That Wonderful Time of Year That As Floridians We Only Heard About...Fall.

It is SO NICE to be participating at last in the wonderful time of year that the rest of the world calls "Fall" or "Autumn!" As much as we loved Florida and hated to leave it when we moved, we have LOVED to see the seasons change, and be a part of  a very vivid picture of the Biblical principle of Spring time, Summer, and Harvest. (we haven't had a winter yet. Coming up!)

It's getting nice and cool outside, with some tang in the air and frost on some mornings. The garden is showing signs of slowing down (though we did just plant some cold-weather plants!), and when you walk through the woods or down the drive, the leaves crunch beneath your feet. It feels as if you are in one of those cozy movies we all love.

Here are a few pictures* of Fall in Missouri. What a beautiful time of year!

*(OK. Kitty is doing this post. It won't be a "few..." but that's beside the point! I'm enjoying myself, so if you're bored, I'm sorry but you are free to leave at any time. :0)

All I can think of when I look around me is Ecclesiastes 2:1 and 2. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted."

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy!

~Kitty~

The creative ways God chooses to use colors are amazing!

One day all was green and normal - the next, new colors were appearing, making the world look so pretty and bright. 

        

OK - this is not an autumn picture. But It's so sweet that I just couldn't resist!

There are some events that are fun throughout the year, but just beg to be had when it's a little chilly out and in the air hangs the feeling of freedom before the cold winds of Winter sweep through! So...wala!

First off, we have a bonfire! (One of several, but since you can only stick in so many bonfires, I am only posting the first. :)

Lizzie: Toasty on one side, a little cold on the other. :)

Um...SOMEONE (or rather 2 somones) does NOT need any hot chocolate!!!

Keeping the fire IN the circle. We had no desire for anything larger...

Say, "Freeze!"

The fire chief of Frodge Bonfire INC.

Aww...

"YES!! We DO want hot chocolate!!!"

She could be on the cover of the Orvis catalog. Don't you think?

(Mama here - Would that be "Orvis for Women"? ha ha)

Hm...I wonder which one is the Happy Go Lucky Charmer and which one is the Worrier?? 

And these two nut-cases sing "Lily the Pink." Over and over and over again (I'M GOING TO GET YOU EMILY!!!)

;0)

Ahhh yesss!!! 

What do you do with tons and tons of apples??

Well, you can process them into many different things that require peeling and coring...

But, peeling and coring gets real old before too long...

OR: You can press them into cider! This was Emma's choice 

:)

Mark, the Smiling Set-Up Man

Mrs. Butler, our gracious hostess, pitches in, to the expense of her faithful old food processor. Poor old thing...

Due to the chopper deciding not to work for us, we had to chop them a little bit by hand. But no coring or peeling necessary!!

Smile!

Sorting the apples that had been under the house for a couple of months.

Hannah was our baby-sitter. And Paul kept her quite busy! Em of course helped. 

The bees absolutely LOVED us! 

Mama, smiling away!

Twist that machine, Anne!

Pressing, pressing, pressing!

"I'm just sweet!"

Uhhhh, yes. Those bees just loved us. Or...rather they loved our apples and our cider. We have a few of them pressed in as well. ;0)  

Daddy and Pete arrived after work and helped us finish up.

Pete, the Muscle Man (as always! Paul, you've gotta grow, boy!)

All finished and heading in for supper and some more great fellowship. 

Thanks SO MUCH Butlers for allowing us to borrow your press and the great time while we were there!!!

"All Is Safely Gathered In: An Overview of Our Harvest." I know Mama put up a post a bit ago about our garden, but we have since harvested more, and since Thanksgiving is coming up, I thought a quick review was in order. (Not that any of you really care, but that's OK. ;) The above picture is from a pie contest at the Hootin' and Hollerin' in Gainesville that Sarah recently won with fresh-picked apples and the wild plums we had picked. She won Grand Prize! (Her's is in the blue pie pan with the obvious purple ribbon beside it!) 

"BALLS!!!!"

Markie and her diligently grown pumpkin.

Our onions weren't swell, but the second batch did better. :)

One of the whole family's small watermelons. Peter grew some great big (and tasty!) ones up on the mountain!  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of them, so this one will have to do.

Mr. Oh-So-Squash and his side-kick, Ham-bone-Zucchini.

Uh-oh. Mr. Oh-So-Squash has been decorative long enough!

Mmmm!!! He made good supper. (Zucchini was disposed of earlier in the week...)

Now. The small sweet tater is ours. It's a normal sized one. The large one was grown by those amazing gardeners, our friends, the Linds. They brought us 4 boxes of these things on Sunday. Anyone want to come over for a sweet potato roast??

Home-grown okra! Hits the spot...!

We were glad when the grasshoppers finally got tired of eating our greens for us. They sure tasted good when it was finally our turn!

These poor tomatoes ended up paying the price for these Floridians' lack of MO Gardening tactics. We did not anticipate the freeze that got them that night! We saved as many as we could, but the pigs sure had a feast!

Mmmmm!!! We now have plenty of cider in the freezer! It will sure taste good on those winter nights around the fire!!!

This picture models just one of the 4+ spots we stuffed filled jars. We put as many jars in each place as we could. Thank you Lord, for your provision!!!

 And, what comes with fall? Cozily decorated homes, full of color, love, and laughter! 

There's that Markie Pumpkin!

Mr. Big Man in his warm PJ's. 

Settling in for a nice evening in front of the fireplace.

I love those leaves!

<3 Very homey. <3

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.