October Pumpkin Review

October 2016 has been somewhat 'Blogless'.  It happens that way some years and some months.  When it does, I go to my 'Pumpkin Patch Archives".  Here are some of my favorite Pumpkin Pics and Posts from the Past.

October 2010

One day I found two pumpkin seeds.
I planted one and pulled the weeds.
It sprouted roots and a big long vine.
A pumpkin grew; I called it mine.
The pumpkin was quite round and fat.
(I am really quite proud of that)
But there is something, I'll admit
That has me worried just a bit.
I ate the other seed you see.
Now will it grow inside of me?

 

Last year my single sister and I baked pumpkin pies for the holidays, and as we were preparing the pumpkins she said,

 "You know Men are like pumpkins." 

 "Oh yeah, how's that", I asked. 

 "Well, it seems the good ones are either taken or

they've had everything scraped out of their heads with a spoon."

 

October 2011

Plaid Pumpkins???? Sure...why not!!!! Flowery Pumpkins??? 

 Of course...doesn't every garden grow them this time of year?

 

October 2012

Pumpkin Coasters....who'd thought!!!!

Not me...I usually just fold a paper towel and hope it catches my drips and spills!

PUMPKIN COASTERS PATTERN

 

Thanks Pumpkin Patch Archives!

Mother Natures Autum Color Palette

One of my favorite colors is GREEN.  I particularly like Green Glass.  You may have already guessed it from the Green Glass Header for this month of October.  Aren't the 'Greens' of Fall something spectacular?   Without them, the Reds, Oranges, Yellows, and Browns would blend together, and the reason being Green provides the contrast.  In other words...green makes all those shades of Red ...'POP'.  What about that brown?  It is a mixture of Green and Red.  Mother Nature sure knows her color chart!

I say I am particularly fond of green glass, but I can say the same for green yarn and green fabric.  I realized this as I have been color organizing said yarn and fabric.  It seems my Green Yarn fills twice as many Pop-up Laundry Baskets as any other color.  I won't even go there with the number of shelves, baskets, and tubs of Green Fabric. 

 

My collection of Green Glass is scattered throughout the house.  This corner in the living room gets light from sunrise to sunset and gives my green glass collection a glow that defies color theory's statement that green is primarily a cool color.

Speaking of cool....our Texas weather is beginning to cool off and the greens of summer are changing to the greens of autumn.  I'm glad! 

It has inspired me to pull out those yarn skeins of autumn greens with names like Fern, Pinon, Spruce, Wintergreen, Malachite and my favorite, Sage.  Wow, how they make those shades of red and orange sing.  Amazing how they can give brown and gold tones a richness also found in Mother Nature.

The Autumn Yarn Poncho's and Shrugs made...and in progress...may change my favorite seasons of Spring and Summer to Fall and Autumn. 

I'm so glad Mother Nature made an Autumn Color Palette!

Booth Aftermath and KnitWitWeaving!

I know what you are thinking...and Yeeeesssss...my studio does look like a it has been 'Yarn Bombed'!  That's because it had and did...right up until I walked out with a box full of 'Neck Warmers and Fingerless Gloves' at 8 am Saturday morning.  Guess what?  The 'Yarn Fairy' did not come and rewind or restore order while I was out peddling my YarnWares.  Nope, apparently she figured even her wand was not up to the challenge. 

All in all, I'm almost glad the Yarn Fairy's wand was not up to the task.  Otherwise I might not have found the shrug pattern I used as a basis for the ones I made for the October First Saturday Show.

I'm going to need it!  The Shrugs were a big HIT...sold all but one!  The Autum Poncho I made just to see how it would be received flew off of Modela in the first hour.  I could have sold it three or four times over. 

Guess what's next on my needles?  Right...Shrugs and Ponchos!

Also sold some Cowls and Neck Warmers.  Might have sold more if I had thought to take ice pack liners.  I did think to take my camera, but was so busy peddling my 'Warm Wear Wares' I didn't get a chance to take not one picture.  Wow, it was my best day ever at The Chicken Farm Art Centers First Saturday Sale.

Once again, I have just as much, if not more fun playing with scraps and mixing fibers!

I'm going to call this 'KnitWitWeaving'!

The Joys of Autum

It's past time for the Monarch Migration through Texas, but this Prince of Butterfly's must have gotten a late start on the Annual Monarch Migration Trip to Mexico.

The Monarch Butterfly heads South for the Winter on what is an amazing journey from Canada to Mexico. 

With Texas being right in the middle of the route to Mexico, Texans gear up every year by creating Habitats for the Monarchs.

Butterfly gardens are easy to plant, and you can design one that gives monarchs a habitat throughout their breeding cycle. As with all butterflies, you should grow plants that will host the eggs and feed the larvae ("caterpillar plants") and/or Provide nectar to adult butterflies ("nectar plants").

Usually Monarchs feast on their favorite blooms of Autum Joy.  The bees like it too. 

Milkweed is the monarch's larval plant. It is the host for egg-laying and the food for the larvae. Here are a few milkweed species you may be able to plant in your region:

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
• Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Photographing Butterflies is one of the 'Joys of Autum', and I look forward to the Monarchs visit to Texas on their way to Mexico.



I'm not sure that these photos are actual Monarchs or another variety.  No matter, if they are still enough and allow me to get this close for a zoom shot...they are Royal enough!