San Francisco, Here I Come!

I'm counting down the days till I leave in that big jet airplane headed west to San Francisco! My catering partner and I have planned this trip since early summer. It's been years since I have been to California and I have always said I wanted to stand at Fisherman's Wharf and watch the sun go down, melting like butter in the ocean. I guess this is the beginning of my "bucket list". There are so many wonderful things to do and see that I am not sure how I will fit it all in to four days...but I'm sure going to do my best.
One thing on my list, is of course, to ride on the infamous Cable Street Cars. It's like that old commericial for Rice-A-Roni...."It's The San Francisco Treat!"
Another sight I must behold, according to my mother, is Lombard Street! I can't believe people ready live in such a magical spot.
Then there's Alcatraz! This is got to be one of the scariest place in the world...atleast to this country girl. I can't imagine what it would be like to be jailed there...it would be enough for me to want to not commit crimes. Yet so many were housed there. And to think they actually tried to swim the waters! Just give me my tin cup and I'd just stay right there!
Oh, and Chinatown. My friend and I are going to devote a whole day here. I want to smell, taste and feel the energy here.

Have any of you been to San Francisco? I would appreciate any insiderer tips you may have that I need to know of before I leave in November.
I'm putting pennies in the jar, saving up my "allowances" and saying a prayer that I will have the experience of a lifetime. Wish me luck!

First Day of Autumn

It's been awhile since I've posted anything, obliviously, but I've been a little busy. First thing, my youngest moved into an apartment on campus this quarter and if any of you have experienced this right-of-passage then you know what a chore this is. To compound things, he's nearly two hours away. All I can say is I hope he has everything and if he doesn't, then there's Dollar General.
Today is officially the first day of autumn and while it doesn't feel much like it, I hope for cooler days soon. We've had two weeks of rain and I'm not going to complain because our neighbors out in Georgia are really suffering today. My prayers are will all of you who may be affected by the flooding. Our God has not turned His head and He will make provisions. Trust Him with your very lives and He will not disappoint you. These are difficult times and we will all be tested.
The sun will shine again and you will be stronger.

I haven't relayed this piece of information about myself...but I am part owner of a catering business called Two Friends Catering. My partner and I started this little business for the fun of it. And FUN is exactly what I'm having. We do alot of baking, mostly due to the devastating loss of our bakery in town. I am a self-taught decorator and far from being a professional. But I like to experiment with the different mediums of cake decorating. For years I worked at a job that was very demanding and after 60 plus hours per week, I didn't have alot of time to do these things. Finally, I'm able to relax and have fun.

Maybe I'll take up skydiving next!!

RUSHING FALL!!!

I can't seem to help myself. I want to rush the Fall Season so bad. The cool nights are teasing me even though the days have warmed up a little. I don't care, it still seems like the trees are beginning to display their brillant colors and I have the strongest desire to start the trek to the mountains to take it all in.

These pictures were taken last year when JJ and I took a day trip up the Natchez Trace. When I think about what a beautiful trip that was, it makes me long for a sweater, a picnic basket and my camera!

Bring on the fall season!

The last couple of days here in N.E. Louisiana have been absolutely gorgeous! The humidity, which in this area can choke a elephant, has been very low and the sky is blue. I love this time of the year more than any other. The fields are being harvested of their bounty and folks are pulling out the firepits and shopping for sweaters. Kids are back at school, and next week our youngest is off to college at Louisiana Tech in Ruston. Our house is about a mile and a half from the high school and last Friday I listened from my front porch the firing of the cannon, which is our way of celebrating a victorious score over our opponent.

I have always tried to rush the seasons, and I am not going to apologize for nothing. I drug out my ceramic pumpkins and I made a special trip to the corner market to purchase mums for my front walk. I can't wait for the real pumpkins to get here. I love all the varieties we have available to us now. The pale chalky ones and the jasper green ones are really cool. I even like the ones with "warts".

My oldest son, Paul, has three boys (God bless their mama) and he gets into carving pumpkins like you've never seen. He puts a table up outside and gets a wide array of "carving tools" and goes at it. The eyes of those kids nearly pop out watching him. He does one for each of the boys, and even one for Katie and him.

We do not celebrate Halloween, the gross stuff and all, but I love pumpkins and I carve pretty ivy designs and words on mine. I just love the glow that a lit pumpkin gives the outside walk.

It is time to gather some wood for the firepit. This weekend will be the first time we light ours and I plan on sittin' a spell and enjoying the starry sky.

I encourage you and yours to make a memory of your own this week. Children love it when the house is decorated for the season, even if it isn't anything but a mason jar of candy corn. So, have a good time with family and friends this week!