“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I was going through some old photos on my computer and I realized yeah I really do love October. I have to agree with Lucy.  I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers because October is one of my favorite months.

I love to go on a short walk or a long daytrip with my camera in tow. I always find something interesting to photograph. It could be a new feline friend that I've made...

Or a leaf strewn walkway. Leaves are a favorite subject to photograph. After years of living in the same area, I know which trees are going to turn first and which ones will be the most brilliant.

Is there anything more quintessentially Fall than pumpkins?  Especially pumpkins and wagons. 

I admit to spying on other people's Fall decor. It's fun to see how the front doors are accessorized.

And in October we find the last of the Farmer's Markets. It's great to walk around the markets when the temps are nice and cool.

And I love, love, love to go into the courtyard of the Boston Public Library and look at the witches hats.

These are some downright fashionable witches hats. Much care has been taken to create them.

And then of course at the end of October, there's fright night or Halloween. I am always afraid of those things that go bump in the night at the condo!

A Touch of Autumn

When it's time to decorate for Fall I always take out my old magazines and look through them for inspiration.

It's fun to shop your own house for decorations. Or maybe even the backyard. I was planning to go with a neutral palate. Perhaps I have read one too many Jeanne D'Arc magazines lately.

I brought out the velvet pumpkins and the Fall wreath.  It looked boring. So I added a strand of battery operated twinkle lights I had tucked away for Christmas and voila just the right amount of bling it needed!

I picked up this little Fall wreath and decided to put it around a flameless candle. The brown transferware gravy boat finished the vignette.

 I looked to see what Fall touches I might add to this corner of my kitchen. I decided it did not need anything more. It has a lot going on already . It's good to know when to say when.

Percy for once was staying out of my way as I put a few decorations in place.

But then of course, he had to photobomb my shot. I knew he wanted his coffee. Yes, he is a caffeine addict. He gets high on the smell of coffee. He has tried numerous times to snag a sip of coffee. Luckily he has not and never will succeed. He's wired enough!

I had a great weekend. I decorated, spent time with the kitties, did a daytrip to Hamilton and another one to Concord. I'll post about all my adventures throughout the week so don't forget to check in often.

Catching Up

Well, we're all dug out from the major storm of about 10 days ago.  This is the front walk to the condominium building where I live. My neighbors were out fairly early trying to keep ahead of the storm.

One of the boys was standing at the end of the walk on a snowbank and he was almost level with my living room window!

I could barely make out the figure of my next door neighbor who was snowblowing his driveway.

They were making pretty good progress. The snow was heavy and wet. Sometimes it is light and fluffy but not this storm.

 

That's my car off in the distance.  I did not think I would ever get it out with all that snow. It looked like a daunting task.

The drifts had to be 3-4 feet. The plow guy did not show and so my upstairs neighbor, my sister and I dug my car out and then shoveled in front of my neighbors garage so she could get her car out.

 

The boys had done the back steps.

 

 

I shot this photo from the steps.

 

 

Percy loves to watch people doing manual labor. At least, he was safe and warm during the storm.

 

The final tally- we think between 22 and 26.5 inches. There were conflicting reports. I do know it was the fifth worst snowstorm in Boston history.

 

At least, I did not lose electricity during the storm. Friday night the winds were howling and the lights were flickering. I was stressing thinking at any moment I would lose lights and the heat so I went to bed. It was still snowing in the morning and since there was a driving ban nobody was going anywhere.

 

We hired another plow guy and he finished what we didn't. It was about 5:00PM on Sunday . I was mobile once again and Nemo was one for the history books. Good riddance!

 

 

 

What the appraiser saw

An appraiser came out to do an evaluation of my condo today. I am trying to refinance my mortgage to a lower rate. It all depends on the value. If the value comes in high enough I'll save more than $150  a month. with the new loan.

He was almost clinical in his approach. "I'm going to walk around and do a sketch of the property and then take some notes" he said. He also took some photos and asked a few questions like when was the unit renovated and are there any major projects coming up?

What he thinks is valuable is not what I value the most. Like the souvenir from a trip with my sister in Kennebunkport that sits on that bookcase or the poster on the wall from my friend Pauline.

He looked at the dining room which was a living room for the previous owner. I look at the room and see my grandmother's china cabinet and all the teacups I've collected over the years.

He snapped a shot of the bathroom.

He looked at the hallway and I pointed out a closet.

He looked around the kitchen and the ceramic tile floor.  He didn't notice the bistro set my parents bought me as a birthday gift a few years before my mother's stroke.

He made note of the granite countertops, the maple cabinets and stainless steel appliances.
He did not notice the tea towel, a gift frrom my friend Karen or the antique label I had framed that hangs over the sink.

He noted that there was a pantry and in unit laundry. He did not know the calamity of the washer/dryer installation.

Snapping the photo of the bedroom, he definitely did not notice the Rachel Ashwell comforter from Target. Or the bed that I've had for 17 years which was originally assembled by my friend Joanne's husband Roy. Joanne died in 2006.

I doubt he took a photo of these military chests, I bought the top one at an Estate Sale and the bottom one I found at the side of the road.

I don't even think he noticed the cats.  Molly was hiding under the nesting tables in the living room.

Percy was hiding behind the birdcage.  Oh Percy, we can see you! Percy does not like strangers in the house.

Oscar was hiding on a chair under the dining room table.

Later, Molly decided a cat nap was in order after all the excitement. She settled in on a chair in the living room which used to be a bedroom.

Percy was tired too and he sprawled on the cool hardwood floor in the dining room.

I sure hope the appraiser gives my condo a proper value to make the loan work.

I've only lived here 3 1/2 years but to me this condo is more than granite countertops and hardwood floors.  I don't really think I can put a value on it.

The Trouble with Cats

Poor Oscar! It seems he has lost his identity as the alpha cat in the household. His tail is in a twist!

Here's the new alpha cat or so he thinks! Percy likes to throw his weight around, stir up trouble and
destroy things.

Molly is having none of that alpha cat stuff.  She hates him and she openly defies him. Makes for

some mighty tense moments in the household.

 My newish dining room chairs? I bought them almost 3 years ago when I bought the condo. Percy
had at them and...

he thought they might look better with fringe.  I disagree.  He also bit the nailheads out of the sides of the chairs.  I could not tolerate having a choking hazard in the condo so I brought the chairs downstairs to my office.  The kitties do not set foot in my office.

Oh great! Let's have another altercation. Percy can hold his own now.  He weighs more than Molly and more than Oscar too!

According to my vet, I am living with three social groups. She says they're trying to figure it out. She offered some suggestions.  Let's hope they figure it out soon!

My Kitchen- Making it Personal

                                       

When I bought my condo in 2008, the kitchen looked like this.  I loved the granite countertops and the stainless steel appliances.  I was used to a galley kitchen at my old place so this kitchen was a luxury to me.

Honestly, if I were renovating I'd go for white or cream colored cabinets with a vintage feel. This kitchen was like new so of course I left it as is.  I decided it just needed to be personalized to my taste.

I changed out the fruit print curtains to a black and white toile balloon curtain.  I love the view of the neighbor's barn.  Makes me feel like I'm in the country.

 Next to the refrigerator I set up a caffeination station.  I have my large assortment of teas in the cabinet above this area.  Excuse this poor photo I used flash on it.

I put a cat rug in front of the sink.  The kitties love it.  Oscar like to sit by the fire, does he think it's real?  No he's my genius cat and he knows it's fake.

My latte mugs are right at home at the caffeination station.

One of the walls is used for wall art.  I love that Steinlien print of the woman with all the animals.  I first saw a poster of this at my cat's vet's office.  I ordered mine from Ebay.

Another view of my French themed wall.  There's also a watercolor of a boulangerie on another wall which I neglected to photograph.

I found this vintage label at an antiques fair.  I had it matted in a burgundy suede and framed in gold. It hangs over my sink.

Molly like to use this chair as a step stool for looking out the window.  I have grain sack cushions on the chairs.

Here's another view of the barn.  It's so pretty in Winter.

I have two tea racks. This one is right outside the kitchen in the hallway leading to the kitchen.

Here's the second tea rack.  I bought it from Harney and Sons tea.  I use the bistro set as my kitchen table. When I entertain we use the dining room.  The clock is from Target.

 All set for entertaining friends.  This party had a British theme. I love my little plates from Home Goods. Got them years ago.

My chalkboard platter is from Pottery Barn. It always has a message on it.

I use boxes and baskets for my storage.  This biscuit box is from French Garden House.  Again bought at least two years ago.

Oscar loves the grain sack cushions and they hold up well to scratching.

There's Oscar again, now he's looking out at the barn! This seems to be a popular spot.

All decorations are constantly changed or moved. Except for my Keep Calm and Carry On poster that's to the right in this photo.  It is a constant reminder to always keep calm, don't stress, move on.

Now that you've finished my post you can continue your kitchen tour at Sarah's Modern Country Style.
You will find the links for all the participants there.