farewell sweet october

Breathe in......and out.......that's better.

Did you have a marvelous Halloween weekend? I hope you had time to play with family and friends. Maybe enjoyed a warm fire if it's cold enough where you are and had your fill of sweets, treats and all the tastes that make October grand. Farewell sweet October. You will be missed.


Luna and I were up early yesterday. My son already carved his pumpkins the night before. As my carving arm is still out of commission I decorated my little boo pumpkin like this instead.


I always try to make a big pot of soup for Halloween. Something about throwing in herbs and stirring in spices in a large bubbling pot just feels satisfying and comforting today. I made a butternut squash risotto soup and we had it with grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches for lunch (in mini cauldron cups).



By 9:30 the last of the trick-or-treaters had come and gone. Considering it was a school night we still had a good turn out. My next door neighbor and I are the only ones that decorate on our street so my house is a magnet for the van loads of people that come in from the other neighborhoods. It gets pretty crazy for a while.



Once all was quite I finally had a few minutes to enjoy a cup of tea, nibble on a few sweets and do a little bit of magical reading. My poor Luna was so tired (the doorbell kept making her run to the bedroom to hide) she actually curled up in my bed and fell asleep without me.




So I'm hanging up my stripy socks for a while. I think I really squeezed every bit of Halloween out of October this year. My pumpkin carving arm unfortunately is also my photo editing and digi collaging arm and I have somehow ended up with tendonitis in my shoulder and can hardly use it. I need to rest it I'm told. This is why I had to stop doing the collage challenges the last month. I've learned to type and use Photoshop with my left hand but it's very sloooow.

I have other pictures to share later. Some wonderful ones from Saturday when my son and I visited our local historic cemetery. He took the picture of little old me you see in the previous post. The weather was absolutely perfect. Cloudy with just a dusting of showers. Not too cold. I couldn't conjure up a more perfect day even if I tried. Halloween day was sunny and got too warm by afternoon but it was nice for all the trick-or-treaters.

I have my tea party winner to announce today also. More amazing people to thank for awards and wonderful gifts I received. Oh and yes we have a plumbing issue we're still dealing with that's no fun.

If you celebrate Dia de los Muertos tomorrow have a beautiful one with all your loved ones both here and gone. In my family my mom always celebrates the Feast of All Saints today and All Souls Day tomorrow. Last night I set out a small plate of food for my ancestors and my dad on my little altar. And I also left a lollipop for my beloved kitty Kushka who was still with me last Halloween. She loved playing with them and it still hurts so much when I think of her (I should stop here as I can feel the tears catching in my throat and stinging my eyes now.)

Have a beautiful first of November day today. I have much more to share with you about running away with the gypsies and playing with carpet bags. I'll be back later to announce my tea party giveaway winner and a few more pictures from this weekend.

I'd love to hear about your Halloween!


17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Such lovely pictures, sore arm or not my friend. Now you rest that arm now. As for the stripey socks I wear them year-round myself - LOL. Hugs and sparkles - WG

Jill Marcott-McCall ~Feathers & Flight~ said...

Oh My Goodness Anna! I Love Visiting your Blog!! Your Header is so Lovely and Magically! Through your Work it shows How Much you Love What you are Doing!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Hugs
Jill

Cameron said...

It sounds like you spent the season as it was intended...and drained all the life (and death) from it as you could....

Now rest...and if you can....gently stretch that arm....it needs to stay lubricated and limber to heal at its best....and using the other hand, though slow, is great for your brain (though I think your brain has no problems getting exercised with all the creativity you have brewing in there!)

Thank you for sharing your celebrations of those in your life and in your heart :)

Victoria said...

So beautiful...I love your photos ..so magical and enchanting...Luna is so gorgeous too!
Blessings and Sparkles!
Victoria~

Linda said...

The sentiment in your blog is wonderous. My loved ones are gone...I think of them often. It is good to remember anyway you can. Great pics.

Faerie Sage said...

Glad you had a good holiday and it seems like it is a three day for you as well! Rest your arm and enjoy the begining of the new year!
Blessed Be

goddessandmagick said...

Anna The Gypsy cart is so bewitching!! Beautiful blog.Blessed be! Yea October is sad to say good bye! We will do it again next year! Andrea.
http;//goddessandmagick.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

What a lovely, magical blog you have here ~ I am so enjoying my visit!
Blessings

Sinderella's Studio said...

I have some tendonitis myself and know how lame we are with it - surprising at first how it limits you - massage - ice and heat! You'll be back in no time! You certainly gave us and incredible October in blogland!
dana

Anonymous said...

I am still in a daaaaze! Where did Ocotber go???

Your Boo pumkin in divine!! for a hurt lil' arm.

I think I need one more October in my calendar ;)

Warmest ~ V

AlphaBetsy said...

I love your boo pumpkin, and the little cauldrons full of soup really makes me smile. :)

Unknown said...

Love your page... and the sound of cooking some home made soup the way you explained it makes me want a larger cauldron :)
~Blessings~

Anonymous said...

I've nominated you for an award! http://www.thedomesticwitch.com/2010/11/passing-on-another-reward.html

Sara said...

love your photos and the stripy socks are fab, where did you get them from? hugs Sara

Charlene said...

Anna, So sorry to hear about your shoulder!!!! LOVE YOUR BANNER!!!!!! Oh I wish I could do more with Photoshop. Have you thought about teaching a class in Photoshop?

This post is so cute. And I love the photo of the socks hanging up. I need to go to the storage unit & get the buckets to put away the Halloween goodies but, it's raining & I think that should buy me some time.... What do you think? One more day to enjoy my witches? Enjoy November.

Dandelion Dreams said...

I am sorry to hear about your shoulder. I now tendonitis can get extremely painful if allowed to get too bad. I hope yours isn't to that point and that you heal swiftly. I'm sending double hugs for that and for the pain the memory of your meowychild brings you. Enjoy the Autumn splendor the background you've created represents. It really is gorgeous!

Theresa MacNaughton said...

LOVE grilled cheese with tomato. And sandwiches always go so well with soup. Sorry your shoulder is bothering you!!!! Big hugs!!! As always, I loved your magical photos!!!! xoxo Theresa