Sweet potatoes,
Not feeling good this week, girls. Probably TMI but I am suffering with hemorrhoids. They are a real pain in the butt. Have tried ointments and creams, suppositories but still pretty miserable. Splurged today on a $28 tube of the strongest over the counter med available and can finally sit down long enough to type this post! Ha! But I am going to type fast. Not sure how long the meds will keep the pain manageable.
Linking up with Erin at Simple, Purposeful Living for 10 on the 10th. Today we are talking about 10 fall staples. In far west Texas, we are still experiencing record high temps with the possibility of triple digits this second week of September. I haven’t pulled out my sweaters and boots quite yet.
Here’s a list of little things that have become fall staples at our house. When I start breaking out the pumpkin dish towels and the dancing solar scarecrows, can fall be far behind?
10 Fall Staples
- Sip on pumpkin spice coffee. The first of the month, I switched from a hazelnut-decaf blend to these little cuties. This coffee is such a treat! Had my first $4 pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks (which is a stretch for my budget) but for almost the same money I can buy a box of 18 cups of deliciousness at Walmart! And I don’t have to get dressed to go get it. Sadly, a cup of pumpkin spice cappuccino mix is 4 Weight Watchers points. But worth it. Compare that to a Starbucks, which, depending on milk fat, addition of whipped cream and size, can run up to 20 points. Making this cup of joy a bargain in more ways than one! My sweet BFF Sharon just sent me a Starbucks card so I can splurge and enjoy another PSL but going to wait til things cool off for good.
- Set out my dancing solar scarecrows. I switch out my dancing solar figurines for each change in season or upcoming holiday. Put my pink flamingo away today replacing it with these darling dancing scarecrows. They boogie in the sunshine streaming through my kitchen window. The rocks you see around them are all heart-shaped. PC and I look for heart-shaped rocks on our hikes and walks. Lucia is fascinated with my collection of solar dolls (not rocks) and they are one of the first things she asks to play with when she is here for a visit. I buy them at Dollar Tree for…guess how much?…four quarters, ten dimes, twenty nickels or a hundred pennies!
- Fall-themed tea towels. Packed away the cactus dish towels this week and broke out those with pumpkins, acorns and turning oak leaves. This is such an inexpensive way to bring a useful splash of autumn into your kitchen. My trouble is I want new ones every year!
- Bake some pumpkin bread. This recipe is one that Lauren wrote up as a gift to me when she was in elementary school. We have made this bread over and over as you can tell by looking at her recipe. I need to get this laminated and then send it to Lauren so she and Lucia can make pumpkin bread together. I think Lucia has inherited her mommy’s sweet tooth. Will be sharing this recipe for Tasty Tuesday next week. Hope you’ll stop back by!
- Dish up some comfort food. Fall means soups, chilis and other types of ‘comfort food’ that warm our tummies and our hearts. Made my first pot of pumpkin chili a week ago before my Prince left for North Carolina. Froze half of it so I would have it to eat while he was gone. Can you say Frito pie? Chili turkey dogs? You can find a couple of the recipes I have used on my Pinterest “Souper Salads” board, here and here. And a delicious 21 Day Fix recipe, here. Maybe I’ll mix up some of this for Tasty Tuesday, too!
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- Put out my fall decor. Inside and out. Just getting started with that but if my behind feels better this weekend, I am going to get my trotting harness on. Want to transform this house from summer to fall before PC gets home. Maybe that will encourage the arrival of sweater weather.
- Create an autumn bucket list. My very first bucket list and bucket list post was in the fall of 2016. They have become an autumn staple in our lives because at my age, if I don’t write down what I want to do, I forget to do it. With the exception of eating, sleeping and going potty! Will be ‘releasing’ my 2018 autumn bucket list on 09.21.2018. Sure would love to have you join me.
- Make a fall craft or two or ten. Pumpkins decorated with doilies or book pages. Made leaves from book pages…and I call myself a librarian?!? Who would do that to a book? But we don’t have fall leaves (or trees, for that matter) around here so I have to replicate them anyway I can. Paper leaves come from trees, right? Painted a Katrina (the female skeletons used in Mexican decorating at this time of year) at I Painted That!
- Build a scarecrow. And maybe an altar. For as long as I can remember, I’ve built a scarecrow every fall. Always had one in the library when I was still working and called him my ‘novio’ or boyfriend. The kids loved that. Sometimes I put my espantapajaros in a wheelbarrow that I decorate for holidays and at changes of season. Other times, I have him sit on our porch bench. I have also always built an altar for Dia de los Muertos (think the movie “Cocoa”) in my libraries. Might make one for the house this year, the first fall in 29 years that I am not working in a library. Waaaaa!
- Join the Get Your Pretty On Fall 2018 Capsule Wardrobe and Style Challenge. I’ve signed up. Have you? Girls, if you have never tried one of Alison’s GYPO challenges, then you need to sign up like YESTERDAY. Do you hate to shop? Not sure how to put an outfit together? Are you on a budget? Want to freshen your fall wardrobe and try some trends without going broke? Or as my friend Zulema says broque – seems much fancier when spelled that way. Come join me for the fall challenge. Use my affiliate link to register and then get ready for three weeks of great fun and fashion. Click here to register. I think this will be my fourth fall challenge. It just wouldn’t be fall without joining.
So those are my 10 fall staples. I am declaring this weekend to be the beginning of fall at my house, even if it is still shorts weather. Can’t wait to get everything decorated!
Your Turn
What would your fall staples be? Is there an activity you enjoy faithfully every fall? Maybe somewhere you go? Something you eat? Won’t you share in a comment below?
Then be sure to stop by Erin’s to read about her fall staples for September’s 10 on the 10th, or in my case 10 on the 12th. Better late than never.
Thanks, lovie-doves, for spending a bit of time with me. Come back for Wellness Wednesday that may be Wellness Thursday if I don’t get my (sore) butt in gear.
Hugs and kisses,
Valerie
I just bought one of those little birds. He doesn’t have a friend though because he was the only one left. I loved him. May think about a scarecrow after book fair, but that will be a little late.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Do a scarecrow! This weekend get a pair of kid’s blue jeans and a flannel shirt and tennies or boots at Goodwill. Use a plastic pumpkin for the head. I put an old mop on for hair and gardening gloves for hands. Set him in a chair reading a book in your library. The kids will love it!!
Laura
Oh, no! I hope you are feeling better soon! I am actually planning on make some pumpkin bread tomorrow night! It’s a recipe that I found on Pinterest, so we will see. Love all your Fall decor!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
How did your pumpkin bread turn out? Need to run by to see if you shared the recipe on your blog. Our pumpkin bread is really quick. I subbed in gluten-free Bisquick and Stevia for part of the recipe to make my a little more diet friendly.
Dara
Hope you feel better soon! I don’t know if I can make a fall bucket list this year because I don’t know if I want to do anything different this year, I have to think about it!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Come make a bucket list for fall even if it is some of the same things you always do. Lots of the gals call their lists ‘fun lists’. And what you do might inspire others to try something new. We will post our lists on Friday.
ShootingStarsMag
I hope you feel better soon!!!
Fun post though, I do love all things fall. My family likes to change out our hand towels for the seasons too. 🙂 I have random fall/Halloween things around the house already – though more Halloween stuff will probably be put out for the month of October. Right now it’s mostly fall-ish things. 🙂
-Lauren
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yay for fall-ish things. I think I will get some fall hand towels for the bathroom, too. Have you heard of Dia de los Muertos? Have you seen the movie Cocoa? I have some decorations that reflect that Mexican holiday. Have made an altar every year in my library until I retired and then in the libraries where I subbed. May make an altar for my house this year.
I am feeling much better. I think a lot of my issues come from sitting at work. Bought a special seat cushion and hope it will help. Thank you!
Laura
I now have a craving for all things fall and pumpkin after reading this post! I haven’t made pumpkin chili in a few years so I need to put that on my menu soon! The pumpkin adds thickness to the broth which I love! I was just slowly starting to decorate for fall. I need to add a few extras to my decor this year so hopefully I can find some fun items on sale! Hope you are having a great week!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hope you will share photos of your fall decor in your pretty new house. Can’t wait!!
Isn’t pumpkin chili good? PC loved it requested it for his birthday and then saw me adding the pumpkin and now he doesn’t like it. Ugh. Going to wait a few weeks and make it again. Maybe he will have forgotten about the pumpkin. MEN!
Lysha
So sorry you’re in pain! Love your fall staples! I need to get busy decorating for Fall.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Come join us, Lysha, for our fall bucket list post. Your bucket list can be as elaborate or as simple as you like…just a few things you would like to do this fall. We will share our lists on Friday!!
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Oh gosh, I hope you feel better soon! I have had a cold for about a week and I think it is finally almost gone! I need to do a little fall decorating still, I’ve been working mainly on decorating our new kitchen. I will have to pick up some of that pumpkin spice coffee. I didn’t like the pumpkin spice coffee pods I bought last year, so I’m glad to hear this one tastes good!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hope you found these pumpkin cappuccino cups. I think it is just delicious. I usually drink black coffee but this is so tasty!! Can’t wait to see your beautiful new kitchen all decked out for fall. So impressed with the cooking classes you a have been taking. Would like to take tamale making class here because I am probably the only woman in El Paso who doesn’t know how to make tamales!!
Joanne Long
I had a nonfat pumpkin spice latte today in Paris. I’ve put my apples and autumn leaves wreath on the door. I’m making butternut squash and goatcheese bruschetta for the bookclub ladies when I get home. I will change the tea towels when I get home and buy gourds and chrysanthemums. How do you make pumpkin chilli?
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, goodness, your bruschetta sounds so good!! Are you going to be in Paris indefinitely? What are you and your book club gals reading? We are voting on our next book in my virtual book club and I am anxious to see what we pick. Going to share the pumpkin chili recipe. Stay tuned.
Kellyann Rohr
Oh sweet Leslie, I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well – I’m sending up healing prayers for you!
I love your 10 fall staples – staring with the coffee! I love a pumpkin spice coffee myself but I’m always looking for a budget friendly option. I no longer have my Keurig but I’ll be on the hunt for a yummy bagged coffee for fall.
Your solar dolls are so cute, at the Dollar Store, huh? Gosh, I love that place!
My plan is to get my fall decor out, regardless of the 100 degree heat!
xo,
Kellyann
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I bet Walmart has ground coffee in the same flavor as these pumpkin spice cappuccino cups. I go back and forth between using my Keurig and using my regular coffee maker, so like having both on hand.
Isn’t it hard to feel fall-ish with this heat? I forget where you are…had to run by your blog to see…Florida. I bet it is hot and HUMID there. We are still hot but never have much humidity. This week, though, the forecast calls for a chance of rain every afternoon. Hopefully that will be followed by cooler temps next week.
Love Dollar Tree. Run in there a couple times a month just to check out the cute stuff. And never leave empty-handed!
Shelly
Oh man those are the WORST and can make you down right miserable! I need to pull down my fall decor today but first I need to do a little cleaning. My momma has the best pumpkin bread recipe…maybe I’ll make some this weekend too….of course then I have to find a place to give it away because I could eat the entire loaf! Happy weekend Leslie!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
You sweet thing, thank you for coming by!!! I am tickled pink! Oh, please share your mama’s pumpkin bread recipe. Will run by your blog now to see if you already have. We should have had a pumpkin bread blog hop! Have limited myself to one slice a day but my idea of a slice is and the traditional size of a slice of bread may not quite be the same. Been putting off cleaning all week. Went ahead and decorated without cleaning so now I have to clean around my stuff. Just couldn’t wait to get everything out.