A PUMPKIN POEM--OUT WITH THE ORANGE-IN WITH THE WHITE

Oh Pumpkin,. Oh Pumpkin,

You used to be so bright.

You glowed like neon.

You shone like a light.

Now you have calmed down,

And I love the sight,

Now that you're painted,

A pretty off-white.

Yesterday, Yesterday,

You looked like this,

But I took the chalk paint,

and gave you a kiss.

Then, when you were dry,

Valspar touched your  face.

Oh!  How I love you-

You belong in this place.

The last rose of summer,

Graces this little vignette.

And I painted that gourd

while you were still wet.

Good day little pumpkins,

I am off to the races.

But I will return,

To see your sweet faces.

Here you were before

My lovely little gourd.

And here you are now-

On my cutting board.

Thanks for the visit,

Please stay a while,

I promise I'll try

To give you a smile.

Have a great day!!!!

And remember~

Put on your nicest dress when you go to Walmart-

because you never know when the 

paparazzi will be following you.

See what I mean?

You have been warned!

BITTERSWEET -THE HUNT IS ON!

I have been looking for 

REAL BITTERSWEET 

for the last 2 or 3 years.

I have scoured every country road

for miles with no success.

I have even hunted along 

Interstate 43!

My Hero wonders who in their 

RIGHT MIND

looks for BITTERSWEET along a

major highway.

I do. I do. I do.

I do because I want a wreath like this one!

source
Sadly my own wreath looks
NOTHING LIKE THE ONE above.
They, apparently,  found the
MOTHER LODE of bittersweet plants!

A while ago MyHero and I took a drive

along country roads North of where we live.
After driving aimlessly for 
about an hour and a half
Suddenly MyHero said:

 I think we need to head back to

THE MAIN ROAD, Diana!

I said- Just one more road?(pleadingly)

He said- NO- LET'S HEAD HOME!

sigh

So...I turned up the next side road and

headed to the main highway....

searching fence and field for 

BITTERSWEET.

The next day while he was at work

I retraced my steps route.

When I got to the place I had turned off

I kept going straight.

Yep!

You guessed it!

About a MILE down the road I found it!

I found
BITTERSWEET!

Let me tell you- 

It is a mess in the wild...and invasive..

BUT  I love it.

Sadly, American bittersweet is becoming scare

because they have sprayed 
and rooted it out almost to 

extinction in a lot of areas.

But I found enough to use a few sprigs of it
here and there.

I made 2 wreaths from the bit I found.
It's a devil to work with-
wiry and not very pliable.

I also tied a few small branches together
to tie onto the trellis beside our garage
that supports clematis in the warm months.

I love BITTERSWEET so much
that my good friend, Carol, had a
watercolor of
BITTERSWEET
commissioned for me by local artist-
Lois Christenson of Door County.
She painted it for my 50th birthday.
When Carol called her Lois asked
WHAT KIND OF PERSON
wants a painting of BITTERSWEET?
Carol said- Diana does!
Lois said- Well, I should have KNOWN!
It'll be a gift from BOTH OF US then.
And it was.
Sadly, Lois died almost 4 years ago.
Not only was she talented she had a 
wicked sense of humor.

RIP, Lolo...

This hangs in our lower hallway
year round because
I LOVE IT!

You know what ELSE I love?
Ingenious ideas!
Remember in the past I showed you
MyHero in his suspenders
that he wears to keep his pants up?

Well, I found some GREAT suspender ideas at 
WALMART of all places.
LOOK!

And here, my friend,
is a close up for your viewing pleasure.

And....as they say at WALMART
"Have a nice day".

Do You Know About GREEN LIGHT FOR THE VETERANS

Well, you all KNOW how much

FUN I make of WALMART.

Let me bow my head in shame.

Shame, Shame,Shame.

Do you know they have launched a program

for Veterans?

It's called  the

GREEN LIGHT FOR VETS

 I know I am a little late getting this on my blog

because 

TOMORROW is VETERAN'S DAY!

Here is what Walmart is doing!

At its core, the project is calling on Americans from coast to coast to display green lights at their homes and workplaces on Nov. 11, a symbolic show of gratitude for the service and sacrifices made by more than 2.5 million military families since the nation went to war in 2001. More broadly, it's calling attention to several veterans advocacy groups, including the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, Team Rubicon and Blue Star Families.

 “A veteran can sit for an average of twenty-two weeks in unemployment between their last military paycheck and a new job ... and they just need to know there is a support network out there for them."

Walmart, under its “Welcome Home Commitment” program, has pledged to hire 250,000 veterans by 2020. The company recently hired its 100,000th vet, and has promoted 9,000 since 2013, according to its website. Since 2011, the company's foundation has pledged more than $40 million to veterans groups that provide job training, transition help and education

So-If you want to put a smile

on a VET'S FACE tomorrow

POP OUT AND 

BUY ONE OF THESE TODAY

and turn that baby on 

for the whole day and night tomorrow.

l'll be getting mine as soon as I am

done pushing the old boys around at the

VA TODAY!

Oh- Wait---

Apparently SOMEONE got 

the wrong message...

They thought they 

were supposed to dress up

LIKE A LIGHT BULB

No! That is NOT me-

thanks for asking!

UMMM---those shoes are a 

NO with outfit....just sayin'......

I hope none of YOU make 

that same fashion mistake!

Now-hurry- RUN to WALMART

and buy a green light bulb.

You'll be glad you did!

HAPPY SUNDAY!

Because I spent

ALL DAY LONG

on the computer yesterday

I am taking the day off!

Have a wonderful Sunday

and I will be back tomorrow.

I do have one little thing to 

share with you today.

Guess who is entered in a

Beautiful Toddler Pageant?

Three guesses!

Raise Your Hand If It's YOU!

Whether she wins or not she will

always be 

A WINNER

to me!

Not sure what she will wear

but it looks like this kid in 

WALMART

is trying to find the perfect outfit

for the pageant

and came ready to try them on.

what WAS the mother thinking

Yes- I am a terrible person

thanks for reminding me!

See you tomorrow!

HOORAY- HOORAY- IT'S FALL ON THE BAY!

I did it!

I actually got down to the basement yesterday

and dragged my FALL BINS upstairs.

I won't tell you how many I have because

it is almost disgusting.

The amount of Fall stuff I have 
is only outdone

by my Christmas bins!

BEFORE I hauled it all upstairs 

MyHero and I went for a little drive.

I went to MY SECRET SPOT for 

BITTERSWEET!

Guess what?

It might not be so secret because there

was none to be found.

I coulda kicked something---

except I was driving.

I am the only person I know that had 

a personal painting made just for me

(as a birthday gift) of

BITTERSWEET!

There is really no BLUE 

on a BITTERSWEET plant.

My artist friend, Lolo, took a little 

artistic license with that one,

Lord rest her soul.

This actually hangs in my lower hall all year long.

My favorite chalkboard sign...

by M @ OC Cottage.

She doesn't post much anymore

but I sure love her blog!

I saw this in a magazine a long time ago.

Inside looking out...

They are cut out of tissue paper (wrapping type)

and are lightweight enough that any movement 

makes them stir.

The girls cut out the eyes and mouth.

Kinda spooky at night...

Outside looking in...

Well, this is short and sweet because 

everything is only HALF-DONE.

I will be back in a day to show

you what it really looks like around here.

Meantime,

make sure you sign up for my giveaway.HERE

It is open until Tuesday because that is

the soonest SweetCheeks can get here to

pick YOUR name!

MEANTIME,

While you are waiting to see if you are a winner-

And-speaking of winners-

This entry from Walmart takes the

"I've Got Fall Covered"

prize.

Although, she might be in competition with

MRS.ORANGE!

Yes- you CAN laugh-

you know you want to!

Yes- I KNOW I am bad-

thank you for reminding me.

Have a great Saturday.

See you in the morning!

FINISH IT UP- FIVE ON FRIDAY----IT'S ALL BABY BRIGHT EYES TODAY!

You know what I got done yesterday?

Nothing-

Absolutely Nothing!

I take that back-

I did get something done.

I had two sick little girls here

for the day which means I 

didn't go far from the family room

and I loved and took care of them.

However,

while they were watching movies,

I did sort through some pictures 

on my computer.

I found several that show

THE MANY FACES OF

BABY BRIGHT EYES

Ever wonder what your 

grandchildren will grow up

to do someday?

I DO!

Maybe we can figure out what 

Baby Bright Eyes

will do someday

 by studying these pictures.

Hmmm...Do I see a librarian in our future--

or a professor?

She's got a good start on her reading!

OR..

Maybe she will be a zoologist?

Or-ride an elephant in the circus with one of those 

spangly outfits on?

As you can see -she is mulling that over!

We already know she is a

DADDY'S GIRL

But-being a daddy's girl is not a profession-

Is it?

Well, then,

maybe she will be a closet organizer.

She was emptying the closet 

in her brothers' bedroom

while Mom was cleaning in there-

making beds and straightening.

Surprise!

Gotta love a helper like that!

However,

NONE of those quite seem to fit her.

Nope!

I am pretty sure she is slated to be a 

MOVIE STAR!

Or maybe she will be a 

WANNA BE MOVIE STAR

kind of like this guy

spotted in WALMART---where else?

See?

And to think-

YOU thought Elvis was dead!

He's not DEAD-

He's been hiding out in Walmart!

You all have a good Friday.

If I don't get my 

FALL DECORATING

done today I will get on my broom

and fly off.

So---I MAY or MAY NOT

be here tomorrow with some

FALL FUN

for you!

PICK YOUR FAVORITE FALL PORCH---RESULTS

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you for playing along!!

So---

WHO voted for WHAT?

First off, let me just say that I am

SO PROUD OF YOU GIRLS

that have a hard time picking 

JUST ONE!

You did good!

Very, very good!

Here we go:

The TOP winner had almost double the 

votes of #2 and #3.

FIRST PLACE

goes to 

OLD STONY (#4).

It won hands down!

I think there is character and charm and a 

sense of solid home-place here.

Plain and simple with a bit of glitz with the

TWO GOLD PUMPKINS.

Martha Stewart

SECOND PLACE 

goes to

NOT CORNY AT ALL (#6)

I thought this one looked like someone

might actually live there.

Corn stalks are just a little wonky

like the wind blew them around,

urns are tipsy-tilt a bit

and it looks family-friendly, doesn't it?

source unknown

Coming in a 

CLOSE THIRD

LEAFY WREATHY  (#3)

Pottery Barn

It is fun for me to see 

what you all pick...

a lot of times 

I know you well enough from your blog

to know which one will strike your fancy.

Sometimes, though, you fool me.

Ummm...
speaking of fool...

How about the someone that made these for
a place like 

WALMART?

Personally, I have always thought

ASIA  should look like AFRICA...

but that is just my personal opinion.

Looks like someone slept through 

GEOGRAPHY CLASS

to me!

Have a great Monday.

Come back tomorrow-

I might have a sweet little giveaway for you!

Maybe---if you are good----maybe

SHEETS AND SHADOWS AND SHUDDERS

SHEETS

My father always had a saying

that if someone drank

too much they were

THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND.

Well, I am not a drinker

so that saying has a whole

different connotation to me.

Yep!

I think of it literally-

I love the smell of line-dried sheets,

don't you?

SHADOWS

I love the play of shadows on

the sheets, too.

They hang bright and white

as the sun hits them from the East.

However, I always stand facing

the West to hang them.

Why?

Because here is what I see.

My Hero and I have a really early appointment

this morning so I may be absent a bit today.

I am hoping my book order gets here today.

I tracked it and it is on its way!

Meanwhile, while I am waiting for those books

I might take a little trip to Walmart.

I can always get an education there.

SHUDDERS

Ummmm...excuse me sir (?)

I think you could probably get by 

wearing a

MEDIUM- the LARGE 

looks a little BIG on you!

image

Just another DUMMY shopping at 

Walmart!

image

You all have a  GREAT Thursday!!!

Don't do anything DUMMY DUMB!