Halloween Fun

The boys and their Dad had some fun this week after school. They decorated their house for Halloween. I think they did a great job.

The step looks very spooky with a tombstone, a grim reaper, Frankinstein's bride a pumpkin and a ghost.

The front yard has dracula, ghosts, a witch, cobwebs and a dead scarecrow. LOL Actually the wind was so strong it blow the scarecrow over. There are a couple more scarecrows in the front flower bed. Enlarge for a better view.

We've had about 15 kids at our door tonight, which is more than usual. Ordinarily we have eight to ten. It's nice to have more kids stop by. I love their costumes. The best this year was an inch worm, about 3 years old. She was adorable. Second best goes to a boy about 12 who was dressed up as a Wheaties cereal box. Third, was a girl dressed up like Daniel Boone. She even wore the coonskin cap. What were the best costumes that you saw.

Wishing all my friends and readers a Happy Halloween.

Congratulations, Brandon

Congratulations to Brandon on getting 99% on his horticulture for the year. He took six weeks of horticulture this year. He received 100% on all weekly tests, but missed one question on his final exam. Way to go, Brandon. I know you are looking forward to taking horticulture again next year. Your teacher and your family are very PROUD of you.

Brandon now has six weeks of transportation, but he was off school sick the first week and so was his teacher. Because of illness and absenteeism, the class isn't progressing like it should. Hopefully, next week they can get down to business.

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thankful Thursday. It is a day when we list the things we are thankful for. If you would like to participate, be sure to stop by Sting My Heart and pay Iris a visit. You can find all the information there.

There are so many things to be thankful for and I always try to look on the positive side of things and count my blessings. I haven't participated in Thankful Thursday for a while and decided it was time to post a few of my blessings.

* For the senior's discount that I got at the drugstore today. 15% is a lot when you're on a tight budget.

* That hubby's doppler and EKG were both clear. The doctor had suspected he might have a blockage in the arteries of his neck. The doppler came back showing all is clear. The doctor was also concerned that his heart might be enlarged. The EKG shows his heart is within the normal range.

* For grandsons who light up my life with their laughter and phone calls. I'm also thankful that they still want to spend at least one day on the weekend at Grandma's.

* Thankful for the little things in life...the autumn colour, the fragrance of line-dried sheets...the antics of Dakota.

* For the kindness of strangers who may never know how they have affected the lives of others, and for random acts of kindness.

There are so many things to be thankful for. Remember to count your blessings as there are always those less fortunate.

Midnight in the Pumpkin Patch

Tonight was my writer's meeting. It's always nice to get together with other people that have the same interests that I do.

Since Halloween is close at hand, our writing exercise tonight was a lot of fun. We were given six words and told to write a page and a half story using all six of them. These are the six words:

* Halloween

* dead

* rotten

* brave

* candies

* shaking

* choked

* green

I wrote a quick little story that took me about ten minutes.

Midnight in the Pumpkin Patch

It was midnight on Halloween and I was in the pumpkin patch trying to figure out why all the stalks and leaves were luminiscent green. I had seen them glowing when I looked out the kitchen window.

An eerie feeling slithered up my spine as I made my way down the rows. A pungent smell, like something rotten, wafted on the air. It smelled like something or someone had died. Should I venture forth or head back to the house? I decided to be brave and ventured forth.

As I moved forward the smell became so strong that I choked and gagged. Then I saw that a stink bomb had been set off at the end of one row. I sighed in relief because for a moment I'd wondered if I'd find a body.

A movement in the bushes caught my eye and I approached cautiously. Two boys were sitting, stuffing candies into their mouths and shaking with laughter. Beside them were two cans of flourescent green paint. Mystery solved!

It is kind of a silly little story, but it's what came to mind as I put my pen to paper. If you decide to use the six words to write your own story, be sure to let me know. I'd love to read it.

Around the Neighbourhood

I had planned on taking the car out this afternoon to do a bit of leaf peeping, but decided I didn't have the ambition. So I grabbed the camera and took a slow, leisurely walk around the neighbourhood.

Our front flower bed. The mums are making a great splash of colour here.

In the park down the street. I thought the red bush was so pretty.

This is along the canal where we used to take Meeko for his walks. I don't go there much since he died, but noticed this pretty bush and walked that way.

Along the canal is a house and this is in back of it along the path. There is another red bush in that area. I wonder what they are called. They certainly are beautiful in the fall.

The bridge across the little creek. I have other photos when there was much more colour there, but this year it is mostly browns and yellows. Still beautiful.

From the park toward the street. The sky was brilliant blue. Such a pretty colour.

This is in front of our house. The tree was just a sapling when we moved here and now it towers taller than the house. It is always a pretty shade of green and yellow in autumn. If you enlarge this photo, you can see Dakota in the bottom right, waiting for me to come home.

I hope you enjoyed strolling around the neighbourhood with me. It was warm and sunny and a great day for a walk.