This Week's Ramblings #14

We finally dried out after an exhausting amount of rain last week and weekend.

 We took a drive north of us and saw noticed more trees that are turning color so I snapped some pictures from the car.

 

On Monday I posted about my fall decorating on the fireplace mantel as seen "here".  

Then I posted about the plate rack I re-did for the fall that you are welcome to check out "here"  I was inspired by a picture from Williams Sonoma

I also posted about some hydrangeas I'm drying "here"

 Lastly I posted a Tablescape that I created designing it around the hydrangeas "here"

Here and there I'm starting to remove some of my annuals from their planters.  It's hard to let go of summer but up here I have to plan ahead so I'm not racing against bad weather as November nears.   We actually had our first snow fall last year in late October. 

Last weekend we went back to the Farmer's Market and I found this ginormous pumpkin with the largest stem on it that I had to have.  

We weighed it and it's 51 lbs.  It has a 3" wide stem and is 50" around!  It's from a variety called Wolf pumpkins but the grower said he had thrown other seeds out with it and it was a blend.  Wolf pumpkins are usually up to 25 lbs. according to what I've read.  I'm praying that the squirrels don't start to eat on these.
 
We've been hearing wolves howling fairly close to us in the evenings.  It's a bit eerie to hear but interesting at the same time.  There are extensive fields behind us and they have plenty of room to roam there.  I'd love to have a night vision camera mounted outside to see what comes through our yard.  Maybe I don't want to know!!

Some of my morning glories are popping out in this pinkish tone instead of blue.  The plant didn't like being waterlogged from the rain and it started turning yellow and looking rather ugly.

 Up on top they look like this.  Too bad it took so long for the vine to bloom.  I think I'll give it a shot of fertilizer and see what happens!

We're enjoying warm dry weather with plenty of sunshine and enjoying it.  Can you believe we're at the end of September already?  I don't know how this month went by so fast.

I hope to spend some time outdoors- perhaps enjoying some more evening fires on the patio and a glass of wine!

Speaking of the fire pit.  Ours is falling apart or rather blowing apart!
It's designed to look like sculpted cement but it's made of fiberglass (except the copper liner) and apparently it doesn't do well with the heat generated by the fire.  All of a sudden last weekend it blew out pieces all around it.  This happened last summer the first time when it blew out a piece on one side so I notified the company we bought it from.  They refunded me half of the money because it was past the warranty which I was grateful for but at this point I wished it had been a full refund.  We were thinking about a replacement for it and have used it numerous times since the first blowout but I never expected it to fall apart anymore. 

You can see a close up of the side where one  piece burst but is still hanging on.  Isn't it crazy!  It's an attractive piece but obviously an ill-conceived design. 
 Needless to say we will be replacing it.  I noticed they don't sell anymore of these made with the fiberglass- hmmm I wonder why!!

Ok I've rambled on enough!

Have yourselves a beautiful weekend!