Tuesday, October 02, 2018

October! At last!

I've been busy with autumn and Halloween snail mail and crafty projects for the last week.  We also took another quick trip to Blue Moon Gardens in Texas on Saturday and bought Fire Bush Lime Zest, some ornamental peppers, some Henry Duelberg salvia, and a butterfly bush.  I've started clearing out a place to plant them and some lettuce.  

The owners of the nursery are getting ready for the Scarecrow event in late October, but they already have a few scarecrows busily tending the garden.



 My Favorite

There are several more scarecrows in progress on the porch where they work on them, and they will be popping up all over as the month progresses.  I wish I could see them all in the garden, but I don't imagine we will be making another trip over there any time soon.

Outgoing Mail

to my daughter, Erin

to Anna (my first Halloween Mail)

Then some postcards to the grands.

to Bryce Eleanor
to Mila
to Max

I've been making some rosettes, too.  They are easy, but a bit tedious because I have a tendency to miss the mark on the scoring and have to be careful not to skip a space.  Two ideas in mind about how to use them, but not sure yet.



Now that October is here, it is time to begin moving my Halloween decorations downstairs. 




Reading:  Finished the latest book in Sherry Thomas' Lady Sherlock series.  The Hollow of Fear provided another engaging adventure, but the series that benefits from starting with the first book. 





From my review of the first book:


A Study in Scarlet Women.  Charlotte Holmes is brilliant.  She is also a fallen woman.  Deliberately so--although things did not turn out as she planned.  

When her father reneged on his promise to pay for her education, Charlotte decides that losing her reputation would put her out of the marriage market and carefully chooses a man to aid her in her quest.  Her plan to keep this quiet and use it to pressure her parents goes awry, the scandal is public knowledge immediately.  Oops.

Charlotte is intelligent, observant, and logical.  However, her life has been limited to the safe and secure strictures of society, and she is unprepared for the difficulties she is about to face as a social pariah with no practical skills.

There are a number of things that bothered me about both books, but for some reason the characters kept me absorbed.  Charlotte is never the typical heroine (she seems to fall somewhere on the Asperger's scale).  Mrs. Watson charmed me.  The two form the consulting detective business and solve some murders.  And I had fun.  :)


 I've thoroughly enjoyed this series of a gender-flipped Sherlock Holmes.  

12 comments:

  1. You've been busy! You get a lot of fun from Halloween, don't you!

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    1. I do love Halloween--the oddness of it appeals to me and has since I was about five. When I started crafting, Halloween became my very favorite season for projects. :)

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  2. Those scarecrows are so cute! They make me want to go out and make my own, but alas, quilting won't wait. The outgoing mail looks pretty interesting, particularly that unfortunate ending. The book series looks interesting too. I'll have to see if the library has that.

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    1. Blue Moon Gardens' Fall Festival is Oct. 20, and the scarecrows are a big attraction. I'm hoping they will post a bunch of pictures. Quilting comes before scarecrows, though! :)

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  3. October is the BEST because of Halloween. Terry and I really get into it. He wants to add a clown mask to his collection but it has been difficult finding one but I will persevere. Love your mail art for this month especially.
    xx, carol

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    1. October is such a colorful month! Leaves turning, cooler temperatures, pumpkins, scarecrows, and Halloween! Hope Terry finds the perfect mask, Carol. :)

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  4. I hope you’ll show us all your decorations. I love all things October: Scary movies, pumpkin bread, and candy corn. Which I already ate.

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    1. All the same things I love, and I love Halloween crafty projects! :) Do you bite your candy corn off color by color?

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  5. Is there any other way to eat candy corn???
    Love those rosettes-and the scarecrows were a hoot!

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    1. :) Not really. Funny, isn't it? The scarecrows are fun!

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  6. Your rosettes are so cute! What are you using them on? Love your Halloween-themed mail. Halloween is my favorite holiday! I need to do some decorating at home and my office :)

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    1. Thanks, Iliana! I've been using the rosettes on tags and paper cones, etc. I've been having a great time, making a huge mess. Every time I try to clean up, something distracts me, and I try something else. :)

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Good to hear from you!