Stuff around the house and a bit of a fright (why you should probably not go for walks in the woods at night)

Stuff around the house

As you can see, My Sweet Husband has been busy again.

As the two pictures in this frame show, he has been removing the windows (on the left you see just the storm window in place) then carefully cleaning repairing and repainting where needed. 

 A few seasonal items

 This is one of my favorite Halloween decorations. I can't remember what this type of printing is called, but it really makes me think of my childhood.

 A seasonal treat. Something else that reminds me of childhood.

Do you remember this stuff?

 Jack

He is one of a set of two, they are currently glowing on the mantle.

 Our woods in the evening

We have been crazy busy lately. This weekend was no exception.

By the time we were ready to go for our walk, it was getting late.

The temperature was a little crisp, but still lovely, so we decided to go anyway.

 There is something so very peaceful about walking in the woods at twilight. 

 That is until you look down and see your foot about to step on this guy. I honestly do not know why I looked down and I don't think I realized right away what it was. I stepped away, took a couple more steps, then turned around and told My Sweet Husband, Look, a baby snake. (It was only about 18 inches long). He told me not to get to close, I listened.

This picture was taken by the light on My Sweet Husband's key chain (with the zoom lens). He said he did not think it was a baby, look how fat it is (take a look at the end of the tail too).

 Look him in the eyes

I finally figured out how to get the flash up, it was really too dark to see. This picture shows the shape of his head and the pattern on it's scales. No worries, also taken with the zoom lens. 

We left him in peace and headed carefully back to the car (this time with My Sweet Husband's light on the path in front of us. 

This morning we looked it up and we think he is a Pygmy Rattlesnake (who knew there was such a thing). 

I feel very lucky right now. 

One more picture from last night.

As I hum that one line from "The Teddy Bear's Picnic", 

you know the one that goes

"If you go down to the woods at night, you better not go alone"

Have a great week,

and watch where you step.

Cheers,

Kat

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We have been quite busy around here.

We cleared this area,

and added the rock garden.

 We planted lots of bulbs around this tree.

 Can you believe we still have tadpoles?

If you look close where the arrow is you can see him under the reflected leaves.

The inset is focused a little more on him.

 This is the tree that was reflected in the last picture.

I took these just a few days ago,

yet nearly every leaf has fallen from this tree now.

 The barn, 

 The dogwood tree at it's autumn peak.

It has lost nearly every leaf too.

 Look at all those leaves!

 We get some particularly spectacular sunsets this time of year.

We have much to be thankful for here.

Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful! 

Cheers,

Kat

Thankful thursday, and the winner is......

First thing,

the contest results.

There were lots of entries

 Waiting for the drawing.

My Sweet Husband was busy first thing this morning.

Pizza!

I talked him into pulling the winning name for me while the dough is rising.

and the winner is....

Catherine from Corner of Cat's Mind

She has a beautiful blog so stop by and congratulate her.

As for the rest of you,

Thank you!

It was fun.

I will have Catherine's prize ready to go off next week.

Shall I show whats in the package before it goes?

On another note, a couple of people wondered what the red was on the decorated tree in my last post.

It is leaves, there is some sort of vine growing up there.

Quite pretty.

Now for the Thankful Thursday part.

I have many things to be thankful for this November,

(The lovely Southwestern Style Pizza is one of them)

My Sweet Husband has to be at the top of the list!

My family

(All of you!)

Our cozy home,

Firewood for the fireplace,

Friends near and far,

My cameras ,

(but of course)

and Spontaneous!

I included her as family up above, but she wants a mention of her own.

What are you thankful for?

Stay warm and cozy,

Kat



Just a short post

today is the last day to enter the contest.

 One of the trees out back is decorated for fall,

 Mushrooms in the woods nearby

 Tiny yellow flowers,

yes, they are still in bloom.

Miniature Daises.

There are three easy ways to enter the contest.

1. Follow me,

2. If you are already a follower, leave me a comment,

(You can comment on any post between now and Wednesday, I will give one entry per comment)

3. If you do not wish to follow or leave a comment,

send an email too

akatscorner@aol.com

tell me what you think.

I will announce the lucky winner Thursday or Friday.

Day trip part three, produce stands and home. Contest!

Almost forgot,

we stopped for a picnic lunch before our walk on Heintooga Round Bottom Road

(Don't you just love that name)

We had home made bran muffins with peanut butter.

We headed home after our lovely walk. 

We stopped at a produce stand on the way back down the mountain.

 Isn't this a great harvest display?

There are several stands and each is a little different.

 They have beautiful pumpkins

Some with nice twisty stems.

 An assortment of gourds.

Some of these are quite fantastic.

 There were several different kinds of apples on offer.

We bought some King Lush,

 and some Arkansaw Black apples.

They are organically grown.

They were selling several kinds of grapes too and you could smell them.

 Inside the place is an antique / stuff store.

It is choc-a-block with things.

Here we have an old telephone,

a fire truck peddle car,

and gallons of cider.

 Anyone need an old mountain still?

Just look at this place,

my Mom would have loved it!

 A display of canning jars on window shelves.

 One of the kind gentlemen working at the stand saw me taking photos

and suggested I walk around out back.

This is the view.

 From a different angle.

 This old sign sits out back.

Notice the bird with twirly wings on top?

Just so you know,

I could go for everything on the sign,

except the boiled peanuts.

No thank you!

The last bit of enjoyment for the trip?

German apple pancake made from the King Lush and Arkansas Black apples.

Guess what I am having for breakfast this morning?

Don't forget the contest folks,

It goes till next Wednesday.

I really would like to know who looks at my posts,

and what you think of them.

There are three easy ways to enter the contest.

1. Follow me,

2. If you are already a follower, leave me a comment,

(You can comment on any post between now and Wednesday, I will give one entry per comment)

3. If you do not wish to follow or leave a comment,

send an email too 

akatscorner@aol.com

tell me what you think.

Can't wait to hear from you,

Cheers,

Kat

Autumn, memories, cloudy skies, and the Indigo Girls.

We made an early morning trip to Augusta, GA not long ago.

The clouds were so dramatic, I had to take pictures.

We get amazing sunsets this time of year too,

but those picture are for another post.

Dark and cloudy skies.

I used to say that spring was my favorite season, 

I love the feeling of new life after a long cold winter.

I love the flowers and the warmth.

I love how so many people seem to warm up in the spring too, they are friendlier. 

I love how fresh and green everything seems to be.

I love being able to get outside without bundling up.

Still dark, but you can see the silver lining.

Fall comes after a long hot summer, and I am more than ready for the change.

Our trees transform themselves gradually, so at this point, there are a few hints of color.

There is still a lot of green, but the change has begun.

A little more blue in this picture.

My Parents place had apple trees (2 kinds), plum trees (3 kinds), grapes (white and red),

a pear tree, and a walnut tree. 

There were red current bushes, rhubarb, and black caps (large black berries).

We usually had a vegetable garden as well. 

Autumn meant harvesting all of that and preserving it for the winter.

I come from a big happy family and I have so many happy memories 

of the work, and the lovely things we made.

My Father was interested in Organic Gardening, I don't think he ever called it that.

It was just the way things should be done (he was born in 1914 and raised on a farm).

He took great pride in how little we wasted. We made jams and jellies, we dried fruit. 

Mom made her own soup mix of dried vegetables. 

We even made our own fruit leather and my Father made wine.

In the fall, we all came together to get the work done. 

The skies are clearing, a little.

When my children were small, I made all their Halloween costumes.

I had to get enthusiastic about the project early in the season, or they would not be done on time

(although, I will admit to putting in the last few stitches right before they headed out the door a few times).

I used to make most of the Christmas presents for our extended family, Christmas decorations too.

I have a box with Halloween and Christmas magazines that I have saved for inspirations.

Each year, when the weather starts to cool, and the grocery stores put out their Halloween displays, 

(usually around mid September in this area), my Sweet Husband, brings the box down from the attic. 

My parents are gone and the rest of us do not exchange gifts anymore

so I don't have my old excuses for frenzied crafting. I still enjoy the magazines.

Early morning over the lake.

For me "The Holidays" start with Halloween. Why wait clear till Thanksgiving? 

An unusual cloud formation, notice the disk at the top?

Autumn here in the south has much to recommend it. 

The temperatures are much milder.

We use the air conditioning rarely, and we don't need the heat yet either. 

I am looking forward to using the fireplaces. We have a stack of wood from last year ready.

Soon we will go pick up another load. Did I mention that I love the smell of the wood,

and how nice it looks all neatly stacked?

Fluffy clouds and blue skies.

Spring is lovely, but you know that all the work of summer is just around the corner.

These big old places are labor intensive, most of the work gets done when the weather is hot.

When spring comes, I will be excited. 

I will anxiously wait the end of winter, and photograph every sign of new growth.

Right now, I am enjoying fall.

So, yes, I am a fan of Halloween, and everything else the season brings. 

Early evening, side view from our front porch.

"Southland in the Springtime" by the Indigo Girls, is one of my favorite songs,

but they did not get it quite right. Autumn is the best time of year in the South.

I will post pictures as the season progresses.

Cheers,

Kat

Catching up at kat's corner.

I have some catching up to do.

Kat's corner is changing rapidly with the season now, autumn has arrived.

I am a bit behind with posting pictures so there are extras in this post.

Here is my lovely old antebellum with a serving of autumn leaves on the side.

 Did you have any visitors at thanksgiving? We did.
This guy stopped by for a while.

 This picture shows the smokehouse, the summer kitchen and in the distance, the barn.
The leaves on this tree were just starting to turn in this photo.
They have all changed now.

See the color on the middle tree, looks like gold.
I love that the trees don't all change at the same time.

Another view of the yard.
Everywhere I look it is pretty right now.

 I thought the dogwood was lovely when I posted the earlier photo,
just look at it now.

 This is one of the places we like to walk.
The road runs past our house.

 Along the way, look at all the color.

 On a different note,
we lost an old friend.
About ten days before Thanksgiving, the broiler element burned out,
(literally burned out, I saw flames in the oven for just a second, and I wasn't even the one cooking)
The poor old thing just gave up.
So,

 Ta dah! A new friend has arrived.
It looks like the kitchen got a make over.
I love the big window on the door.

Can it bake a pumpkin pie?
Oh yes, it can, with a little help from my Sweet Hubby.
It bakes it nicely.

As you can see, it did a marvelous job with the turkey too.
Our Thanksgiving dinner was just right.

 These guys came by for a visit too.
I don't know what kind of bird they are but there were a lot of them, just for the one morning.
Just to brag a little on my camera, this photo was taken from about thirty feet away without a tripod.
I use a Fuji Fine pix.

 This silly old thing prefers fish to turkey.
As you can see, she was not left out of the festivities.

I hope you are as content as our silly cat.
November was wonderful,
I'm looking forward to December.
Cheers,
Kat