This Perfectly Imperfect Life

May your day be magical no matter the weather! And for a look back at a Halloween-ish article from my old blog, This Perfectly Imperfect Life, please click  here to read Late To The Party.

A snippet of my John Carpenter's Halloween collection. Inspired by the many recent discussions and essays floating around the inter-webs about John Carpenter's  Halloween  + the upcoming David Gordon Green sequel of the same name, and with one week to go before the official opening, I decided to take a look at the roots of my own  Halloween  fandom.  Back on October 25, 1978, I was nearly three and a half years old, and not at all aware of the soon to be phenomena that was John Carpenter’s Halloween released in theaters on that date. Three years later, when the movie aired on NBC TV for the first time on October 30 th , I didn’t realize that the opening music and flickering jack-o-lantern would be stored away in my memory for a much later time. My mother quickly got up, switched the channel, and Halloween was forgotten. Growing up, my mother wouldn’t allow me to watch horror movies on TV (not that many of those movies were on regular T...

Can you believe it's here already?! October 31st! October is over 😢 My oh my time flies when you have mono. But, Autumn isn't only October, and I mean to enjoy every last bit of it beyond today. Blessings for a safe and beautiful day! 

🎃 Happy October Everyone 🎃  I found the prettiest mums at the supermarket this morning, 'pink frenzy.'  "I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers!" -Anne of Green Gables.  #October #WelcomeOctober #HappyOctober #autumn #Octobergarden #gardenwalk #findjoy #fall #halloween #simplepleasuresgreatestjoy #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife

Our livingroom mantle A safe, fun, and spooky day to all of you! It's a beautiful Autumn day here at The Perfectly Imperfect Homestead, and with it being a Saturday to boot, I'm not sure how many or how few trick-or-treaters we'll end up with later today. (Every year is different than the last - it's been consistently inconsistent over the past decade). Mom will end up coming over with her trick-or-treater treats since many don't make the trip down to her end of TPIH despite my sending them to her, and hopefully we'll convince her to stay for dinner, I've got a chicken baking in the oven and it smells delish!  I've got the Michael Myers Halloween movies marathon running in the livingroom and the candy dish is ready by the front door! Tonight I'll leave out some special treats for loved ones who've passed on, in keeping with my Irish roots. What are your plans for today? PS: I'm so not ready to say farewell to October ye...

Pink Knockout, Rosa Radcon Pink Knockout, Rosa Radcon, same bush as above Aren't October roses The Best?! I love many things about October, but roses at Halloween makes my top five! (And another reason why I love Knockout roses. Not only are they the *only* roses I have left of all the roses I have grown over the last several years, but depending on the weather, they'll bloom through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas). What's one of your top five favorite things about October?

An enchanting and safe day & night to one and all! We have been away from.The Portable Homestead, up in the mountains at our camper since last Saturday, and for once I can say this vaca has truly been a relaxing one for the Marine! (Long overdue and well deserved). Much to share when we return! 

What you're seeing here are my favorite shots from today. The weather was perfectly Autumnal all day. Sun up to sun down, classic September! Perfect. Windows open wide to chilly breezes & nonstop sunshine inspired me to start decorating for my favorite time of year! Yes folks, and so it begins... 

I hope you've all had a delightfully spooky day regardless of the weather! Pumpkin Blessings to one and all!

Today, I officially got started on switching things over to Autumn beginning with the front porch, and I'm nearly beside myself with excitement! The weather is simply perfect today, breezy & cool, with just enough nip in the air for a sweater and slippers. I made chili for lunch and it too was perfect for today. It's all I can do not to run around screaming, "It's here! It's HERE!!!" (Here meaning Autumn, my favorite time of year). What? Oh, alright then, I won't run around screaming like a lunatic. But I can't make any promises that there won't be any sudden explosive outbursts of joy... I just can't help myself at this time of year! How are you enjoying your Saturday?

Taken this morning & pictured above: Rosa 'Pope John Paul II' (white rose), Knock Out Rosa 'Radrazz' (with Halloween decoration), Knock Out Rosa 'Radcon' (pink rose bud). Roses in Autumn, is there anything much more delightful than that?! Roses in Autumn are my favorite blooms, each one a cherished present before the garden sleeps for Winter. What are your favorite Autumn blooms? Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Happy first day of Fall everyone!  My favorite, Favorite time of year is upon us and I couldn't be more excited. Even both of us being sick isn't dampening my spirits! (Pesky sinus infection & cold).  All week long I've been catching signs of the season, some of which I'm sharing here with you because they make me happy, and in honor of the day :o) Aren't they the cutest?! Faces only a (vintage) Halloween lover could love perhaps! Autumn sunsets are among my favorites Yes, we're still The Garden State, more visible at this time of year than others Now that's a whole lotta pumpkins! (They stretched outside the frame on both sides!) Speaking of Autumn, in other exciting (and somewhat unrelated yet related) news, after many, many (many!) years of writing, I * FINALLY * have an opening for a novel! A place for it to begin. (cue squeals, jumping up & down and excessive smiling) Whether or not it leads something entirely new ...

I love a good bargain, after all, who doesn't?! Being on a fixed budget though, I need to pinch pennies as much as I/we can as often as possible. I wanted to share a few with you, picked up today as a matter of fact, for this Friday Favorites! I didn't buy any Halloween items during yesterday's outing.  This display made me happy so I had to share! I've been looking for a new iced tea pitcher; this one came with the glasses, only $6 for the set! (Oops! Forgot to mark pic!) I loved Katherine's 1st novel, The Physick Book Of Deliverance Dane; paid only $3 for her newest! Yes, I still use a regular ole timer in the kitchen & have been needing a new one; only $1 for this cutie! No idea what I would do with this (metal) box but fell in love with it... Right now it's sitting at the foot of the mantle; $13. I love cute & pretty blank notecards but not the prices for them usually & while these were a little more than the $1.50 Paul...

Every morning before Hubbs leaves for work, he comes back into our room to give me a kiss. (Every body altogether now, "Awww!")  Usually I go back to sleep after he leaves (since it's around 6am) and get up about 7:45am. But after a fitful & uncomfy nights sleep last night, I was wide awake. Oh, I tried to go back to sleep, but decided to get up instead of laying there frustrated that I couldn't sleep. Then I remembered the pink Morning Glories blooming on the arbor around the tall gate in the yard that I shared with you here .  (We have two yard gates, one tall, the other short).  I dressed quickly (quickly for me that is!) grabbed my camera's and went into our spare room to peak through the blinds at the top of the arbor. Sure enough I spied two small clusters of pink! So out into the beautiful, foggy, albeit it more than sticky, morning I went. Thankfully the rising sun was having a hard time burning through the dense fog, keeping the heat at bay, allow...

I can't believe it's here already and just about over! (I won't be sad, I won't be sad, I won't be sad...) I hope you're all having a spooktacular day! Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Halloween Eve, soon to be Mischief Night, already! Where has this month Gone?! Hubbs isn't off tomorrow on Halloween since his boss & wife had their baby the other day so we took a trip to the cemeteries to visit B & Nana this morning. It looked so different last year! (Click here to see). Full of Autumn foliage the cemetery glowed in shades of yellow, orange and red. This year with all of our storms, many of the trees look like Winter already and there's even a coating of snow in the cemeteries this morning from yesterday's Nor'Easter! I have more photos from my Nikon coming later today or tomorrow. Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®