Happy Halloween Ladies

In the little town of Acme, WA there is a house with a bench on the front porch - on that bench are a lovely group of ladies - painted on the bench - and read for holidays.  This past weekend we took a drive out there and found the ladies all dressed for Halloween.

 If you sit on this bench you will be sitting on their laps

 All dolled up in their witch hats

 And pretty lights

This is how they look without their hats - I wonder if they get cold in this rainy weather.  And do you think they are the friends of the lady of the house?  I like to think they are.  Wouldn't it be fun to have a bench with your friends on it?

Mosaic Monday

Barns

A nice ride in the country today - and more barns

A new barn - just completed this summer.  It is built in the traditional style of barns in our area.

 A small barn - used for storage

 A long hay barn

 Old but still in use

And a spectacular shot of a vulture circling in the sky - just because

Barn Collective 

Cookie Anyone?

 Have a Halloween Cookie - or candy

 Everyone is happy when they have cookies.

 Even the Scarecrow has a smile

 Will the elf eat the cookies?

Halloween is coming - are you ready?

Teapots for All Seasons

I love a good cup of tea - and I love teapots

 These teapots are in a hutch in the kitchen - when I am at the baking island this is my view - it is always cheery

 Sweet Bunny teapot - great for 

springtime tea parties

 Violets and pansies

 All the teapots are from thrift shops, antique malls or yard sales - except for the Desert Rose - which came from my Granny - Desert Rose was her everyday dishes for years and years.  Many of the teapots were gifts.

 I have several tea-for-one sets - this is one of my very favorites shhhh, don't tell the others that I said so.

 I have more teapots than will fit in that one hutch Red Transferware is nice for summer tea

      I have many seasonal themed teapots that only  come out during certain holidays. 

 Springtime tea

 Red Transferware is perfect for summer

 Autumn brings out the Sears Cattail teapot ,

it is 73 years old 

 And for christmas - Santa, Snowman 

and lots of holly

The holly teapot can be used on into winter,

long after christmas

A garden tea party 

Every teapot has special memories

Scarecrow and Pumpkin teapot 

for hearty Autumn tea -  won't you have a cup?

Vintage Charm Party

Friends Sharing Tea

Tea Cup Tuesday

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Tuesday's Treasures

Autumn Dinner

Let's set the table for an early autumn feast.

I found the tablecloth at Goodwill a few years ago - and two matching napkins.  

  I learned that their policy is to split things up - the tablecloth and a few napkins at one Goodwill, and ship the rest of the napkins to another Goodwill that is fairly close - our next closest one is about 20 miles away.  They think that if they do that (with flatware too and sets of glasses) that people will travel to the other Goodwills within 50 or 60 miles to find the matching items) - I don't think so!!! 

 I used cabbage plates and flower plates in Autumn colors on top of the white chargers - which have embossed fruit on the edges.

 The two different sets of individual pumpkin soup tureens were finds at yard sales.

 Don found the lidded pumpkin at a yard sale for 50 cents

 Since I didn't have enough of the napkins that matched the tablecloth, I used some leaf print ones that I made two years ago.

 Metal Crow napkin rings went around the bamboo flatware.

And yesterday we were at Goodwill and I found this darling pumpkin teapot - with the scarecrow handle.  It was 75% off - just couldn't resist.  It will be perfect for Thanksgiving too.

Mosaic Monday
Fabulous Fall Party

Collages are made on ipiccy.com and fotor.com

Barns and Mountains

 A large farm, snuggled up against a hill - on the way to Sedro Woolley, WA

And then on to the flats and a fabulous view of Mt. Baker.  It was a dark, cloudy day - and with the dark background clouds a bright patch of sunlight appeared and lit the new snow on Mt. Baker - viewed from Skagit Valley.  The sun lasted only a few minutes and the mountain merged back into the clouds and was barely visible.  Our timing was perfect for the lit up mountain!

Turn to the southeast from that view - and here is another mountain - covered in the first snow of the year.  I don't know the name of this mountain - anyone local know it?  It too was lit briefly with sunshine. 

 And below - a farm shed and a green field of winter cover crop.

 Now - turning to the Southwest - and behold - the Olympic Mountain Range!!!!!!

 The Olympics are approximately 100 miles, as the crow flies, from Bellingham - and about 175 miles by road.  We rarely get such a clear view of them and it was thrilling to see them - along with the other mountains surrounding us.  Off to the south I could see the "mound" of Mt. Ranier - but not clear enough to show up in a photo -  some day I'll find it clear enough.

 The Olympics are in Olympic National Park - on the Olympic Peninsula.  Glorious country to explore.

And on the way home - one more farm - with fields mowed and ready for the hay to begin growing in the spring

The Barn Collective