Fall Into Winter ~ Our Weekend Update

We had a glorious weekend!  The temps were high 60's, maybe even into the 70's!  A lovely return to fall, which provided time to do some outdoor stuff, like walks along the beach, cutting up an evergreen, changing up the pots and planters and starting on the Christmas & winter decor.  However, a bonfire eluded us again!  Friday nite, the time just got away from us and the rest of the weekend seemed too windy, plus there is much work going at the house next door and we didn't want to smoke them out! 

Here is my updated pumpkin display...with a hint of winter greenery!!! 

And these aren't all:  I have one pumpkin hidden, that is being used to prop up the others, one in the birdbath and one that had to be chucked b/c it was eaten up by wildlife. 

I forgot to get a pic of the bird bath, but the big orange pumpkin is now atop a leafy bed of evergreens!  After Thanksgiving, the pumpkin will be replaced by our giant outdoor ball ornaments.  Just have to figure out how to secure them, so they don't get blown out and down the ravine! 

I put clippings in my big red & white pot, as well as my little terra cotta one. 

 I will add red balls and twine balls (they are on sticks) and some wooden beads that resemble cranberries. 

I still have to craft the flower box and I have "Pinned" some ideas for reference.  I may have to ask around for glass jars to be saved for one of the possibilities.  Or, if the big ornaments won't work in the birdbath, then I will use them in the window box and the glass jars in the birdbath..ya know, now that I am writing it, I think that is exactly what I'll do!  Now, just need to ask co-workers to save me their glass jars.

We started hanging garland along the deck railing, but it started to rain,so we will finish it up this week.  We have about 3 or 4 more swags to attach, then we will go thru and add bits of holly & ivy.  I don't know if Chris wants to do any outdoor lighting..but I suspect we will do a little something.  We should still have our big snowflake lights that would look perfect along the back of the house, above the kitchen windows!  That way, we can enjoy them...and they should be visible from down the hill! 

I also added pieces of evergreen to the wooden, red skis that are part of the house's everyday look (we live on Ski Hill Road...).  Once we put out our wooden sled, it will be the cutest little scene that we will see everytime we use the garage! 

I will be sure to snap pics and share once all is said and done.

We had a lovely lunch with my aunt and her hubby.  They came hours earlier than I had anticipated, however (and forgot to send us a text when they would be headed our way), so we hadn't even gotten ready.  Fortunately, I was making a crockpot recipe and had started it about 7:30!  Whew!!!  The Buffalo Chicken was a HIT!  And is a keeper!  Think I will make it in the future with boneless, skinless chicken breasts ~ mostly to avoid the little tiny bones that have to be picked out.  My aunt says she will make it with the breasts and then serve on buns with blue cheese.  Great idea!!!

I also tried a Sweet Potato Casserole recipe on Sunday!  Super Delish!  Chris said he wants to know where I keep the recipe, so that he can access it when he feels like making it in the evening for breakfast the next morning.  It is good for meals any time of the day!!

Baked some acorn squash, too!  Added some orange juice soaked walnuts and craisins for the final 5 minutes of baking time.  We were pretty stuffed and haven't yet tried them.  My stomach is rumbling, so I think I will be warming up the half I brought to work very soon!!

We took advantage of the weather to also walk the beach both days.  Saturday morning, after some light house cleaning (in anticipation of our guests), we headed out.  I wanted to see how the sand had been moved around after the horrible high winds we experienced a few weeks back.  Then, late yesterday afternoon, we took a hike thru the neighborhood and then to the beach, where we walked east to where the beach ends at a pier and then walked the length of it back.  The water was so very calm both days.  On Saturday, we actually stopped and sat in the sand to just chat and enjoy the calm, soothing sound of the lake. 

We went out late Saturday nite to support our friend in a drag competition (late nite/early morning at Spin Nightclub).  While I didn't take my camera this trip, here is a little collage put together by Sinders.