Pumpkins and Gourds...Fall has arrived!

Happy Sunday everyone!  I know I sound like a broken record but this weather is simply spectacular. No doubt that September 2015 will be a month that we will remember.  Just beautiful!  Now, if the next few months can be the same, more or less, we will be happy campers.  I heard that El Nino will bring warmer than normal temperatures this Winter for Central Ontario.  Wouldn't that be nice, as long as it doesn't bring more snow than normal.....

All is good with us and we had a great week.   We did some work outside and we got our fall decorations up.  We filled up our wheel barrow with lots of pumpkins and gourds and it makes for a very colourful display.  We went to Sandhill Nursery last Tuesday and bought three black steel globes which we filled with Fall decorations.  Come Winter, those will become Christmasy and wintery.  Love the idea and they are totally deer proof!!!

We went for some nice walks and noticed that the leaves are really starting to change.  Russell is keeping an eye on the Algonquin Park Leaves Report, which will determine when is the best time to go and take photos.  It should be in the next two weeks or so.

We have been taking advantage of the weather, as such we're spending a lot of time on the deck.  The sun is not quite as warm so a fleece is needed come the end of the day but it is so good to be able to still spend all this time outside.

Hunting season has started and we have been hearing gun shots in the early hours of the morning.  I wouldn't want to be a grouse now.....The sounds don't seem to bother Cooper though.  We have also been hearing a lot of howling, usually around 6 am, most likely from a pack of wolves nearby.  Who needs an alarm clock when you can rely on the Muskoka sounds to wake you up in the morning!

This weekend is the annual Fall Fair in Huntsville. After our walk today, we stopped by to check it out.  Not a big fair, but nice enough for families and kids.  We got to see the OPP Canine Unit in action, that was kind of cool.  I wanted to go on the Merry-Go-Round with Cooper but dogs are not allowed on the ride.  Too bad, it would have been fun.

That's sums up my blog for this week.  Have a great week!

Wheel barrow with pumpkins and gourds.

Anne and Cooper relax on the front deck with the Fall display.

Pumpkin display with mums behind!

Huntsville Fall Fair...the big ferris wheel.

Anne and Cooper tried to ride the merry-go-round...no go.

Busy bee on the fall annuals on the back deck.

Goal achieved!

Well, my friends, I have achieved my goal of being able to do one full chin up all by myself.  I started this journey on July 20 and was hoping to be able to do one by Christmas at the latest.  On Monday, September 14, I did my very first full chin up and have done one every day this week.    Next goal is to be able to do two in a row, perhaps by Christmas?  I must say, I'm pretty tickled pink about this. Chin Chin to me!

Russell, the Coop and I had a pretty good week.  The weather was spectacular to say the least.  We had some nice walks and did a bit of plant cleanup in the garden.  It may feel like Summer but there are true signs of Fall. Our hummingbirds have started their long journey South.  We saw our last one on September 11.  The acorns are falling like crazy, much to Cooper's delight.  His favorite game at this time of year is to find the acorns that we throw at him.  He goes nuts with those!

The weather was not only beautiful during the day, but we had some clear and moonless nights.  On Tuesday night, we turned all the lights off and the Coop and I sat on the back deck while Russell took pictures of the Milky Way, which I got to see for the very first time, with the naked eye.  Pretty amazing!  I include one of the pictures that Russell took.  I'd say almost as good as the ones he took in Algonquin Park a few weeks ago.  Russell actually shared that picture on Flicker and it was included in a special section called Explorer.  Very cool!

On Friday, Terri and I went to Sandhill Nursery for their Fall Festival Open House.  The theme this year is the Magic of Fall and Yuletide Wonder.  The festival lasts about one month.  It is spectacular and certainly puts you in the mood, even if just for a short while,  for the upcoming holidays.  I took a few pictures that I thought you might enjoy.

Yesterday was the only day of the week where we had some rain, although the sun came out towards the end of the afternoon.  Russell had a nice fire going all day and I made our very first Fall meal:  meatloaf, potatoes and roasted heritage carrots (thanks Terri for the recipe).  To finish the meal, we had scrumptious Peach Crumb Bars (thanks Diana for the recipe).  Back to Summer meals this week though as the weather will, once again, be beautiful.  What a gorgeous month we have had so far!

That's it for this week's blog.  We are on the deck now enjoying the weather and hope it lasts for many more weeks!  Have a great week everyone!

Christmas trees and pumpkins....where else but Sandhill Nursery.

Ho...ho...ho....!

Fantastic decorations, Sandhill goes all out, stop in for a visit.

Good thing there was a fence to keep Cooper out, he goaded them anyways.

Milky Way seen from our back deck in Huntsville.

A Fall day....but it's still Summer

Happy Sunday everyone!  Ours is a soggy one and quite cool but the weather for this week is looking promising, as in nice and warm.  I just got back from a little bit of shopping in downtown Huntsville with my brother and we were probably the only two people wearing shorts and sandals.  Not ready to give up on Summer just yet!

So, my brother arrived on Friday and is going back home tomorrow.  We've had a nice time with him and the weather cooperated up to this morning.  We had a nice lunch out yesterday and I made some good meals.  It was especially nice to take the time to just chat away, which we don't get to do often.  Cooper was happy to see him and, true to form, went up to his room each morning.  We wish Francois a safe drive home tomorrow morning, back to Montreal.

This past week was good and the weather spectacular.   Russell came back from his two day trip on Sunday and the Coop and I were excited to see him.  As predicted, Cooper was over the moon happy when his daddy stepped out of the car. His tail was wagging like never before.  It was so nice to see.  As promised, I include some photos that Russell took of the Milky Way over the two nights that he was away and at two different lakes.  He really enjoyed his experience and is now looking forward to perhaps another similar experience, elsewhere.....he has Iceland in mind.  How cool would that be!

Not much else is going on.  September has been beautiful so far and I truly hope that this continues well into the next few months.  The leaves have started to turn on some trees.  In our backyard, they are falling quite rapidly and Russell even had to blow them. It seems early for some reason.  Cooper is a leaf magnet so the blower has come in handy.

That's it for this week's blog.  I have a few things to get ready for dinner.  Russell is watching football, my brother is having a nap and we will "Facetime" with my parents at 4 pm.  Oh, and the Coop is working away on his dental stick.

I hope you enjoy Russell's pictures.  I include two that I took of my brother's visit.  Notice the pile of lettuce on the plate at the restaurant...that was mine.  Have a great week everyone!

Milky Way at Galeairy Lake. A plane and satellite on the right side

Another perspective of the Milky Way at Galeairy.

The glow to blue glow to the left is Bancroft.

 Someones night vision light made the leaves red.

Milky Way on Poverty Lake, the cabin had lights, the green glow behind it is the saw mill

Sunset on Poverty Lake.

Francois enjoying his "Cooper" time.

Anne, Russell and Francois at 3 Guys and a Stove.

Labour Day Weekend....Me and the Coop, Russell and the Milky Way

I hope you are all enjoying a nice Labour Day Weekend.  September has sure made a grand entrance. What a beauty of a week it was!

This weekend was just me and the Coop, while Russell was attending a two day Night Sky Photography workshop in Algonquin Park.  He left Friday and is coming home early this afternoon.  From what he said, it's been a great experience and he will have lots of pictures to share.  On Friday night, the skies were clear and he could see the Milky Way with the naked eye.  Can't wait to see the photos he took.  I will be sure to post some in next week's blog.

Two people participated in the workshop, led by Wesley Liikane, or better known as Cowboy with a Camera.  Those workshops are held three times during the Summer. They stayed at the Mad Musher, a hostel located just outside of the East Gate of Algonquin Park.

Meanwhile, the Coop and I spent some quality time together.  No doubt that Cooper has been wondering where his daddy is.  Yesterday afternoon, I found him sleeping facing the mud room door, which is the door we always use to come and go.  Perhaps he was hoping that Russell would come through the door at some point.  Having said this, we had some fun play sessions over the past few days, went for walks and he even had a play date with Brenna the doodle.  As for me, I went to the gym, ran some errands and just took it easy.  By the way, I am that much closer to being able to do a chin up but still not there yet.  I figure maybe in a month or so.  Not an easy thing to do.

I can only imagine how excited Cooper will be when Russell comes home today.  I hope to capture his excitement on video.  I am also looking forward to having my hubby back home.  I've missed him a whole lot!

That's it for this week's blog.  I wanted to post it early so that I can now focus on getting ready for Russell's arrival.  First order of business:  make a Peach Gingerbread Cake.

I hope the remainder of the long weekend is a good one for all of you as well as the rest of the week.  As for us, we will be having a Labour Day lunch at the Yocoms tomorrow.  Fun! The rest of the week will be somewhat quiet although we will be getting ready for my brother's visit on Friday.  Looking forward to it.  I include two photos of the Coop (naturally) and two that Russell sent me from the Mad Musher.  Look for Milky Way pics in next week's blog!

Cooper and his reflection

Cooper resting by the boardwalk

Cute little bedroom at the Mad Musher

The Mad Musher restaurant