Decorating for Autumn, and a Political Rant (Don't Read if You're Faint of Heart)

Hola Darlings!

Well, it occurred to me just now -- DUH -- that I did not take a single picture of my Halloween decorations, such as they were.


Wired metallic leaf garland from last year wrapped in a wreath form this year
(last year it was on my former fireplace mantle). EPIC FAIL!  I took it down and used
it to add a little sparkle to my front door Family Dollar wreath.

I didn't decorate for Halloween at the former Maison Newton.  This year, at the new Maison Newton, I spent about $5 at Walgreens and bought a full-size not too scary vinyl tape-on front door cover that said "Happy Halloween" in bright colors against a black and orange background with two jack-o-lanterns and some flying bats.  I added a 24" inch long skeletal "phantom" draped in a gauzy gown that I hung from my mail box and she blew in the wind like a banshee!  She even scared me! Photos of the banshee and the door wrap will have to wait for next Halloween.

I'm In An Autumn Frame of Mind

Hola darlings!

Some of you may not know whom the late, great, Nat King Cole was.  I remember watching him on a tiny black and white television (that's all we had back then), when I was a little kid (the mid-1950's).  I was absolutely enthralled by his voice and his presence on stage.  Back then, all t.v. was done LIVE.  There weren't retakes and there was no video and no editing!  This subtle, nuanced performance of "Autumn Leaves," music and lyrics by the wonderful Johnny Mercer, as sung by Nat King Cole, is timeless.  There is just something about his voice that touches the deepest parts of my heart and soul.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. 

This time of year, I am remembering my beloved Mr. Don, who died on October 12, 2012.  So many wonderful , but wistful, memories, and now, this song is imparted with so much more meaning for me.



I didn't think "autumn fever" would strike this year.  But, lo and behold, it did.  I was sitting at the dinette table one morning and decided I needed to bring in the season.  And so I rummaged around in all of my as yet unpacked boxes in the "wreck" room (finished basement area with a man-cave bar and set-up for a massive flat-screen TV on the wall that Mr. Don would have loved) and eventually unearthed my autumnal decorations and decor.