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And Just Like That It’s November

Halloween came to a screeching halt at midnight, October 31st.

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Thanks to the end of Daylight Savings Time, the clocks rolled back an hour the next day. We spent part of Sunday putting things away and adjusting to the time change.

We’ll leave our Jack ‘o Lanterns on the deck until the inevitable decay. Mike’s pumpkin carvings were as wonderful as ever. He carved three masterpieces, two from commercially bought pumpkins and the third one from our garden: The Great Drought Pumpkin of 2015.

The tall, slender pumpkin is a Minion for the popular children’s movie.
pumpkin carving collage 2015

The squat pumpkin is Jack Skellington. Jack is a fictional character and the protagonist of the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack is the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town and lives in a fantasy world based solely on the Halloween holiday.

jack skellington pumpkin

Jack Skellington

I found inspiration for the smaller pumpkin from a fellow blogger. Mike used small saws and a drill to create the stars. It’s our beacon of light.

pumpkin stars beacon of light

A Beacon of Light

My sister and I celebrated our birthdays together with a cheese fondue and salad lunch and a full-screen viewing of My Fair Lady. That beautiful movie just turned fifty years old. (We’re still older).

Today I woke up to rain.

azalea after rain

Azalea after the rain

In other parts of the world, rain is a big bore, something to endure till the next sunny spell. Here in our drought-parched state it’s the topic of conversation on Facebook. I woke up at 3:30 this morning and could hear the rain coming down outside my window. Large, musical drops fell and fell and fell. I stepped out on the deck in my bare feet with my camera, wanting to preserve the moment. Then I came back inside to warm my toes and grab a few more hours of sleep. Bliss!

As I write this late in the afternoon, the wind is beginning to howl. Be still my heart. It might just rain again!

Have a terrific week.

34 thoughts on “And Just Like That It’s November”

  1. So glad you had rain!!! I’m reminded of how in VietNam, the people stay in during the heat of sunny days and go out in the rain. I’m sure that’s the case in other hot tropical climes. I also remember meeting a friend for lunch years ago during an earlier California drought. I had trouble getting two doors from my office to the restaurant without getting soaked. There was Joe inside, drenched and grinning, a true denizen of So Cal, saying “isn’t rain wonderful?”

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  2. The rain on your azalea is pure bliss, Alys! I can just imagine the sounds of large, musical raindrops falling over your garden. I truly hope that November will continue to bless California with frequent, gentle showers. Mike is a real pumpkin artist and your Halloween memories shine brightly. Wishing you calm, peaceful November days, Alys!

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    • Thank you, Dawn. You are a dear. I too hope this rain keeps up. The air was so fresh and clean today, and the mountains, once hidden behind smog stand bright.

      I have to tell you, that as I read Susan Branch’s book, I feel like I’m also reading about you. Isn’t that interesting. SB feels like the start of our connection, and I suspect we both have many things in common with her. Ah, life.

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  4. RAIN!! How wonderful. May there be rain on your roof tonight and for the following week.
    I love those pumpkins. Jack Skellington may be a little too fearsome for me, so my favourite will be the delightful one with the stars.

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    • Thank you, Anne! That would be lovely.

      Jack is frightful, isn’t he? I was actually a bit afraid of the movie as well when it first aired. Tim Burton creates a unique cast of characters.

      I love the stars too.

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  5. You and Mike can do your best Gene and Debbie impressions, get those umbrellas out of the mothballs and dance!! Whoopeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I’ve worked out the time change for your op and will be up and sending you all good things over coffee at my 5.45am Thursday morning xoxo

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  6. I love the pumpkins. Mike does a wonderful job on all the pumpkins. I loved them! Your place looked so festive. Did you get many trick or treaters? I was pushing that rain your way. I keep trying to help. :)))) Don’t I wish. I’m so happy you got some rain!

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    • Marlene, the rain was wonderful. Thanks for sending some our way (I know you played a big part in that). 😉

      Our neighborhood is thick with trick or treaters. We had over 400 this year. That number climbs every year, too. 18 years ago it was 80 kids. It dropped briefly the first year after 9/11, then went up to 150. I can hardly believe how it’s grown.

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      • WOW!!!! 400 trick or treaters would scare the eyebrows off of me. They have found the spot to get good stuff. Bet they come in carloads. Word spreads. I heard they had significant snowfall in the Sierras too. That’s the best news I’ve heard in years. We’ve had a lot of snow in our mountains too. That’s where our water comes from so I keep my heart in the asking of it. It will help you as much as the rain. Most people don’t want the rain and snow and it does get old and I sure don’t want to shovel it. But we need it for the water. Always glad to help. :))))

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  11. Boop! popping up here now 😀 I needed some cheering up and just knew where to drop in. The pumpkins are really cute, especially the Minion since that was Mike costume. Those characters are so darn cute and entertaining. Who knew Yellow, pill’ish looking, over-all wearing guys. We had rain yesterday too, but today it really cooled off and this am it was snowing. Melting on the warmish ground but a short whiteout on my ways to work. I wish I could keep my peepers open, I want to visit longer……..nighty night sweetness xoxo

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    • Nighty night sweetums. Thanks for the visit.

      Wow, snow already. It’s so beautiful to look at and enjoy from inside or to play in when life is carefree, but I can’t imagine driving in snow, parking in the snow and all the things that go with it. You’re iron woman to be sure. xox

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      • LOL, I don’t know about Iron Woman hon, I basically whine my way through winter. I work with a gal ‘Krista’, and yesterday morning she told me that her little girl got up all happy and proclaimed, “Awesome! it’s snowing!! I love the snow!!” hahaha. That’s not a direct quote but she was super excited and I thought I should try and be more like her. I need to adopt a childlike attitude and make winter more palatable 😀 xox

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  13. I absolutely adore your lanterns, Alys – so well crafted. It has inspired me…. Even though our pumpkin was not ready in time for Halloween, I think we might just carve it, anyway. I’m sure that will please my daughter very much 🙂

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