Category Archives: Fall

A Sunday Drive

After church and lunch on Sunday we headed north on Hwy 395 to State route 20 W and made a left onto Inchelium-Kettle Falls Road south along the Columbia River all the way to the Reservation town of Inchelium and then onto Gifford Ferry Road.

Along state route 20 we saw more of the fire devastation.

There are no towns along the twenty seven miles we drove along this route from Kettle Falls until we got to Inchelium.

Along the way we encountered rain showers.

Entering the small town of Inchilium on the Colville Indian Reservation and further on we hit the end of the road at the Inchilium-Gifford Ferry launch.

The ferry crossing is free and the small ferry holds approximately 8 vehicles.

It was a smooth ride.

Arriving in Gifford we headed north along Hwy 25 through Daisy and Rice and on to Kettle Falls and home. Daisy and Rice are very small communities.

Our neighbor’s tree greeted us in all it’s autumn glory. Soon all those leaves will fall.

We enjoyed our little Sunday drive even in the rain. We like to learn about the areas around us. It was fun to experience that little ferry across the Columbia river.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hodgepodge

It’s another week with fresh questions for Hodgepodge Wednesday. Thank you, Joyce!

1. Do you make an effort to see/hear live music? Last time you went somewhere for the live music? 

We enjoy live music every Sunday at church.

We haven’t made an effort to enjoy live music elsewhere lately except for attending evensong while in Great Britain, Scotland or Ireland and our Church’s Children’s Musicals at Christmas.

We are looking into attending a live performance of The Messiah this year.

2.According to HGTV the colors of the year for 2026 are mostly decided. Top paint companies declare a color of the year, and decorators will incorporate that into their new year home and room designs. Here’s what’s on tap in terms of paint trends for 2026 (check out the link here to see photos)

  • Sherwin Williams-universal khaki (inspired by heavy canvas and outdoor gear)
  • Behr-hidden gem (a confident shade of teal)
  • Valspar-warm eucylyptus (a warm sliver tinted green)
  • Dutch Boy-melodious ivory (a honey tinted beige)
  • Glidden-warm mahogany (a classic brick red)
  • Krylon-matte coffee bean
  • Clark and Kensington -Hazelnut Crunch (warm reddish-brown)
  • Graham and Brown-Divine Damson (cherry red with a subtle violet undertone)
  • Dunn and Edwards-midnight garden (the green that works everywhere) 

First question-did you know there were so many different paint manufacturers?

Yes, I’m married to a former painter and his first job was with his father in a painting business.

Which color on the list most appeals to you in terms of your own decorating style?

Decorating style is not a term that I would use for me or my home. 🙂 The base color in our home is Khaki Shadow with white trim.

Do you have plans to do any painting in your home in the coming year, and if so might you choose a color from this list? 

The only plan is to complete some areas that were started awhile back. Just a little trim here and there.

Now, forget painting walls, which color name appeals to you most? 

Hidden gem is appealing.

3. What’s something in your life you have to do-watch-or participate in that’s about as exciting as ‘watching paint dry’? 

For this one, I’m going with drying my hair.

4 . Tuesday, October 14th is/was National Dessert day…did you/will you celebrate? Tell us how? What’s your absolute favorite dessert. Yes, just one. I know!! 

I would pick roolyete. A traditional nut roll our mom made and we have now duplicated. I like pastries that have a soft chew to them. Here’s the recipe.

5. Perhaps today is the day I will…

Sort through my clothes and purge.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Tuesday October 14th was also Charlie Kirk Day. It was a day to wear red in remembrance of this young man who would have been 32 on that day and I was happy to participate.

We also watched the White House ceremony to honor Charlie Kirk’s memory with President Trump awarding him the Medal of Freedom, posthumously.

Charlie Kirk Day

This is the shirt I’m wearing today for the National Day of Remembrance of Charlie Kirk. Today, October 14th, would have been his 32nd birthday.  The front and the back is shown above. It’s a small gesture of respect for his short life.

“His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country. He believed in God, the American dream, the value of family, and the principles of our great nation.”

On Monday morning we woke up with the tops of our higher elevations sprinkled with snow.

I’ll be happy for the real snow to hold off until at least November!

On the other side of town, the first fire of the season was lit and enjoyed!

Have you turned your furnace or fireplace on?

Early October Days

Sunday the 5th of October we made a quick trip to Spokane after church. The scenery was spectacular with clear skies and fluffy clouds.

A neighborhood cat without a tail visited while our grandson JJ was here on Monday afternoon. This was the friendliest cat that has ever visited our yard.

On Tuesday while I pulled some weeds I noticed this garden spider. Yikes!

On Tuesday our Colville kids had us over for a belated birthday celebration for Gramps!

Addy made sure Gramps was the one to blow out the candle.

After our meal and dessert JJ was excited to launch his rocket for us to see.

The first launch was very successful and didn’t land in the trees but the second launch was not as hazard free. They will have to wait for a big wind storm to free the rocket.

On Wednesday several deer came to visit.

We had some nice warm days that started with very chilly mornings.

Friday morning started with a beautiful sunrise.

Happy Columbus Day to all in the United States of America and a very Happy Thanksgiving to our friends in Canada!

I can’t let this day pass without acknowledging this historic day!

UPDATE: Waking up to news that after 738 days all the Israeli hostages have been released. What a glorious day for the hostages and their families and friends and nation!

All living Israeli hostages officially freed from Hamas captivity.
President Trump made a promise on the campaign trail:
“We will never abandon them — and with God’s help, they will come safely home.”
Promises made, promises kept.

 

Singing Apples and Leaves Hodgepodge

Wednesday Hodgepodge has rolled around again, thank you, Joyce!

1. ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ How does this saying ring true in your own family, either the one you grew up in or the one you made? 

In the family I grew up in, singing was something my parents enjoyed and that has been passed down to me and most of my siblings. Singing at church and singing when we had company over was a regular thing. Singing in choirs, singing in quartets, trios, duets, singing in Russian and in English, singing for recordings, and for me, singing in a Christian ‘rock’ band. Greg and I met because of that group.

The Russian Sacred Singers of Los Angeles are a group of California young people of Russian background. They sing in English and Russian under the inspiring leadership of director Leonard Wozniuk. The unique bi-lingual choir responded to our challenge to record their selections for radio use. Today, their joyful singing is heard world-wide over several short-wave radio stations and over local broadcasts in North and South America.

I’m on the bottom right, my sister, my cousins, and best friend complete the row.  Second row on the left are two more cousins. The director is my brother-in-law. The Russian Choir and the Rock band were active in the 70’s!

Greg and I are on the right end of this photo. The photo was from somewhere in England, possibly Liverpool.

2. Something you’re nuts about these days?

Time spent with family.

How about something that’s driving you nuts? 

Stink bugs are in abundance this year! This is a male stink bug. The females are rounder in the body.

Stink bugs, especially brown marmorated stink bugs or BMSB, are notorious for invading homes when the weather starts to cool. And while they aren’t interested in stealing your food or sucking your blood, their offensive odor is just as annoying to homeowners.

3. What does abundance mean to you? 

These words from Jesus from the Amplified Bible:

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

Jesus is my abundance and I thank God for his plan of salvation through Jesus and for the Holy Spirit who helps me have faith and belief in the triune God.

4. Caramel apple-caramel cake-caramel corn-caramel sundae-caramel macchiatto…what’s your caramel treat of choice? 

5. What’s a childhood memory that always comes to mind as the leaves start to fall? 

Growing up in southern California did not afford me many memories of fall, at all. We moved to Washington state in 1988 and that is when I became more familiar with fall color and having to rake leaves! Our children were young enough that they are now the ones with childhood memories of leaves!

6. Insert. your own random thought here. 

Our Grands are growing up with four seasons and lots of leaves! These photos were from a few years back while helping their Granny blow the leaves into a pile for the city to pick up.

‘

I’ll (leaf) leave you here. 🙂

Marcus Cider Fest 2025

Every October the little town of Marcus hosts a Cider Fest that is well attended. It starts with a parade on Saturday. This year the weather was so nice it seemed the attendees and cars in the parade doubled!

We spotted Dan, Jamie and our Grands arriving in Jamie’s 1964 T-bird. Jamie’s Granny bought the car for Jamie’s Grandfather. Jamie inherited the car.

All the usual suspects were lined up to enjoy the parade, Granny Great, Granny, Dan, Jamie, Gramps, Addy and JJ. Addy and JJ were ready to gather all the candy that the parade participants threw to the kids along the parade route.

The highway is shut down for the duration of the parade.

There was a clown this year.

Royalty came from nearby communities.

Batman was unexpected.

Our state representative and his family participated, too.

The sheriff was the caboose for the parade keeping the regular traffic at bay for the duration.

I took this photo of our kids/grands in front of the t-bird. I asked Auntie Lolo if she could clean up the photo and the photo below is the result.

Isn’t that cool? Are you able to do that with your photos?

Me and my Grands!

This year one of the choices at the food stalls was smoked turkey legs. We decided on this treat.

I snapped this shot on the way home and you can see part of the area across the Columbia that was burned.

We enjoyed our caramel apple when we got home from the Fest, delicious. We also brought home a half gallon of fresh apple cider.

Time for Fall Decor

On Friday I pulled out a few Fall accents.

Enjoying a change to some Fall colors.

I’m still on the lookout for something for the porch besides my ‘Happy Fall Y’all’ sign.

I came across this next photo that makes this Baba smile. Probably taken in 2019.

 

There are so many things to be thankful for in this season and in all the seasons.

How is Fall/Autumn shaping up in your corner of the world or if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, how is Spring shaping up?

Late Color

A couple years ago we had a hanging plant with a variety of petunias and all of a sudden this year these popped up on the ground under the spot where the plant was hanging. Fun.

Some real late comers popped up this past week, too, on plants we thought were done producing blooms.

We’ve had crisp Fall weather in the morning and summer temps in the afternoon.

Looks like we’ll have nice weather for the Cider Festival tomorrow.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Blue and Gold

The sky is blue and our ornamental grasses are golden. The Goldenrod is in it’s prime.

I’m patting myself on the back for being able to tackle a cart load of weeds.

We are so grateful to be able to see the layers of our mountains again and blue skies. The smoke has cleared and we are breathing easy.

Hope all is well where you live these last few days of September.

I’m at our Women’s retreat today. I won’t be getting around to blogland until Monday. Cheers!

The Golden Season Hodgepodge

It’s Fall y’all and Joyce has a fresh batch of questions for Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. Fall officially rolls into the Northern Hemisphere on Monday (9/22)…what’s your favorite thing about fall?

All the things! I like the weather, the changing colors, our local Corn Maze, Cider Fest, Thanksgiving, Flannel and the end of mosquito season.

2. What’s one thing on your real or proverbial autumn bucket list?

New England or Prince Edward Island would be nice to visit during the Autumn months.

3. Apples, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and cranberries are some of the top fall foods. Which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared?

A Thanksgiving dinner favorite is sweet potatoes/yams baked in buttery brown sugar and marshmallows on top golden and delightful, a favorite of kids young and old.

A good butternut squash soup with a little spice is delicious!

Any on the list you don’t eat?

I can eat any of those things.

Which one have you had most recently?

I might have had dried cranberries in a nut mix the most recently.

4. ‘Fall is proof that change is beautiful’ is a popular sentiment. Would you agree or no? Elaborate.

I am a fan of Fall so I could describe it as beautiful. I also like the changes that occur from summer to fall. Not all change is beautiful and not all the changes from Summer to Fall are beautiful. This isn’t a sentiment that would come out of my mouth. That’s a  little nitpicky but I’d share another sentiment for Fall like “Fall is the season for cozy hugs and warm mugs.”

5. Is there a spot near you where people go to see the leaves change color?

Around our parts you can see the Larches/Tamaracks in some nice groves that have taken on their golden hue.

Will you try to leaf peep somewhere this fall? Lonely Planet lists the following ten places as the best for leaf peeping…of those listed which would you most like to visit?

Stowe, Vermont~Shenandoah National Park, Virginia~Columbia River Gorge, Oregon~Zion National Park, Utah~Tennessee/North Carolina border~West Virgina~Northwestern Wyoming~Wisconsin Northwoods~Northern Nevada~Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway, Arkansas

We are closest to the Columbia River Gorge and that would be a nice Fall road trip.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We were thrilled to hear on Tuesday that all evacuation levels were suspended for the Crown Fire which is the closest fire to us. We are so thankful for all the fire fighters that have been battling these fires. Thank you, LORD, for them and for the rain we received on Sunday!

Happy Autumn/Fall to all hodgepodgers and visitors here!