Merry Christmas

A quick update to tell you all how much we appreciate your thoughts, prayers and well wishes for Shilo. She is doing incredibly well, sleeping a lot during the day and starting to get antsy when she is awake. We may have to tie her down soon for the rest of her recovery time.

My computers hard drive has bite the dust. I came home from work one day and the computer showed signs of trauma, a missing screw on the screen and a broken hinge. The diagnostic test said the hard-drive was damaged due to excessive shock which all points to the computer being dropped. Of course, nobody did it, so Casper the not-so-friendly ghost has struck again. I'm on my work computer right now, saying thank-you to you all and wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. It will be a wonderful one at our house this year. Many blessings to be thankful for.

Miracle at OHSU

Now that the danger has past, I can write this without shaking hands. Still, several days later, if I let myself think of what could have been, my heart starts to quiver.

The story, for us, started early in the morning this past Saturday. I was awoken about two in the morning to Riff telling me that he needed my help with Shilo, our 20 year old daughter. "She's really sick", he told me. Riff had heard a crash, went upstairs to investigate and found Shilo passed out in the hallway with a big gash on her chin. I quickly went upstairs with him and Shilo was still in the spot where he had left her, awake but mostly incoherent except for telling us that she was in incredible pain in her stomach, shoulders and her back felt "tight". I asked her if she had been drinking, (which Shilo very rarely does), and she said that yes, she had. She seemed to be breathing really hard and just kept saying how bad she hurt. She couldn't seem to get up, her legs were not working and she couldn't remember falling. Because of her breathing and pain, we decided to take her to the hospital.
Riff had to carry her to the car and at the hospital we put her right into a wheelchair as she still couldn't walk and was in incredible pain. I told the lady at admissions that I thought she was drunk but was concerned about the pain she was in. Back in the ER, Shilo's heart rate was very high, she did not have a temperature that would register on the thermometer, her oxygen level was 83% and her blood sugar was 187. The nurse eventually got her into a gown that blew warm air through it to warm her up, and after taking some blood, got her onto an IV as she was extremely dehydrated. The testing showed that her blood alcohol level was .01, not even legally drunk, so what was going on? The doctor came in, stitched up the gash in her chin, asked Shilo if she could possibly be pregnant, too which Shilo replied that no, she had just finished a 3-1/2 week period. "What? Why hadn't you told me about that?", I said. The doctor only said, "You're blood test shows that you're pregnant". Shilo barely registered that as she was actually in and out of consciousness at this point and even though her temperature was coming up, she was still in incredible pain and her heart rate kept spiking back up to between 140 and 150. Even so, her heart monitors were removed and we were sent home with instructions to follow up with her primary physician next week sometime. There is actually more to this story, Riff and I asking questions and suggesting that maybe more testing needed done. We were not listened to.

At home, we put her to bed, with Shilo still in great agony, but we kept thinking that with some rest she would be better and maybe the pain was from the fall and her fibromyalgia. NEVER DO THIS! IF YOU FEEL THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG, PLEASE GET TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL FOR ANOTHER OPINION!!!!! It was morning by now, 5 am, so when the poor girl finally got to sleep, I let her sleep but kept a close eye on her all day. By evening, she had taken several doses of the pain medicine that the hospital had prescribed for her chin. She was feeling a bit better but still in an incredible amount of pain. The more we talked about it, the more that Shilo and I convinced ourselves that it was muscle pain from her fibromyalgia, so Saturday night we all went to bed. Sunday morning, Riff and I got up and were discussing Shilo and her health as the coffee brewed. We heard her bedroom door open and down the hall she shuffled, looking absolutely no better than she had the day before. She could not stand up straight, her skin was completely gray and she had fallen in the bathroom again during the night, splitting her lip open. One look at her and we made the decision to load up and drive her to OHSU in Portland, 2 hours away. OHSU is a top hospital and I told Riff that even if they told us the same thing that we had been told at our local hospital, that at least we would have what I felt was a professional opinion.

Two hours later, Riff pulled the Suburban up to the emergency entrance to OHSU, grabbed a wheelchair and I wheeled Shilo in as Riff went to find a parking spot. At the Admissions counter, the young gentleman took one look at Shilo and called Triage to come get her right away. A door just a few steps down the hall opened and Shilo's name was called. I wheeled her through the door and before I even noticed that she was doing it, the Triage nurse had a heart monitor hooked up and was on the phone telling the emergency room doctors that she had a patient with a heart rate of 140 and was bringing her back to a room to finish Triage. Riff was coming through the doors as they were taking Shilo into emergency. Two doctors met us in the hallway for a history of the last couple of days. As we were talking to them, about four nurses had descended on Shilo and they had an IV in her arm, monitors on and had taken an EKG. This all happened within ten minutes of us initially walking through the doors of the hospital. Within another few minutes, blood work had been taken and the Doctors were doing an ultrasound. We were told right away that they thought Shilo had a tubal pregnancy that had burst but that they were doing testing to make sure that they were correct. The ultrasound verified this, showing that Shilo's abdomen was filled with blood and her blood levels were frightening low. Only two pints of blood were actually circulating through Shilo's system, the rest was in her abdomen.
They called in the OB/GYN team of surgeons and within an hour and a half of us being there, Shilo had received a transfusion of 4 units of blood and was in surgery. We were told that the plan was to not wake her, leave her breathing tube in and have her in ICU for the night after surgery, but apparently part way through the procedure, Shilo woke up and was what the Doctors called "feisty". We were told that this is when they knew that she was going to make it and that it would all be okay. Because of this, they did wake Shilo up after surgery and she did so well that she was placed in a regular room and did not have to go to ICU.
After surgery and after Shilo was out of danger, these incredible Doctors told us that had anything happened differently - had we been delayed in traffic, had we been in a fender bender - anything, that most likely our little girl would not have made it. It is still so hard to think about all of the little things that had to come together just so for this miracle of life to happen. She has a long road to recovery, and is so bruised and battered that she looks like she's been through a war, but I guess in a way she has. A war for her life.

The staff at OHSU, right down to the orderly who wheeled Shilo's bed into her room after surgery, was incredible. Angels in disguise who saved our daughters life. They were all compassionate, warm, caring, intelligent, professional. I could go on and on. We will be forever grateful for their incredible skill and urgency in treating Shilo. I can not thank them enough. Don't even have the words. God bless, everyone!

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

My sisters and I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. From our 1968 house to yours.

I was going through a box of old pictures the other day, (I just love doing that. The memories and places we get to re-visit are so wonderful), when I came upon this photo card from 1968. I love our sweet faces, the dresses we were wearing and that old rocker. I was just one year old, Stacey would have been 3 and Susan 6. I have another one of these to share in the days to come that was taken a few years later and includes our little brother, Todd. How fun!

Now Christmas is come,
Let us beat up the drum,
And call all our neighbors together,
And when they appear,
Let us make them such cheer,
As will keep out the wind and the weather
~Unknown author (well, at least to me)

Aaaaah-Chooo!

Gigantic sneezes are a part of my life, so I can completely relate to this poor snowman. I've often said that my face snaps off and back into place when I sneeze, but this poor guy didn't have the luck of it snapping back into place.
May all your sneezes be big one's. Bless you!

Pirates for Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like.....pirates?! Who ever heard of pirates for Christmas? Jack Sparrow will be so jealous of these fun knitted hats. Maybe he'll pop over for a little looksey, and possibly a bit of sword fighting in order to snatch up one of these. I can only hope...

Courage

"Courage is being scared to death - and saddling up anyway."
~John Wayne

A big thumbs up to our boys, Sam and Ryan, who have "saddled up" time and time again.

Turn the Page Tuesday ~ Impossible

On the evening of Lucy Scarborough's seventh birthday, after the biggest party the neighborhood had seen since, well, Lucy's sixth birthday, Lucy got one last unexpected gift. It was a handwritten letter from her mother-her real mother, Miranda. It was not a birthday letter, or at least, not one in the usual sense. It was a letter from the past, written by Miranda to her daughter before Lucy was born, and it had been hidden in the hope that Lucy would find it in time for it to help her.
~Nancy Werlin

So begins the novel Impossible by Nancy Werlin. The cover of this book grabbed me and drew me in. I had to read it, just as Gregory Maguire says in a review on the front. "A haunting, thrilling romantic puzzle. Just read it." So I did.

Nancy Werlin has written this novel with the folk song "Scarborough Fair" as her inspiration. Here are her own words on her work:
"The novel had begun taking shape for me sometime in the mid-1990's. I had been thinking about the ballad "Scarbourough Fair," as recorded by Simon and Garfunkel. As a teenager, I found the song beautiful and sad and oh-so-romantic.
Listening to the lyrics as an adult, though, I was taken aback. The man demands one impossible task after another from the woman; and if she doesn't deliver, then she's no "true love" of his. I thought: There's no way that woman can prove herself to that man; he's already made up his mind. Did she do him wrong? What's the story?"

So Nancy made up the story. It is full of mystery, fantasy, romance and evil. A family curse dating back many generations to Ireland, if you choose to believe in curses, threatens to take Lucy's sanity by the time she turns 18, but will true love be able to save her? Maybe true love and being able to tackle and solve the three impossible tasks that the song and the family curse impart. This novel deals with some tough issues - rape, mental illness, foster families and teen pregnancy along with the fantasy and romance.

I didn't realize, when I bought this book, that it was a young adult book, but it was good and I really enjoyed it, wishing I wasn't done once I had finished it. It really is kind of haunting and, for those of us who wish for a little magic in the world, makes us ponder if sometimes there are things out there that we can't see. Not an evil elf king, but maybe a little bit of sparkly magic somewhere....

Happy happy reading and don't forget to pop over to Some of a Kind to see more Turn the Page Tuesday. I think a Christmas story or two is in order for me this coming month.

Magical Leavenworth

On a crisp autumn weekend in early October, Riff and I took a drive up Washington's Highway 2 to the magical other world of Leavenworth, Washington. Leavenworth is located in the ruggedly beautiful foothills of the Cascade Mountains and a visit is like stepping into a Bavarian village.
Leavenworth was a booming timber and railroad community from the 1890's to the 1920's, with a very prosperous lumber company and seven sets of railroad tracks connecting this beautiful valley with the rest of the world. Then, in 1925, The Great Northern Railway Company decided to move it's headquarters to Wenatchee and between this devastating blow to the community and the great depression, the town was on it's death bed. The rugged mountains are perfect for ski hills and in the late 1920's, a Winter Sports Club was established with ski jumps and toboggan runs being built. This brought in winter tourists and spectators to watch the international jumping competitions that began to take place, but it wasn't enough to keep the town prosperous.

During the 1950's, things were so bad that Leavenworth was known as a Welfare town. The townspeople loved their village and got together to come up with idea's to save their town. Looking up at the gorgeous rugged mountains, the alpine theme became an inspiration to them. It took quite a few years, but the whole town decided to go with the Bavarian theme, building festivals and events around the idea, along with changing the look and feel of their buildings. It worked and Leavenworth is now a bustling thriving community, full of tourists spending their money at all the local establishments. With something like 17 festivals a year, many of them running more than one weekend, there is always something going on in this mountain village.
From magical winter wonderlands, to Octoberfest, Autumn Leaf Festivals, Ale Fests, Maifest, Bird Fest, Bike and Brew Fest, Wine Walk, Accordion Celebration, Kinderfest, Fall Music Festival, Salmon Festival and more, there is always so much to see and do.
Riff and I enjoyed and authentic Bavarian dinner at Andreas Keller that was just incredible. Soo so good! Come on, walk with us through this magical place...
No road trip is complete without a visit to a yarn shop!

Anyone who lives here has had to buy into the magical Bavarian world of Leavenworth 100%. Their work uniforms are costumes, really, and they can be seen all over town dressed in their European gear. Very fun to see, you feel like you really must be in another time and place.
Street entertainment ~ I've seen this same guy in several of the Leavenworth advertisement publications, during all kinds of weather so he must be a staple of the streets. Entertaining and fun to watch with a large crowd around him at all times. The kids love it!


Silly, goofy hats are huge in Leavenworth. I don't know if it's all the time or a Octoberfest tradition, but it was just to fun to see so many people in their finery. There is a special shop, The Hat Shop, of course, to purchase your nonsense, but the line was formed a block from the front door so we stayed away. Next time, though, I'm joining in this Tom-foolery. Yes, I am, Riff, and so are you...

Just outside of Leavenworth and in the surrounding country are a few wonderful farm stands and pumpkin patches. This old wooden farmer stands at the entrance to Prey's Fruit Barn, enticing us in with his large wooden apple. This fruit barn is wonderful eye candy in itself, and once inside, oh my goodness! The smell of the fresh fruit is incredible. Apples, pears, plums oh my! Corn and pumpkins and squash make beautiful displays beside farm fresh jams, jelly's, soup mixes and so much more. I could have spent a gazillion dollars in here, had I had a gazillion dollars, of course, which I did not. Too bad for me! If you find yourself on Highway 2 in Washington State, don't stop until you have found Prey's Fruit Barn and the attached Home Fires Bakery. Delicious!
We were chummed right in to the Home Fires Bakery with the smell of fresh brewed coffee and the best pastries this side of the Mississippi. I didn't take any pictures inside (I'm kind of shy like that!), but they had the most incredible HUGE old-fashioned floor mixer I've ever seen. It was gorgeous, as mixers go. Look at those grounds. I so love that pumpkin path!
Oh My! This pastry is called a "Twist and Shout". It was fresh out of the ovens and it made me want to shout for sure. Absolutely scrumptious!!






Leavenworth's Riverfront Park is a wonderful place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the many festivals. Take a walk along the Wenatchee River or sit on one of the long line of benches with a good book and a cup of joe. Sweet and serene, Riff and I ended our stay in Leavenworth with a stroll through this park before jumping in the car and heading back home. A perfect ending to a magical weekend.

Christmas carols are playing on the stereo, the lingering scent of pumpkin pie is still in the air, the sounds of knitting needles clicking and clacking and a whirling sewing machine can be heard at differing intervals. Black Friday sales are not for me, instead I have chosen to stay home, digging into my Christmas crafting with a frenzy. I'm really happy with the presents that I have turned out in this last week (vacation time for me~ Yippee!). Three little quilts are finished, one custom hat for an etsy sale, a knitting project complete, and a new snowman on the needles. Our Christmas boxes going to Germany and Texas have been mailed and one for Wyoming is getting close to completion. What a week it's been, completely relaxing, knitting, sewing and baking. Feels like a dream...

Happy Thanksgiving

Five little turkeys are we...
We slept all night in a tree...
When the cook came around
We couldn't be found
And that's why were here you see.
Gobble, Gobble!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hope your tables and your houses are full!

Little Miss Matched

Traditionally, I'm not a threesome kind of girl but recently I've been giving that a second thought. In the mail one day last week, I received a random package from my brother Joshua in Manhattan. (Well, it was a late birthday present, but late enough that it felt just like a random surprise which is even better than a darn old birthday present.) In that fun red, white and blue priority mail package was that fun, wonderful, polka-dotty, soft, striped threesome of socks that you see in the picture above. Now how darn fun is that, I ask you? You don't get a PAIR of socks, you get a three un-matched, super soft fun fun socks! Bet you didn't know I have three feet, did you?!

I so love this idea. It fits me perfectly. Thanks Joshua!

The company is called Little Miss Matched and you can find all their fun socks here. What great presents these would make for all those Miss Matched girls in your life. Check it out!

Ice Ice Baby!

Snowmonsters and Icemen have invaded my house. They can be seen hanging out in the living room watching TV, studying the bookshelves in my craft room for some light reading and I've even caught them standing in the kitchen with the fridge door wide open. GUYS! There's nothing new in that fridge since you checked last. You have to make something! The snowmonsters are quieter than you would think, I barely know their around except for those ice cold spots of water that I've been stepping in from time to time. Brrr!

Nevertheless, they are going to get individually boxed up and shipped away. In fact, Mr. Abominable left last week for Germany. I sure hope his passport was up to date and that the weather doesn't get to warm somewhere on his journey. Sure wouldn't want him to arrive as just a puddle of slush. Sad!


Iceman, the newest snowmonster inhabitant, is going to shortly be off to Texas. I may have to find him a refrigerated boxcar to travel in. Maybe Frosty will show up to keep him company. As long as that evil magician stays far away. I'm pretty sure that Iceman could take him in a showdown anyway, but to be safe I'll look under the train to make sure he's not clinging on before they pull out of the station.

I sent the little quilt below along to Germany. Wouldn't want our little Ayden getting cold when he's playing with his new snow friend, now would we?!

Oh the weather outside is frightful....can't remember the words.....Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!

Fabulous Fall Foods - Recipe 4

I'm late - I'm late
For a very important date!
No time to say hello, goodbye
I'm late - I'm late - I'm late!!

No, I have not forgotten about my Fabulous Fall Foods, but in usual me fashion - I'm late! I hope you all have been enjoying some beautiful fall weather and some wonderful fall flavors. This week's Fabulous Fall Foods recipe is a scrumptious bread that will have you drooling while baking. Mmmmm....this stuff is so good, and with a bowl of homemade Venison Barley Soup it's simply to die for.

Here's the recipe. Have fun!

Pepper Cheese Bread

1-1/2 cups finely diced green peppers
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 eggs
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon water

In a skillet, saute peppers in 1 tablespoon oil for 15 minutes or until tender; set aside. In a mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in the sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. In a saucepan, heat the milk, honey, salt and remaining oil to 110-115 degrees. Remove from the heat; stir in the cheese. Stir in 2 eggs and reserved peppers; add to yeast mixture. Add 2 cups flour and wheat germ; beat until smooth.

Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Do not knead.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; Spoon into two greased 8" x 4" x 2" loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Beat water and remaining egg together; brush over loaves. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 2 loaves.

Delicious! Next time, I will probably add more green peppers. The flavor was wonderful but, heck, can you have enough peppers?!

What have you been baking this week? I'd love to hear.

Standing in line at the Post Office the other day, I found myself tapping my heels together and wishing for home. The line was long, lunch hour on a Monday, with only one window open to serve all of our needs. The box I was sending to Germany for Christmas was feeling heavy after awhile, people were clearing their throats, shuffling feet and feeling generally discontent with spending so much time standing in line, which brought me to my thoughts of home.

I begin to picture our house, warm fire crackling, soft jazz on the stereo, cookies baking in the oven, kitty curled up on the couch. Ahh, how I long to be home. My thoughts then begin to wander farther back - to a November afternoon in 1975.

The school bell rings, doors fly open and we all scramble our way out of Stella Mayfield Elementary School into a bright, crisp autumn day. Coats are buttoned up, mittens pulled on as thirty 2nd graders mingle with the rest of the grade-schoolers, calling out to our friends, laughing and jostling as we each head our own ways home. In this tiny rural community in the 70's, we are safe to walk home alone, knowing that everyone we meet along the way is looking out for us. It takes a community to raise a child was such a true statement during this era. If we were naughty on the way home, rest assured that Mom would know before we got there.

I meander home, never in a big hurry. Too many leaves to crunch and crackle under my feet, too many bugs to watch poke along. When I do arrive, I push open the door to the smell of fresh baked cookies and a Mama's love.

Ahh, how I long to be home again, and eight years old, for just one more day...

Following my friend Terri's advice, I have entered the picture that's in my header into the Weather Channel's fall photo contest. I would love it if you would pop over to the contest page and vote for my photo. When you are on the site, click on the "People's Choice" tab then just type in my name, Paula Niziolek, under the photographer search and the picture should come up. Keep in mind that you can only vote once per email address (and you will have to register to vote), so as much as I would love to get your vote, choose carefully your favorite photo. There are some absolutely gorgeous ones. It's a fun way to take a virtual fall trip to see the colors. Beautiful for sure!

Tales Behind the Tombstones

"We never did hang the wrong one but once or twice, and them fellers needed to be hung anyhow jes' on general principles."
~A Nameless Judge In The Old West

It's time for Turn the Page Tuesday hosted by Adrienne from Some of a Kind. I choose to read Tales Behind the Tombstones by Chris Enss, thinking that it was appropriate and fun for a late October read.

From the back cover:
A crumbling headstone in the cemetery at Bodie, California, memorializes Rosa May, a prostitute still known for caring for the sick. In Deadwood, South Dakota, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok, infamous to the end, lie interred side by side, per Jane's last request. And at the top of Lookout Mountain in Colorado lies the greatest western showman of all time, Buffalo Bill Cody, his grave site visited by thousands every year.
Simple Stones, roadside crosses, and grand monuments commemorate the lives of those ordinary citizens and larger-than-life characters who tamed the Wild West and exemplified its greatest myths. In Tales Behind the Tombstones, author Chris Enss shares the stories behind their lives, deaths, and burials.

This book is a collection of short true stories about those buried in both marked and unmarked graves all over the old west, both the infamous outlaws that we all know and many other pioneers that we don't. All of the stories are interesting, all of them taking us back to the old west.

I really enjoyed this one. It's fun to read short stories now and then and even better when we revisit some of our old outlaw friends and foes. I had always thought that Bob Ford shot Jesse James in the back of the head after Jesse had stopped his life of crime. Not so. Bob was part of the James brothers gang, had killed one of the other gang members and, after getting caught, plea-bargained his own case by agreeing to bring down the infamous Jesse James. They were in Jesse's house discussing their next train robbery when Jesse turned to straighten a picture and Mr. Ford shot him in the head. I knew most of the story; had just always heard that the gang was no longer a gang and that Jesse (alias Mr. Howard) was on the straight and narrow.

"All the world likes an outlaw. For some damn reason they remember 'em."
~Jesse James, 1879


I know that I'm posting this on Monday night but my computer seems to have a bit of a bug again, so I probably won't have any access for a couple of days. Darn thing won't recognize it's own battery pack or my photo multi-media card, among other things. Cross your fingers and wish my poor sick computer luck. Otherwise, it might soon be in an unmarked grave in the old west.

"A cemetery is a history of people - a perpetual record of yesterday and sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery exists because every life is worth loving and remembering - always."
~William Gladstone, Prime Minister of England, 1890

Fishing the Old Way

My nephew, Jordan, caught a salmon with his bare hands the other day in the Umatilla River that runs right behind their house. You've got to hop over to my sister Susan's blog and watch the video. It's hysterical and you won't be able to help yourself from laughing right out loud along with Jordan. What a hoot!

Practical Magic

A hundred years ago, in a moment of heartbreak, a woman placed a curse on any man who dared to love an Owen's woman. That curse held strong and true for all that heartbroken woman's ancestors, right down to the latest set of Owen's sisters to live in the big house on the bluffs.

Practical Magic is another one of my favorite Halloween-time movie's, as well as a favorite of Brittany and Shilo's also. Full of magic, murder, mystery and romance, it is the perfect chick flick. Just listen to the song on this video...isn't that beautiful. The music in this one is great, all the way from "You Put the Lime in the Coconut", (which we have been known to sing at the top of our lungs while dancing around the kitchen), to Willie Nelson crooning "You Were Always on my Mind". The bad boy, Jimmy, is handsome and frightening,(When I want to creep my girls out, I turn to them and say, "I'm feeling very into sister's right now" in my best Romanian bad-boy Jimmy accent), the good guy is just the right blend of rugged and sweet. The magic is wonderful and fun, sometimes a little scary.

If you've never watched Practical Magic, and you like magic and chick flicks, run and get it. You won't be disappointed.

Child Of Glass

Sleeping lies the murdered lass;
Vainly cries the Child of Glass.
When the two shall be as one,
the spirits journey will be done.

This poem riddle from the 1977 Disney movie Child of Glass has remained in my noggin all these years. I loved tales about ghosts when I was a kid and this old Disney movie was one of my favorites. I have often tried to find a copy of this movie over the years but without much luck. It was released on video sometime in the 80's but not yet ever released on DVD. When I have located a copy on ebay, the bidding has gone up to an incredible amount so I've always dropped out pretty early on. Anyway, Child of Glass is one of those movies that I would have to watch every October if I had it in my possession.

It is the story of Alexander, whose family moves to an old mansion that, surprise surprise, turns out to be haunted by a little ghost girl named Inez. Inez' spirit is stuck in this world until the riddle is solved, releasing her to move on and once again reunite with her family. This is a great old movie, full of wonderful ghostly special effects.

Do you enjoy ghostly movies this time of year? What are some of your favorites? I don't do super scary, mostly the fun magical ones. Stay tuned this week for more of my favorites.

Three Little Pumpkins

Three little pumpkins sitting on a gate -
The first one said, "Oh my it's getting late."
The second one said, "I'm ready for some fun."
The third one said, "Lets run and run and run!"
AHH-WHOOOOOoooooo went the wind
And OUT went the lights
And the three little pumpkins rolled out of sight
(I'm not sure who the author is, but this is a fun little song that my kids liked to sing when they were little.)


These fantabulous goodies came from my swap partner, Tammy. We participated in Heidi's Homemade Halloween Swap and I was so lucky to receive Tammy as a partner. The homemade candy corn scented candle and lotion are incredible. Mmmm....better than the real thing for sure and I don't get sugar stuck in my teeth! Head on over to Tammy's blog to take a peek at the beautiful quilts that she makes. Wonderful!

Tammy got a sweet wool felt pillow from me, and my rocking chair is sporting a new one as well. I love working with wool, so easy and forgiving.

A few of my fall time pictures made a set of perfect autumn note cards. It was really fun smearing ink onto the paper cards, cutting the photo's into fun shapes and then sewing the pictures to the cards using my machine. I did some decorative stitches around the edges and love how they turned out. Too fun!
Have you gotten some spooky craftiness done this year?