Happy Halloweenie!!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Happy Halloween to everyone!

Here are some pictures of our pumpkin carving... I'll update this later with pictures of them lit, but we don't have the right size candles right now.

Russ made a puking pumpkin... and mine is an owl :). Well... at least I tried to make an owl (using Martha Stewart's example). He looks a bit like a Furby though.





And here's a little video clip that I took the other night when we brought home the pumpkins. I think I've mentioned before that Delilah is pretty mellow and quiet (Thank God.) and she doesn't bark often....

But when she sees pumpkins, she just goes crazy. We think it's hilarious... but we're pretty easily amused ;)

Hello...

Hello there. Just a little update from me...

I have been super busy, again/still, with school. I don't know what it is about this semester, but just when I think I might have a second to breathe, there's more work piling up. Luckily, I am halfway through the semester.

Today I have my second to last midterm. I've had midterms for two weeks now, spaced out depending on the class... not sure if this is better due to more study time, or worse because it's prolonging the agony. Either way, today is my biggest and potentially most difficult, so really, I should be studying instead of blogging! ;) Oh well.

On a sad note, I still haven't gotten to do a single darn thing Halloween related. No Apple Hill pumpkin patch, no baked pumpkin seeds, and not a single scary movie. The hubby & I are planning on getting a couple pumpkins tonight, so hopefully this sad fact will change soon!

Hope all is well with everyone, and thank you everyone for all the nice comments I have gotten lately!! I love blogging and taking pictures, and it makes it that much better when I get sweet comments on it :)

Talk to you soon!

Wonderfully Wordless

Updated: Thanks to Amy for my creative new title!!

Obviously this one isn't wordless, but I hope to make this a regular occurrence, since you all know I love taking pictures, even though I still just have my point and shoot :P

Anyways, here are some random pictures from my week.

No explanations, titles, or notes, just pictures.

See you later, Alligator...

One of my best friends is pursuing her dream to visit Russia, and is doing so through an English teaching position there. She will *only* be gone nine months... but I'm really going to miss her.

She is the one that you usually see in my photos on here, not only because she loves pictures as much as I do, but also because I spend a lot of time with her. I am really going to miss her, but wish her the best of luck and lots of fun on her adventure!!

Here are some pictures from her going away celebration on Saturday night!

Rainy Days...

Outside of school, it doesn't seem like I have much to update about my life lately.

We had a big storm on Tuesday, and since then, it's been grey and drizzling, with a few random breakthroughs from the sun before it hides behind the thick clouds again.

Along with loads of homework and studying for midterms, we've had some time to bundle up and snuggle safe inside our home while the rain trickles outside...

Yes... even Delilah has a little sweater. I always told myself I'd never be "that" person who puts her dog in cutesy little sweaters... but I guess things change, LOL.

It was just too darn cute, and felt so snuggly! Since Lilah was a puppy, she's always had an almost obsessive love of blankets and all things warm... it absolutely makes her day when I pull her blankets out of the dryer and let her lay under the still-hot-from-the dryer blankets (well really, who doesn't like that?)

I thought I'd try this little sweater on her to see if she liked it.

I still can't figure out whether she likes it or not. On one hand, she reacts the way most dogs do, she freezes up and doesn't move. Most likely because she is used to being blissfully naked, and doesn't yet realize that she can move the same way in a sweater.

On the other hand, she seems to enjoy the coziness, and soon looks like this...



Usually, she falls asleep within minutes of me putting her sweater on. She also gets excited if I lift the sweater up and ask her if she wants it, so I truly can't figure it out.

Well, I hope if it is rainy where you are, you too are warm and snuggly!

Sweet October...

Have I mentioned that I love Fall?

October has to be one of my favorite months of the year; the air smells crisp and sometimes smoky, cardigans and sweaters are brought out to breathe some fresh air, and who can forget the magical night of Halloween, and with it the abundance of horror movies on cable and in the theaters?

Here are some photos from the past couple of weeks in late September and the start of lovely, lovely October...

"Then summer fades and passes and October comes. We'll smell smoke then,
and feel an unexpected sharpness, a thrill of nervousness, swift elation, a
sense of sadness and departure."- Thomas Wolfe

Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

This is a...
Mirror Post from Simply Femme!

"'Do you believe in ghosts, Miss Lea?' she had asked me. 'I am going to tell you a ghost story.'"

Just in time for Fall, and the spookiness of Halloween, a review of The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

Suite 101 Review: Original found HERE.

This rich, multi-layered Gothic tale, in the tradition of Daphne DuMaurier and the Bronte sisters, grabs the reader from the first pages and doesn't let go.

"Do You Intend to Tell Me the Truth?"

The Thirteenth Tale is the story of Vida Winter, a best-selling British writer nearing the end of her life, and Margaret Lea, the youngish apprentice bookseller and part-time biographer, whom Ms. Winter has chosen to write her life story. The problem is that Ms. Winter has spent her life telling stories -- including 19 different ones about her background and childhood. Will she be able to tell the truth this time?

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale is, of course, Ms. Winter's final tale. As it unfolds, the reader meets a troubled family, right out of the pages of Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights, and a crumbling Gothic mansion called Angelfield. There is a secret garden, confused identities, and tragedy, all in the Gothic tradition. But, although this novel pays homage to those great novels that came before, it stands well on its own. To add another layer, Margaret has ghosts of her own, ghosts that are awakened as she hears Ms. Winter's story.

My Review:

When bookish and quiet Margaret Lea receives a letter from one of world's most acclaimed authors asking for her to come and write her life's story (of which she has provided multiple variations of throughout the years), Margaret is instantly confused and apprehensive, and yet at the same time, absolutely captivated. Margaret then embarks on a journey during which she not only uncovers the ghosts of Vida Winter's past, but also brings to light the skeletons in her own closet.

The Thirteenth Tale is a novel that I have read before, and have turned to once again to fulfill a craving for all things eerie and "gothic" that frequently arises this time of year. Once again, this story did not disappoint.

The Thirteenth Tale is full of creepiness and disturbed beings, as well as lovable, yet dark and brooding characters. Time seems to be a mystery in this story, and I often found myself imagining that this book was set in a time period closer to that of books such as Bronte's Jane Eyre (which gets frequent and adoring mention in this novel). However, mentions of modern items and aspects also threw me off track. The result seems to make the novel even more romantic and simultaneously eerie.

I would absolutely recommend this novel if you like a good spooky, and somewhat twisted tale. I can imagine this book as being perfect to read in a comfortable chair in front of a dying fire, while sipping hot cocoa (Margaret's favorite) on a cool October or November night. Of course, that's just me being overly romantic, but that's just why I loved this book so much. :)

So if you have a craving for all things mysterious, spooky and Gothic around this time of year, I would suggest picking this one up.

"Tell me this, do you believe in ghosts?"

Yosemite Trip

I thought I'd share my photos from the weekend before last. Russ and I went on a trip to Yosemite National Park to celebrate our anniversary!

We just stayed at a little Cabin at a nearby KOA. It was much more affordable than a hotel, and it was just more fun, in my opinion.

I wanted to share these sooner, but I've actually been house-sitting (and dog-sitting, 4 dogs, ughhhh) the entire week... and just got home on Friday night...

Everything was nice but, it's GOOD to be home.

Here are some pictures!!


Our "Welcome Spider"

Spider next to a normal sized leaf, he was BIG

On our cute little porch swing








This was amazing, this water was coming up from the ground into that little pond, and down the waterfall... It's called "Fern Spring"

Bridal Veil falls, the only waterfall still running by the time we got to go :(


Eerie...

Clothespin Tree. The distance can be misleading in this picture, the space is actually large enough for a pickup truck to drive through...

In front of "The Grizzly"
Surviving Tunnel Tree (the other had collapsed awhile ago...). These were made quite awhile ago to draw visitors to these attractions.


Thought this one above looked like a giant creature's foot...

On the way to Glacier Point...




We finally worked up the courage to ask someone else to take our picture :)


Half dome from Glacier Point at sunset...




Before our trail ride...


Russ on "Kitty", myself on "Chance"

Kitty getting a drink from the creek.