Halloween Happenings

Today our weather was just the perfect autumn day.  Samuel had a pumpkin he wanted to carve and we had a chiminea full of sticks.  Saturday we had taken in all the tender houseplants.  They had been vacationing outside for the summer, but with the cooler temperatures they needed to come inside.  We cleaned the rug from the patio and hung it on the line.  The patio umbrella and stand were put back into my potting shed.  We were ready to get down to business with the pumpkin carving.

But first we lit the fire in the chiminea.  Our son gifted this little fireplace to us maybe 10 or 12 years ago.  We've had so much fun enjoying the patio on cold evenings and the grands especially love the s'more making.  Every year we say it will be its last--Note the wire holding it together!

Samuel started on the pumpkin.

Then what's fire without s'mores?

Inside I've been bringing out some decorations,

This pumpkin head scarecrow is as old as my children.

I hope you are enjoying all the wonderful days that October brings!

October

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

Robert Frost

October Celebrations

♫ Sailing ♫

October has always been one of my favorite months of the year.  I guess it probably began as a little girl celebrating my birthday.  My Daddy's birthday was just a couple days from mine.  I shared my birthday with my uncle as well.  October always brings the wonderful crisp air and the trees all dressed in the autumn finery.  To add to the excitement of my love of October my sweetheart's birthday is this month as well.  It is also the anniversary of our marriage to one another.

This year we celebrated 49 years of marriage with a trip to the Caribbean.  We enjoy the ease of cruising.  So we booked a trip for our anniversary.  Little did we know it would be a week when Hurricane Matthew would be barreling into the Caribbean and up the eastern seaboard.  We were both disappointed that our planned trip would probably be cancelled.  Our hearts were certainly thinking of all the folks that were in this terrible storm's pathway.  Airports were closed in the Miami area.  Our flight was to be on October 8th, the day of our cruise.  We were planning to fly to Fort Lauderdale and cruising out of Miami.  The Fort Lauderdale airport opened on Friday, but our airline did not fly there until Saturday.  So early Saturday we were able to fly and go on this trip.  It was meant to be.  We always believe if there are situations that keep us from doing things we have planned, then it must mean we should not go.  Do you get those nudges about plans?

We sailed out of Miami just as the sun was dropping and creating a gorgeous skyline.

Sailing away to the Caribbean is always exciting for us as we knew the beautiful ocean would be waiting for us to see.

We are never disappointed to see the wake from the stern of the ship!

We had two days at sea before reaching the US Virgin Island of  St. Thomas.  We enjoyed restful days reading, walking and eating!  There is always an abundance to eat on a cruise ship and one must pace themselves.  We were so relaxed as we felt ourselves getting used to being pampered.

Our ship sailed into the beautiful port of Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands on St. Thomas.  The weather was beautiful, but we could see to the west that dark clouds were forming.  As we exited the ship we immediately realized that heat and humidity would be the order of the day.  

The next day we sailed into the British Virgin Island of Tortola.  Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands.  We had planned a beach day, but our excursion was cancelled because of the rip tides that were running that day.  Again it was a very hot and humid visit to a lovely island.

Leaving Tortola was absolutely gorgeous.

 

We had one more day at sea and then we sailed into Nassau, Bahamas.  Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas.  Hurricane Matthew unfortunately did travel through this island.   There was some damage to roof tops and some trees were leaning over.  When we went into town a young Bahamanian woman told us there was more damage to Freeport.  She said they would not be getting their electricity back until Thanksgiving.  She also said that the Bahamanian schools were still closed.

  

We were so happy to have this time to enjoy each other with little or no obligations.  Reflecting on 49 years that have passed so quickly we can hardly believe it.  How did two young people possibly know that our love would endure all these years?