Apple Pickin Time

For many years while my children were young each fall we would pack a lunch and go to a u-pick orchard and spend the afternoon. As the years sped by most of the close orchards closed to u-pick and we have never taken our grandchildren. Saturday dawned bright and clear but a little chilly so we gathered as many of the family as we could, Nina (me), Poppy, 2 daughters, 1 SIL, 1 DIL and 5 granddaughters. We drove for almost an hour to Platte City, MO.

It was worth the drive. The apples were beautiful.

Some of us did more eating than picking.

Most of the apples were high in the trees as the orchard had already been well picked. But the girls thought it was fun to use the pickers.

My youngest daughter does her share.

I had to help my youngest granddaughter as the picker was hard for her to use.


Finally we had the apples we wanted to pick.

So we played with the baby goats.

My oldest daughter sat on the steps and just enjoyed the day.

Poppy and middle granddaughter danced to the country and western music playing on the loudspeaker much to her embarrassment. But she did it to please him. And I hope someday she will have good memories of this when he can no longer dance.

Both daughters enjoyed the glider in this beautiful gazebo.

All five granddaughters were gracious enough to do a photo shoot among the pumpkins for sale.

We toured the gift shop.

And at the end of the day the tasty reward for our day of fun. Thanks for joining us.

FALL FLOWERS

Finally I have a little color in my garden again. It has looked pretty barren for the past few weeks.

These rust Mums have burst into bloom with many buds waiting to pop open.

Gold Mums bloom along side some Stello de Oro lillys

Some pink Zinnias nod their pretty heads.


Pink and purple Asters make a mosaic of color.

But the roses will not be out done by all these fall beauties as they put on one last display.

This rose is a new one I planted this summer called Hot Cocoa.



And last but not least a few tomatoes are ripening on the vine.

Happy Fall Ya All.

Welcome Fall Party

Since Fall has me in his grasp and I have compelled to decorate everyting in sight I was excited to see the Welcome Fall Party over at Rose Colored Glasses I thought I would hurry and join.

This week it was my dining room. I don't want to get into Halloween yet so I thought I would do more of a fall harvest theme.

For my center piece I picked up the fruit out of the table cloth.

Chose my large poppy plates and rooster plates to bring fall color to the table. Gold wine glasses I picked up at a thrift store.

A small side table displays a small plaque that welcomes my family and friends. Looked for some new candles but didn't find any in my stash. Do you have a hard time finding taper candles? I do!


On the small desk in the corner I used some yummy looking pears to fill a square glass container. Hung a couples of oil painting that have fall colors.

My scarecrow surveys his kingdom from the top of the china cabinet.

A few fall leaves have floated down on my buffet.

All done. Now I can go visit everyone.

Old Barns

Sometimes on Sunday afternoons after church my husband and I just take a ride down a road we haven't explored before. We look at the old barns, the farms that are sitting vacant and lament the passing of an era. We also take great pleasure in all the wild flowers that are blooming.

We thought this barn had such personality. The rusted tin roof and the cupola on top made a wonderful picture.

I guess I particularly love old barns because that is where I spent lots of my childhood following my grandfather while he did the chores. I was allowed to give a bottle to the bum lambs and the calves who's mothers wouldn't nurse them.

Soon the trees and vines will over take this old barn and it will no longer exist.
I am sad when I see all the old barns disused, over taken by vines and falling down. I would like to take them all home and rebuild them.

This barn looked like it had a cross on top but when viewed from the side it was actually a lightening rod.

From this angle you can see the three rods attached to the barn.

This old building remindedme of the one my grandfather used to keep all the saddles and harnesses in on the ranch. In the winter when there was snow on the ground and he couldn't work he would build a fire and sit and repair all the leather on the ranch.

Beside the road Black eyed Susan were growing in profusion. These were growing along a creek bed that was almost dry.
The fields were a mass of yellow. So much beauty and so peaceful. It was a lovely Sunday. I hope you enjoyed your Sunday drive with me. I not sure that many people take Sunday drives anymore but I think maybe they should be revived. They soothe the soul.

Fall Mantel

Yesterday just felt like to the day to put summer away and bring on fall. I think probably the cool nights have put me in the mood. So I started with the mantel in the living room.

I don't care much for my red brick fireplace and usually soften it with some white lace. I look at pictures in the magazine of fireplaces that have been painted but haven't gotten up the courage to try it. Have any of you painted a fireplace?

Tucked a couple of little owls among the leaves. They are actually a music box.

A small scarecrow gathers the harvest among sunflowers and berries.

I love this pumpkin. It is made out of a gauzy fabric and painted orange. When the candle inside is lit it has such a pretty glow. Too bad the camera didn't pick

up the light in it.

I used my crystal and glass to also lighten the look of the mantel. Can you see the little orange bird perched in front of the shell shaped bowl?

I found these Fitz and Floyd salt and pepper shakers at the antique mall last week and just had to have them.

All done. Think I will tackle the front porch next.

Train Station

I have always been enthralled with old building. Especially old houses, old public buildings, old churches and old barns. I love the history and try to image the people who passed through the doors. So when I read in a small local paper about a train station that was going to be torn down because the small town it was in could not afford to renovate it I decided I would like to see it.



The train station is in Weableau, Mo. We pass through this small town all the time on the way to the lake but never leave the main street. So I wasn't even aware this small station existed. This appeared to be the doors where they loaded freight.

The passenger entrance. My granddaughter and dog played run around the station while we were there.

There is a small map on the building that shows the train running from Springfield, Mo to Osceola, Mo. My sweet granddaughter standing in front of it.

A local artist has painted a lovely mural on the side of the building. I am sad that so much history is going to be destroyed.