I have always wanted to do a New England fall foliage tour. Although I have seen the local trees turn (they still have not and it is mid October) and I have seen beautiful foliage in Colorado, but I have not taken a bona fid tour in New England. I do recall a small tour of the area when I visited my friend in New Hampshire. It was lovely.

Sadly I am not doing well enough to travel so I tend to take tours via YouTube. The wonderful thing about the brain is I kinda blur the lines and think I have done the tour in person. It is kinda cheating but I will take what I can.

I found this YouTube channel of a man and his father taking a tour. We traveled the back roads and saw fall foliage. First they went to Sleepy Hollow for a visit.

They visited the Norman Rockwell Museum, which was interesting to say the least. I grew up with those paintings. Glad to know a lot of the original artwork is located there.

I was glad they stopped at the Vermont Country Store. I have been always wanted to see it. They had world famous apple cider donuts which they both claimed were dry. LOL. They saw covered bridges and lakes and miles of orange, gold and red trees. They went to president Calvin Coolidge’s house and town. So beautiful and the houses are so historic. Plus the Plymouth Cheese Company founded by Coolidge family.

A tour is not complete with visiting Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory. They were not able to get in, but saw the cemetery of dead flavors. LOL

This video of a three day trip did not disappoint. The only thing missing was to visit that The Stitchery store in Massachusetts. But somehow I figure these two men would not want to visit that store.

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Food and drink make Halloween more fun. While looking at Pinterest I found this link to make mocktails using La Croix with a Halloween theme.

Count me in!

First drink is Ginger B’Witched

My drinks were served in the Joann Halloween cocktail glasses. I love the Skelton fingers gripping the glass. I used skull ice cubes but those little heads disappeared in the drink. LOL.

I look forward to the next mocktail. Thanks for checking out my blog.

I was scrolling in the TJ Maxx website looking for Halloween mugs and came across some Halloween Jewelry. I have no idea who Betsy Johnson is, but boy she makes cute jewelry. I decided to go into the store to see what she had to offer. Oh boy the goodies they had. I immediately bought this cute necklace. And some cute pumpkin earrings.

There were other designers with equally cute designs.

Nothing like spiders to say Happy Halloween

I decided to see what cute (and cheap) stuff I could find on Temu.

Most of these items were less than three dollars. The bracelet is pretty great quality with enamels charms for 3.21. Obviously there were not as nice as the Betsy Johnson designs but pretty darn good for a few dollars.

I bought the spider brooch to add to a Halloween themed needle case that is yet to be made so I may wear it before it goes on my craft project.

I have worn a few items already and have received nice compliments so far. I even got a compliment from someone on my pumpkin purse today.

Even Target had cute earrings.

I needed earrings to match the spider necklaces.

Temu even had a few Halloween T Shirts for me to wear for a few dollars. Love the nostalgic nod to The Great Pumpkin.

Cute T-shirts. Not top quality but great to wear during the season. I even got this sweater for less than $7.00. It is very soft and seems good quality. If only it would get cool enough to wear it.

Now that I got enough goodies to wear for the season I can bring in the Halloween Sprit.

Even Eli has gotten into the spirit. Enjoy the season.

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I saw this cute purse on Temu. I also saw it on a YouTube video. The woman on the video did make a comment that I should have heeded. She said he purse was too small for her phone.

Yeah my phone is too big for the purse and I really need to work it into the opening. I certainly don’t want it to fall out and break.

But I am all about Halloween and will continue to use my pumpkin purse thru October.

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Every year I feel compelled to get some Halloween pajamas from target. They usually have the family style that has the same design for the Dad and kids and sometimes the family dog.

This year it is a soft sweat pant style pajamas. It even glows in the dark.

Of course I got cute slippers. These are a bit odd as you just don’t slip on, but more lock them onto your feet. At least my wide feet. LOL! Maybe other people have an easier time.

I like the bright pink color with the cute black cat design. Kinda reminds me of a retro cat.

Do you get family pajamas for Halloween and Christmas?

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Last year I enjoyed making Halloween nachos using Target’s orange and black corn chips. I decided to try them again as they were a nice change from my regular dinner.

I used both nacho cheese in a jar and shredded cheese. I like a good cheesy nacho with a little kick.

When shopping at Walmart and other stores, I picked up Halloween party paper plates and napkins. Easy to use and very festive. Minimal clean up and fun! Kinda hard to tell but it says Happy Halloween and has some pumpkins.

Chances are I will make them again next year. I learned from last year to pile the goodies like avocado and sour cream on my plate and not on the sheet of baked nachos. This way I can reheat the nachos the next day without it being soggy.

This is easy to do and helps bring in the Halloween sprit.

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I am not sure why I buy so much tea when I don’t drink as much as I buy. But I am a sucker for interesting tea blends and even more of a sucker for Halloween. Now give me a Halloween tea sampler and I am like “sign me up”. The internet is a dangerous thing, because you google Halloween tea and all of a sudden you are buying tea left and right.

The first to arrive is Adagio tea Halloween sampler. I mean really, they come in cute tins. I could not resist.

Bat Brew

Fire burn and cauldron bubble, With the Bat Brew you’re sure to guzzle! They have taken the Bat Brew to a new level by blending it with Chocolate Chai, Fiery Cinnamon Spice and a touch of Chocolate Truffle, resulting in an indulgent sweet treat. One sip and you’ll feel like you’ve just raided the trick-or-treat bag… minus the guilt.

black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cocoa nibs, natural cinnamon flavor, natural chocolate flavor, dark chocolate chips, chicory, cocoa & blue cornflowers

Candy Apple

Who needs to go bobbing for apples when you can steep a sweet cup of our Candy Apple Concoction? A taste reminiscent of the trick-or-treating and carnival favorite, making for a decadent treat. You might think that glossy candy coated fruit has fallen right into your cup.

black tea, apple pieces, natural candy apple flavor, cinnamon, natural vanilla flavor & natural caramel flavor

Cat Scratch

No, it’s not witch-ful thinking… the Cat Scratch blend is wickedly delightful! Indulgent and robust, this tea blends Double Ginger, Chocolate Truffle, and our feline favorite… Tiger Eye. WARNING: Don’t steep this tea too late, or you may start to think you’re hearing things going bump in the night!

black tea, ginger, green rooibos tea, cocoa nibs, natural chocolate flavor, natural caramel flavor, dark chocolate chips, chicory, natural vanilla flavor, red peppercorn, natural ginger flavor, cocoa, black peppercorn, blue cornflowers, orange, marigold flowers, strawberries, natural peach flavor, natural strawberry flavor & natural orange flavor

Ghoul Gulp

Here’s a spook-takular tea that is sure to satisfy any ghost, goblin, and ghoul. Perfect for late night hauntings, our frightfully smooth decaf vanilla tea is accented with honeybush and peppermint. The perfect accompaniment after a night of trick-o-treating.

decaf ceylon tea, honeybush tea, natural vanilla flavor & peppermint

Monster Mash

You’ll be screaming with delight over our mischievously marvelous Monster Mash! Combining both caramel and cream tea flavors with bone-chilling candy eyeballs. One cup of this brew and you will feel like you’ve risen from the dead.

black tea, natural creme flavor, natural caramel flavor & candy eyeballs (sugar, gelatin (bovine), modified corn starch, cream of tartar, maltodextrin, artificial colors)

Pumpkin Potion

Take one sip of the Pumpkin Potion and you’re sure to fall under its spell. This naturally caffeine-free concoction contains our ever popular Honeybush Pumpkin Chai with Cardamom Almond Cake. Whip up a pot of this brew in your favorite cauldron for a perfectly spook-tacular treat!

honeybush tea, rooibos tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger varietal, cocoa nibs, safflower, natural pumpkin spice flavor, cardamom pods, toasted almond flavor & white cornflowers

If this was not indulgence enough, I also bought the Autumn Sampler. The box cover of golden Autumn trees was enough to get me to purchase the item.

Is there anything better than crisp air, big sweaters, and pumpkin spice everything? For lovers of all things Fall, they’ve put together a collection of teas to capture the essence of the season. This set contains four sample sizes of loose tea. This set includes:

honeybush pumpkin chai – Masala Chai spices in an herbal honeybush pumpkin base. Beautiful clear and bright cup, and crisp, tangy-sweet flavor. [No caffeine]

autumn mist green – Gently smoky gunpowder combined with bright tangy apples and rose hips, bring to mind a misty morning stroll. [Moderate caffeine]

bonfire – An Autumn medley of hazelnut, cocoa and exotic spices, with a soft note of apples and a hint of blazing hearth. [Trace caffeine]

pumpkin spice – Pumpkin Spice goodness with rich, lively spices for a perfect autumn treat. [High caffeine]

From the reviews most people do not prefer Bonfire. But it is worth doing once.

I have never ordered from Adagio before. They were kind enough to send me a great sample box of seven teas.

Monster Mash
Dont give up the Ship
Mango Green
Rooibus Cinnamon Apple
Blueberry Peach Cobbler Green
Decaf Mango
Gaucho Mate Chai

Each of the tea packs have a date starting October 13th thru the 19th. It is part of their CommuniTea program where you can taste different teas and rate them. How fun is that. I put a reminder on my calendar to start the tea on the 13th and check out their blog. They sell the entire month of teas for $19. I am a bit curious but may try it in December as I am sure they may be a lot of Christmasy flavors.

Their Temperature instructions are pretty clear so I am glad I bought the electric tea kettle tea kettle so I can get the correct degrees of the water. No more microwave tea.

Once the next tea shipment arrives I will do part two.

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October is the month I indulge in scary shows and movies. Any other month of the year and I have no tolerance of this scary stuff. To make it easier, our good friends at Hulu put them all together for quick access. They roll out Huluween each year which is their portal to all the good stuff.

I usually watch another season of American Horror Story, and a classic like Practical Magic or Hocus Pocus and something scary like The Shining or the Exorcist. I also try to capture a good Korean series or movie. Hulu helps with special categories. Dont think I will watch very, very scary. I never really got over “Night of the Living Dead” (The original 1968 version) as it scared the crap out of me. In today’s world it is very simple but still very effective.

Movies/Shows I might check out, but no guarantee:

• Night of the Living Dead (original). Might as well try it again
• A Haunting in Venice
• What We Do in the Shadows
• American Horror Story
• Wounds (an Into the Dark series)
• Practical Magic (a yearly favorite)
• Signs (a favorite)
• Pay the Ghost

I am sure there are more I will watch, but there are also the classic Halloween tv episodes that Hulu puts on their site such as Cheers, New Girl, Will and Grace, etc. I hope I can find the Roseanne Halloween episodes.

I can promise you that I won’t be watching IT. I really hate clowns.

They also have some fun screens called Haunted Sceens that is a knock off of the Yuletide fireplace during Christmas. I will definitely need to add those on when make crafts or stitching a Halloween cross stitch.

I will have to let you know what I end up watching. Happy Haunts this season.

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Many moons ago, I got a several John Derian entertainment pieces that I just fell in love with at Target. I had bought them when I had pool parties as I thought they were whimsical. If I recall correctly I had one or two Apple plates (not the full set), a few red flowers and some green lilies. I even had the set of 4 clover and insect appetizer plates. They are melamine so they are safe around the pool and were rather affordable.

Months later I found out they also released a Halloween line. I was rather sad that I missed it. Every few years I would look on eBay or other places but did not want to pay a ridiculous price for them. I even noticed they had a Thanksgiving collection. Turkeys and other harvest prints. I was like shoot. How did I miss this?

Well Lo and behold I got an email last night from Target stating their Halloween John Derian set was coming out.

The first thing on my Target Shopping cart is the 4 piece 7” Melamine Spider and Web Appetizer Plates. Perfect to hold those Halloween cupcakes I plan on making.

I love to provide Appetizer plates when I have company for some fruit pieces or cheese and crackers. This 4 piece 7” Melamine Whoo’s Hungry appetizer plates are perfect for company. I can mix and match with the other plates. Whhhhhoooooo will get Owls….Whooo will get spiders.

Pedestal platters are great for holding desserts or even a collection of small decorative Halloween decor. Perhaps even spooky cocoa supplies like marshmallows or sprinkles. The Spider and Web melamine dessert stand is perfect for those holiday spooky arrangements.

Below is the 19” x 14” Bone to Pick melamine rectangle serving tray. I anticipate carrying small bowls of snacks, or small appetizer plates. Or perhaps carrying ghoulish cocktails. I picture the butler from the Addams family serving snacks to their unfortunate guests.

I have this thing for crows or ravens and appreciate their clever antics. So when I saw this 15” x 10” Bird Melamine Octagon Serving Platter I had to get it. Maybe a platter of cheese and pepperoni arrangements with delicious crackers for a special spooky movie night. Maybe even cut the cheese slices into raven shaped pieces. Or make a cheese sculpture covered in poppy seeds to make the raven black. So many ideas.

This cute 5 quart Pumpkin Candy Dessert Bowl is perfect to hold all the Halloween candy for the Trick or Treators. Or maybe to hold apples to have with caramel sauce as a sweet dessert.

Of course Mocktails taste better in beautiful glasses. Let’s have a mummy drink in one of these Midnight Dreary Black Bird Highball Glasses. Or maybe a green swamp drink with a cherry on top. Can I say “caw caw” when I turn on Alfred Hitchcocks classic film “the Birds” during cocktail hour.

Because you can never have enough serving platters, this 18” x 13” Skull and Cross Bones Melamine Oval Serving Platter fits right in. Maybe some pumpkin bell peppers served up hot and yummy for dinner. Help yourself but do not starve or you will just be bones like the dude on this platter.

This 90” x 20” Lost in the Woods Table Runner is perfect down the middle of your table scape. With black candle sticks and ghost figurines your table would be perfect. Or if you have a buffet table. This would be perfect for all your Halloween serving pieces.

This 16” x 11” Skelton and Cemetery Melamine Oval Serving Tray is perfect for those mummy wrapped hotdogs I am sure to have one evening in October. I love this design. A good cemetery and skeleton scene on a platters says Halloween.

I really went overboard but since I admire his collection so much I decided to give myself a birthday gift, why not. A girl only lives once! I do wish he had dinner plates and bowls but I am happy with what I ordered. And since it was my birthday Target gave me an extra 5% off. Thank you very much. I did leave some pieces out and maybe I could get some later since I have no self control.

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Just on the heels of the summer bucket list (summer be gone) I am rolling out the Autumn/Halloween bucket list. Autumn time is my favorite season. Chilly night, leaves falling, a nice windy breeze, pumpkins on porches, scary shows on Netflix, hot soup and warm tea at night. Ohhhhh my favorite time of the year.

I keep seeing all these cute pictures on Pinterest.

Amen.

But onto the bucket list.

There are a few new items on the list and a few favorites. More crafts this year and less cooking. But that is fine. Gotta mix it up. I will joyfully celebrate the season. I may do things not on the list. Let’s see where this takes us.

Let the leaves fall and the winds kick up and start the bucket list.

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