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Halloween

It’s Halloween. One of my favorite times of the year. Our neighborhood draws a crowd (500 children at our door last year), a slow-and-steady parade of little ones starting around 5:30. This little guy gets a different kind of treat.

A squirrel stands near pumpkin scraps in a garden, surrounded by ferns and a tree.

Mike spent the day carving three magnificent pumpkins. It takes him hours, but he enjoys the creative process.

We attended a Halloween party on Saturday, renting costumes from Natasha’s Attic. I didn’t have the time or energy to create one this year, and that’s ok.

The Las Vegas party theme lends itself to many things. We dressed as 1920s mobsters, light on the mob part.

I stopped by my sister’s today and took pics of her wearing a witch’s hat, a gifted orange scarf, and a hand prop on her shoulder. We’re peas in a pod.

I bring out my collection of hand-crafted pumpkins each year. They have an international flavor, one sent as a gift from Cathy in Germany, another made by Randi, who hails from Norway, and the third, a gift from my friend Stephanie. I bought the velvet ones at a craft fair many years ago.

A collection of hand-crafted pumpkins displayed in a metallic bowl, featuring various colors and textures, including knitted and velvet designs.

It’s the creative fun of Halloween that I like the best. Making costumes over the years has always been a joy. It’s fun decorating, too. Making cards for Halloween is a more recent endeavor, and we once grew pumpkins till a nasty infestation of squash bugs put an end to that after two or three years.

A friend sold these cardboard haunted house kits earlier this year. It was a lot of fun putting it together, and a bit of kismet when I realized I had the perfect tray for it. The three figurines were a birthday gift this year. Can you believe how well they fit in?

I turned 66 earlier this month. On Monday, I’m having my left hip replaced, nine months after replacing the right one. I’m feeling my age. That said, my love of Halloween keeps me young at heart. If you celebrate, I hope that’s true for you, too.

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Filoli Fright Night: Searching for Trolls

A wooden troll sculpture holding a flag, set in a garden during twilight with trees in the background.

Events at Filoli sell out quickly, so I was thrilled to get tickets for five of us to attend the second-annual Filoli Fright Night. We knew it would be fun, as all their events are, but it was full of surprises that exceeded our expectations.

The evening included a first-floor tour of the house, done up to the nines with Halloween-themed rooms.

A warm, inviting scene featuring several black lanterns with glowing yellow lights placed along stone steps, surrounded by lush greenery and illuminated by soft lighting.

The library featured flying book pages and an owl made from paper feathers, along with the usual, beautiful decor.

Interior of a library with shelves of books, featuring a centerpiece of flying paper pages and a portrait on the wall.
A small mouse in a witch's hat stands at a tiny table with a miniature birdhouse, placed on top of books by Edgar Allan Poe.

The dining room, set for fictional guests, was more warm and cozy than spooky, with gorgeous table settings and an over-the-top dried floral arrangement at the table’s center.

A beautifully set dining table adorned with elegant tableware, tall floral arrangements, and multiple candles, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for a festive gathering.

As you entered the kitchen, a counter displayed three cakes: a black-iced tower with a replica of a beating heart, a wedding-style white cake that would make your hair stand on end, and a third confection, lost to memory, but equally impressive.

A kitchen counter adorned with various cakes and desserts, including a tall black-iced cake shaped like a heart, surrounded by decorative candles and intricate plates.
A dimly lit kitchen with green lighting, featuring a variety of jars, herbs, and candles on a table, along with Halloween-themed decorations and carved pumpkins displayed on shelves.

I shared space with a skeleton in the foliage drying room, then wandered over to the great hall.

A skeleton wearing an apron stands next to a wooden chair, surrounded by an array of dried plants and herbs, all illuminated with a green light.
A beautifully decorated fireplace featuring Halloween-themed decor, including purple lighting, black crows, and ghostly figures, surrounded by dried branches and flowers.

The lights in each room set the mood in shades of purple or green. The house is extraordinary, even when it’s not Halloween.

Interior of a Halloween-themed room at Filoli featuring a large decorative birdcage with artificial crows, surrounded by various plants and purple lighting.

We finished the house tour, then exited toward the gardens, strolling by the reflecting pool and then onto the grounds.

A beautifully illuminated garden at night, featuring colorful lights surrounding a reflecting pool and various plants.

A bluegrass band played in the center of the crowd, with several guests sitting around small fires. Fields of carved pumpkins lead us to the gate, and we set off to look for the wooden trolls.

A nighttime scene featuring a pumpkin patch with illuminated carved pumpkins scattered among hay bales, and guests exploring the area.

We managed to find five of the six trolls, not because they’re small, but because it was dark with curving trails, eerie sound effects, and darkness. No sane person would step off the lighted trail.

While searching for the trolls created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, we came across a “crowd” of pumpkin-headed scarecrows. At first, and from a distance, we thought they were parking attendants in the far-off lot. Boy, were we wrong.

After an hour or so, we stopped along the trail for hot cocoa and hot cider. We spotted another troll, then proceeded along the trail to discover a glow-in-the-dark, banana slug art installation, yet another surprise of the night.

A nighttime view of a glowing art installation featuring numerous large banana slug sculptures illuminated in bright green, amidst purple lighting and trees in the background.

We posed for and took lots of pics before eventually heading back toward the house. I can’t wait to see what they create next year.

The Trolls: 

The artist behind the Filoli trolls is Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist known for creating giant troll sculptures from recycled materials. The current exhibition at Filoli, “Trolls: Save the Humans,” features six larger-than-life trolls. Source: Filoli

Here’s a bit about Filoli:

Filoli is a 654-acre historic estate in Woodside, California, featuring a large Georgian-style mansion, 16 acres of formal gardens, and hundreds of acres of natural lands. It was originally a private residence built by the Bourn family, who named it after their motto: Fight for a just cause, Love your fellow man, Live a good life. Today, it is a non-profit public attraction managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offering tours, seasonal events, and educational programs. Source: Filoli

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Creating Cards with Vintage Postage

A friend passed on a fantastic collection of vintage postage stamps last year, and I’ve been slowly working my way through them. Some of the postage came loose in bags, while others remained attached to envelopes. I also received an album filled to the brim with postage from around the globe.

It’s time-consuming soaking the stamps in cool water and letting them dry to remove the paper and adhesive, so I’ve been soaking them in batches. Eventually, I made it through the entire collection. Now it’s all about the fun of making cards.

I have the equivalent of a shoe-box full of postage. It’s been fun hauling out the stamps when the mood strikes to make greeting cards and the occasional bookmark. I’ve sorted most of the stamps by color, though a few fell into themes like flowers, birds, airplanes, and even various Olympics.

Here are my atest cards: 

Mike is a private pilot, a hobby he picked up during COVID. I enjoyed making him this card for his birthday.

My sister, Sharon, loves purple, so this card featured royal purple on the cover and a softer shade of purple on the interior. There had to be a cat, of course.

I made this ‘thinking of you’ card for a fellow gardener, using floral postage. These are some of my favorite stamps.

One of my favorite challenges this year is this teal card designed to emulate a bookshelf. I put a small frame around the owl to make it look like a picture on the wall near the “books.” The two shelves are cut from triangle-shaped postage.

For a bit of background, Kate, who blogs at Tall Tales of Chiconia, invites quilters from around the world to contribute a square or two for a fundraising quilt for the Trudy Crowley Foundation in Australia. Kate provides a clever theme and quilt title each year. She assembles the squares, adds a backing, and quilts the masterpiece. The teal quilt is donated and auctioned to benefit ovarian cancer.

I made this card for Kate using the same guidelines as this year’s “Tealing All Our Stories” theme. Please have a look. The quilt is gorgeous —treat yourself to a peek at the link above.

And finally, this autumn-themed card for my friend who gifted me all the stamps.

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Reflecting the Garden

As we head into the cooler autumn months, I’ve been reflecting on a few garden projects, notably thrifting, painting, and arranging mirrors along the corner garden fence.

I’ve hung mirrors in the garden before, and continue to enjoy the placement. (summer, 2021) Why look at a dull, brown fence when you can hang mirrors instead?

It wasn’t easy finding mirrors. I went to several thrift stores before my luck changed, and I found four mirrors at one of our local Goodwill Industries shops. Three of the mirrors had black frames, and the fourth was a shiny silver. I painted it a warmer color and hung it above my wall-mounted fairy garden.

I hung the remaining three mirrors on the fence under the tree, only to realize I needed a few more to fill the space. Eventually, I found enough mirrors to fit the bill, and I’m pleased with the extra light and reflection they bring to that corner.

About a year ago, I made another change by removing the ferns growing under the orange tree in the same corner. The orange tree is about fifty years old, so the fruit it produces is no longer sweet. Further, the oranges are challenging to harvest. When we were younger, I climbed on the ladder to get some of the low-hanging fruit, but it wasn’t all that safe. We bought one of those extending poles with a fruit-gathering basket on the end, but it proved cumbersome. It also tended to break the branch with the fruit. The tree continues to provide shade and the wonderful scent of orange blossoms, but it had become a dumping ground of partially consumed fruit from hungry overnight critters. In the end, I hired a tree service to prune the tree, fruit and all, away from the fence. We’ve enjoyed a year without the mess of rotting oranges, fruit flies, and broken branches. I wish I had thought of it sooner.

Note: Move the slider, below, to see the orange tree and ferns, a year apart.

The last adjustment involved moving a molded panel with a leaf motif to disguise the enclosed compost system. Mike attached one side of the panel to the fence, and we repurposed a post to support the other side.

These changes opened up the space, allowing us to add a couple of chairs and small tables to accompany the glider. Removing the ferns lets us see the rock wall and the plants behind it, and we can now walk to and from the compost bin, especially in the wetter months, without rubbing up against wet ferns. I put down gravel and the self-seeded nasturtiums are coming up as predicted. They’re easier to manage, lower in height, and beautiful.

Another significant change to the garden involved removing our beautiful wisteria. It wasn’t a decision I took lightly, but in the end, it made sense. I’ll write more about that this week.

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A Cat Named Mouse

We didn’t name him, but we loved him, a robust cat-about-town who once lived a few houses over. He has been part of our family for nearly 14 years.

Mouse loved his treats, and once plumped up to 18 pounds. He used to follow us around the block on our evening walks, and unlike most cats, he loved—and at times demanded—that I pick him up. I happily obliged.

Mike jokingly called him my “white haired gentleman.”

To love a cat is to pretend they’ll go on forever. You park science at the curb and love them with your whole heart.

In May, rapid weight loss and slowed eating led to a series of tests. My once plump boy was frail.

After our last visit to the Cat Hospital, our treasured vet sent us home, assuring me that Mousy was weak but not in pain, and it would be okay for him to die at home.

My sweet boy spent the last two weeks on a blanket in our closet, accepting small servings of Churu treats, licked from my fingers, before putting his head down to rest. It’s been a long and sad goodbye.

An exquisite poem by Garrison Keillor, “In Memory of Our Cat, Ralph”

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It’s a Match!

My email inbox fills regularly with requests for donations, and for the most part, the requests are financial. Last week, however, the special donations department at Stanford Blood Center contacted me with a truly special request:

September 11, 2025, Stanford Blood Center, Campbell

Hi Alys, 
We are reaching out to you today in the hopes you would be available to donate for a particular patient who has specific transfusion needs and with whom you are compatible. Not only does your ABO/Rh match this patient, but your red cell antigen phenotypes are also a match.

How do you say no to that? I confirmed my eligibility to give (I’m seven months post-hip surgery), and they said yes. I booked the appointment for September 11 and donated my pint in a record five minutes. It also happened to be my 25th blood donation at Stanford.

In 2022, Stanford sent an email confirming that through two separate blood donations,

December, 2022, Stanford Blood Center, Campbell

they were able to verify that the combination of blood groups you have is, in fact, rare and will be particularly essential for supporting patients with your same blood group profile! Though this rare typing program is still in its early stages, we expect to be able to share more with you in the coming months via your online donor portal.

Three years later, I made my first blood donation match.

I’ve thought a lot about the anonymous patient with ongoing transfusion needs, and how remarkable it is for both giver and receiver that we have the technology to pinpoint blood components to this impressive degree. 

It’s life-affirming knowing that my whole blood donation will make a difference.

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ScrapHappy Halloween Cards

I never thought I would say this, but I’ve finally exhausted the majority of my Halloween paper scraps. Sadly, crafting stores in my area are closing at a rapid clip. We’ve lost The Paper Source, JoAnn’s, Beverley’s, and my long-time favorite, Creative Escapes.

Shopping online has its benefits, but I miss the pleasure of looking at paper and embellishments up close, holding them, comparing colors and features while chatting with the creative women working or shopping at the store. I feel the loss.

I’ve loved Halloween my whole life, so making cards has been a natural extension of that. These card styles lend themselves well to scraps, and they’re fun to make.

Without further ado, here are this month’s scrappy, not to mention spooky, cards. Thank you for stopping by.

Halloween card three circles
Halloween card scrap strips
Layered Halloween card, scraps

If you would like to share your own crafty creations, please get in touch with Kate.

You can take a look at other ScrapHappy posts at the following links:

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,

Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 

Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,

Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,

Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 

Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,

Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,

Hannah and Maggie

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The Mantises are Here

Earlier this summer, I found a mantis egg case on the garden fence, but until this week, I hadn’t seen a single mantis. I said as much to Mike on Friday. Then, as we sat on the glider in the corner of the garden, I spotted a bright green one on a sunflower stalk.

I find it challenging to photograph them clearly, but I have fun trying. They’re otherworldly with their triangular-shaped head that swivels slowly while the rest of the body appears at rest. Mantises are ambush predators, which is why you find them almost immobile on a leaf or branch, patiently waiting to pounce. I’ve never seen one catch its prey, and I’m happy to remain in the dark. Mating practices can be equally harrowing for the male, so I’ll give that a pass as well.

Saturday, while pruning, I saw a second, smaller mantis on the other side of the garden, marveling at my good luck spotting two in a short period of time. I moved further along the fence to complete other work, and within half an hour, it had moved on.

As I started putting my tools away, I crossed the garden and spotted a third one, more orange than green, so it really stood out on the green stem of the anemone. When they feel threatened, they rear up to a standing position, so I’m careful to keep some distance. They’re not harmful to humans, but I don’t want to agitate them when all they’re doing is waiting for a meal.

I checked the anemone this morning, and the mantis is still there forty-eight hours later. It’s currently hanging upside down, showing little interest in relocating and seemingly unbothered by my camera intrusions.

I’m glad they feel at home.

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Sunflowers: It was the Squirrel’s all Along

American humorist Erma Bombeck once quipped that when she wanted her children to take their vitamins, she threw them on the floor and commanded, “Don’t touch those.” She always made me smile.

In recent years, I’ve loosely applied this approach to planting sunflowers. (This year’s “self-seeded sunflower gallery picutred below).

Sunflowers meet the bougainvillea
Sunflower as tall as the house

It’s not the seed’s fault that they are tasty morsels before they hit the ground. Over the years, I’ve planted seeds “three to a hill” as the packet recommends, only to have them dug up the following day. I’ve started seeds indoors, but end up with leggy transplants. I bought domes to cover my plantings a few years ago, and that seemed to work, but again, the plants weren’t as sturdy.

Last year, I bought a pair of tender seedlings from a local farm stand. One creased, folded, and closed up shop almost immediately. The other eventually succumbed as well.

Then a wonderful thing happened. On the other side of the planting bed, a small sunflower plant appeared. Then another one. I couldn’t believe my luck. I didn’t plant them, yet there they were, tall and proud and happy in the sun.

Sunflower

I checked on them every day, welcomed the bees with whispered tones in case my neighbors were within earshot, and enjoyed those golden flowers reaching toward the sun. As the flowers faded and the seeds formed, our neighborhood squirrels knew what to do.

In this scenario, the squirrels are Bombeck (dropping the seeds), and they’re also the kids on the floor (scrabbling to pick them up). Since they can’t eat all of them (did you ever hide the last cookie from a sibling?), they happily bury a few on the spot. Your’s truly becomes the “middle manager” nodding in agreement while sipping a bevy and checking social media every ten minutes while those squirrels get to work.

The “squirrel of life” is complete.

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Tomatoes for the Win

By early spring, I’m dreaming of the promise of delicious, home-grown tomatoes. They are one of the great summer pleasures, succulent, sweet, and refreshing on a hot day.

When the goddess of gardens bestows her goodness on a crop, I bow to her greatness. I no longer take credit for a good season, nor do I blame myself for a mediocre one. Tomatoes are a fussy lot, requiring wind, but not too much; heat, but not excessive; just the right amount of water; and a placement in the garden that would make a garden landscaper proud.

If you find locations for your tomato plants that are akin to a witness protection program, you might avoid nasty pests like hornworms, aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites. That said, no guarantees.

When I traveled to Ohio for a week in July, I made sure that the men at home checked on the fruit production daily. You would think we were raising chicks instead of tomatoes.

All this fuss has been worth it. Both the Beefsteak and the Cherry Tomato plants have produced mouthwatering fruit. We’ve enjoyed caprese salads, improved lunchtime sandwiches, enhanced green salads, and popped cherry tomatoes as a snack.

I harvested this magnificent crop of Beefsteak tomatoes on August 3. Tomato carnage began three days later.

The first and largest tomato on the vine was the first to go. Just a few nibbles at first, but of course, more followed. In the ensuing days, I found a tomato splattered on the walkway, half-eaten fruit on the plant, and, comically, some critter dragged the remains of a tomato half way up the bougainvillea. Meanwhile, the plant continues to grow taller, parallel to the self-seeded sunflower, but as we head into September, it’s all but done.

All is not lost, though. The cherry tomato plant appears free of fruit until you peek behind the foliage. Tiny orbs of goodness continue to color unmolested, sure to delight our taste buds for a few more weeks.

We will enjoy every last one.