my husband grew in his garden is soft at the stem and won’t make it until Halloween). Speaking of, this might be my boys’ last year trick or treating–8th grade. Wow, time really flies. I feel like they were dressed up as a falcon (that was a fun costume!) and Superman just yesterday! Your pics are wonderful, Shellie. That marigold is gigantic! Keep warm, my friend!
Aw, I hope the boys help you pick out the pumpkins. That’s sweet that you had one that grew in the garden.
I remember that last trick-or-treating time. I even remember my last time doing that. It’s a big deal for parents and a milestone for kids especially if it was something they enjoyed doing. I hope your guys have fun and make it a happy memory.
It was great to hear from you – I hope all is well dear blogging buddy, stay warm, cozy, and happy! 🤗😁
Wow, very beautiful and delicious photos, Shelley! I found that I can just barely get online with my hot spot. Super slow. Yeah, it’s in the 40s and really windy in Lapeer today, so cold! Be well, guys. ❤️
Thanks, John, I appreciate you using your hotspot to check in. It’s that cold here too so I know how you’re feeling. I’m sending you and your family prayers and thoughts – take care, John! 🤗🙏🏻
Hugs. 🥰🥰
🤗🤗
Shelley, I loved all your photos this week and the way you walked us through your day. Starting at 66 degrees…inside! Super chilly. And warm fire and yummy breakfast would certainly warm my soul. The pumpkin sure was the perfect shape and I love that you feed the deer with them. Just loved all the flowers. Such a nice display and a nice answer to texture as well.
Thank you, Donna, I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. It was a fun way to play inside with my camera and warm up to the idea of winter’s arrival. I so enjoyed your take on the prompt too. That was a fun collection of displays!
Thank you.
Beautiful photos, very textural! 😁
I think I’ve asked this before, but which do you prefer in photos? Horizontal or Vertical? I don’t have a preference, but would suggest that they should all be the same way in one post, that is either all vertical or all horizontal.
What is your favorite decoration for the fall? Mums
What requirements do you have for picking out a pumpkin? Not rotten
Do you dig pumpkin spice-flavored beverages? NO!
What is your favorite type of chili? Two bean made with ground bison
What’s new with you this week? Nothing much
Hi Ally! I enjoyed reading your responses. I love the not rotten pumpkin requirement. 🎃 Have you gotten out your skeleton friend yet to put out on display? 🤔😉
I have! Earl is sitting on a teak chair in front of the house, attached to the chair with zip ties so he’ll not wander away. Thanks for asking. 🎃
That’s wonderful news! It sounds like he’s set up for a spectacular Halloween. 🎃 I hope there are tales to be told on your blog about his adventures. 😉
Well you know, he’s kind of a quiet fellow, likes to keep his thoughts to himself. 😜
😉😊😂
Wonderful flowers, Shelley! Just at the last sigh of warmth here, not many flowers left. Pink. Pink is not my favourite colour, but in flowers it is amazingly beautiful. Lovely displays of food as well – tempting. And good that your husband prepared it for you – just like my husband does with leftovers. The pumpkin looks absolutely perfect – amazing how they can grow so even and photogenique!
Thank you, Anne-Christine, I appreciate you stopping by to check out the post and your feedback is heart-warming! Pink doesn’t strike me as a fall color, so it’s been interesting for me to see the Cosmos Pinkies in full bloom. They won’t last much longer, frost will arrive soon.
It’s great to have a hubby that enjoys cooking/presenting food for us to enjoy too! 🥰
Thanks again for hosting the fun prompt for the week!