Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween.  I was looking through some posts from my old blog and found this.  It is a door hanger that I made for an exchange I was in.  The photo strip came from a box of  "mystery people" my cousin gave me.

I know not everyone celebrates this holiday but for me it also feels like the "official" end of fall and the beginning of winter.  The run up to the really big winter holidays.  When do you start making plans for those?

Boo!

For your amusement this morning.

from a friend - don't know where to credit image

This ghost has been known to visit our house and not just at Halloween. 

Tea Stands for Tuesday - 10/25/16

Time to gather at Elizabeth's for Tea Tuesday.  Please join me there, it is a great and friendly group.

internet image

It is nearly that "spooky" time of year, Halloween here in the U.S. If I were having a Halloween party I would want someone present who could read tea leaves. I think that would be fun.

In the meantime I have a list of superstitions related to tea. 

TEA SUPERSTITIONS 

*The lady who puts in milk before sugar will never win a husband. 

*Beware pouring from a pot after another lady, as one of you will 

have a baby, or possibly red headed twins, before the year is out. 

*Tea too strong indicates a new friendship, but tea too weak 

promises a friendship will come to an end. 

*Bubbles swirling in the cup foretells money or a kiss. 

*Never throw used tea leaves away. Bank them at the back of a 

fire, to ward off poverty, or throw them in the yard in front of your 

door to ward off evil spirits.

*********

Do you have and tea superstitions to add to the list?

Fall at the River

We were at the River House for a few days.  It is fun to see the seasons change there especially since this is our first year in the house.  Everything is new to us.

We took our morning coffee up to the top of the levee.  This was the view of the river.  What river?  Well, you will just have to trust me, it is down the bank there.

The willow trees have been trimmed and the bank cleaned in anticipation of some winter weather.  I suspect it can get quite windy in the area and we didn't want branches coming down.

We also recently had railings added to the levee stairs.  Necessary for safe walking.  There are solar lights at the top of each post.  The fence you see in the distance is new as well.  Making small changes that make the place our own.

We're back by the Bay for awhile.  Even though we were only gone a few days there always seems something to catch up on.  

Hope you are enjoying a great Monday wherever you are.

Tea Stands for Tuesday - 10/18/16

Happy Tea Tuesday.  Recently my blogger friend April posted a couple of times about how she manages to keep a low food budget for two.  I thought we did pretty good but nothing like she is able to do.  I don't keep a food cost diary but I might in the month of November just because I'm curious.  

internet image

First there is coffee.  Coffee from Peets at about $16 a pound.  I think a pound lasts about a week and a half.  

Here's a list of the cost of a few basic foods in the local grocery.  I found the list online and it said it is for average cost in our area.

Food
	500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast	$7
	1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk	$1.25
	12 eggs, large	$6
	1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes	$5.77
	500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese	$12
	1 kg (2 lb.) of apples	$4.16
	1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes	$2.13
	0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket	$2.85
	1 bottle of red table wine, good quality	$18
	2 liters of Coca-Cola	$2.15
	Bread for 2 people for 1 day	$2.27

How do those costs compare to your area?  I can't recall everything from my last shop but I know bell peppers were 2/$3 and celery was $1.49 a bunch.  This was at a regular supermarket chain not one of the "boutique" grocery stores.  I know I can do better on produce if I make an extra trip to the produce market.

I'd love to hear how this compares to your grocery costs. Meanwhile I'm going to savor my cup of coffee and head over to Elizabeth's blog to see what people are discussing this Tuesday. Bring your drink and join me.

neighborhood walk - 10/17/16

We had our first rain in awhile this past weekend.  Not the storm that the news was predicting but at least some rain in our drought ridden area.

The sky was overcast when I  was on my early morning walk so I was looking for some color.

The window at Crate and Barrel was pretty colorful but hard to get everything in one shot.  I do like the chair.

This window really satisfied my desire to find color.  I might have to paint a chair orange.

This window isn't nearly as colorful as the others.  The store is kind of a jumble of things.  I was particularly interested in that wooden settee - the piece sort of above and to the left of the white couch.

I'm still adding things to the River House, especially things that are colorful.  I am not buying any of the above but looking for inspiration.

Do you seek color on a rainy day?

Cheap Chic - (book)

Wondering what to wear?  Doing some fall shopping?  Lets take the time machine back a few decades.  I came across this book, which was reissued, in the library.

Originally published in 1975, "Cheap Chic" has been brought back with a forward by Tim Gunn.

It is amazing how relevant the book and style advice remains.  It was considered cutting edge when first published but now you would see the fashion ideas and advice everywhere.  Buy basics and have a fairly minimal wardrobe.  Shop anywhere from high end boutiques to thrift shops.

I enjoyed the "vintage" photos.  Most of them show outfits you would very likely see on the street today.

Apparently "Cheap Chic" has long been a touchstone for fashion writers and  now a fashion bloggers.  Original copies sell for hundreds of dollars I understand.

I enjoyed the book but most of all I was astonished by how it felt as though it could have been written yesterday.

Anyone familiar with either the original or the reissued book?  

Where did Wednesday go?

I think this might become my new profile picture.  

Yesterday was a blur.  At 6:30 a.m. I drove DH to the hospital in San Francisco where he/we spent 6 hrs in the ER.  He's fine now. Well, maybe not fine but certainly ok.

I had first called the Advice Nurse and due to his symptoms and his age she urged us to go.  I was not at all surprised that she recommended the ER but oh that bit about age hit home.  Yes, I suppose we are officially "Old People" but I hate being reminded of that.  

The shingles are falling off, there is dry rot and the roof leaks.  Not much we can do about it.  

Off to get my morning coffee. 

Tea Stands for Tuesday - 10/11/16

Good morning friends.  I've missed a couple of tea parties and I'm happy to be able to join the group today.

We decided on kind of the spur of the moment that we needed some time away.  Some time without electronics.  Some time where someone else would make the coffee or the tea in this case.  We packed, locked the doors and off we went.

What better place to relax and regroup than at the beach.  

This particular beach is about half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles.  Most of time time it was just as you see it here.  Empty.  October is often the best month to visit California beaches in my opinion.  The weather is usually warm enough (this time in the low 80s) and the summer crowds are gone.

Now it is time to visit Elizabeth's blog and catch up with everyone who is having tea this Tuesday.  Won't you join me?

Second on the Second - 10/2/16

Every month Elizabeth at Altered Art Lover hosts the Second on the Second.  She invites us to look through older posts and bring back one you would like to share again.  Wont you join us and share an oldie?

Since it is October I thought it would be fun to bring up an old October post.  The Giveaway mentioned is already given away of course.  This was a fun little project as I recall.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 05, 2009

Dance By The Light Of The Moon (Giveaway)

How would you like a little altered candy tin that contains a pair of earrings just in time for Halloween?


The scull is something I made using paper clay and a mold I received some years ago in a swap. I painted the tin top and added a couple layers of paper.


The tin contains little earrings that should dance with your every step.


This candy tin is much smaller than the usual ones and the earrings are probably an inch long or so.

If you want to liven up your dancing, leave your name and an e-mail address in the comments to this post. Entries end Thursday night 10/8/09 and I'll announce the winner Friday morning. I'm happy to ship internationally so put on your dancing shoes and join in.