A Saturday Chat About This and That

Do you think that "small" gifts can sometimes be the biggest? Like when you walk through your back door one afternoon and the sun is highlighting your bowl of apples? Such a gift of beauty! Or like the time you have had a bit of a rough week and you get to the drive-through window to pay for your coffee and it has been paid for? And you find out that your brother- and sister-in-law have seen you from inside and decided to treat you (not knowing about the week that you've had)? 

Yes, those kinds of gifts! 

Can you believe it is November?! 

November is one of my favorite months of the year. Cool, crisp air. Color. The aromas of leaves and fires and pumpkin candles and coffee. The anticipation of my favorite holiday. Brown transfer ware. Leaf-strewn pathways. 

Kati had a birthday this week! She was off for a half day, so Bekah and I also took off for the afternoon and we celebrated by taking a drive, doing a little antiquing, and drinking frozen coffees! (Aren't we wild and crazy? 😉) For dinner, we had "Aunt Linda Casserole" (a Mexican dish named for its creator) on the sun porch (the birthday girl got her wish for a warm day; it was a balmy 77 degrees!) and a store-bought pumpkin roll for dessert. We'll be having more fanfare tomorrow as we celebrate all the November birthdays, but it was a lovely day of simple pleasures. 

Side story: 

When Bekah saw me writing out Kati's card, she laughed. "Mom, I think you've given Kati that card before. Twice." 

"Really? Are you sure? Well, at least she'll know that I mean what it says."

Sure enough. Kati looked amused when she opened the card and I knew that Bekah had been right.

I do amuse my family with my propensity to keep collecting the things I love. 

Like pumpkins and gourds. I seem to bring another one home every week when I run errands. This week's selection: 

And then there are candles . . . and napkins . . .

But how could I resist this amazing pumpkin spice soy candle that is white (not the more typical orange)? Or this huge package of red brick-ish red, not fire engine red) paper napkins? And my "hobbies" are cheap ones.

I rest my case. 

On the agenda today: 

Hang the Thankful Tree. We did not have a Thankful Tree last year for the first time since we began this tradition. I attributed it to "new house brain fog" which was my excuse for lots of things last year. But this year, the Thankful Tree is back and I can't wait to see what everyone writes on their leaves.

House cleaning and party prep for the November birthday celebration tomorrow.

But first . . . Saturday Morning Mochas in brown transfer ware mugs. 

Because, November.