Well, we're battening down the hatches here, as the saying goes, in preparation for what is supposed to be the first significant snow storm of the season. Lately, it's been fairly mild and occasionally rainy, but nothing too terrible as far as extremes. Late this morning, the wind began picking up with a chilly bite and the storm front started moving in. You could see it in the way the clouds came over the western mountain - sort of a long, thick band stretching out as far as the eye could see on either side...We had just run out of firewood, so I started up our hydraulic log splitter (one of the best investments we have ever made!) and began splitting madrone logs. The one silver lining in having to cut down all of those hazardous trees on our property over the years is that we have a pretty significant store of firewood, especially pine and madrone. The downside is that most of it is in the wood lot and needs to be cut down into moveable chunks and hauled up and over to the house. Thankfully, we already have a winter's worth of madrone logs (in assorted sizes - from colossal to tiny branches) behind the house, so I didn't have to walk too far. That being said, hauling large logs out of the firewood pile and over to the log splitter, then splitting and stacking, is still a great deal of physical labor for one little person! However, it's a million times easier than doing it by hand with an ax, which is how I USED to get our firewood every winter.
So now there is at least a 4-day supply of wood stacked next to the back door, the fire is crackling merrily in the hearth, the kittens are sleeping on the hearthstone, and I have a glass of wine waiting for me after evening farm chores.
Let it snow!
(This would be why we don't have more pictures of ourselves together)
Fast forward to last week: I happened to stop into the little antiques store again, and who should greet me at the counter but that precious little tilt hat. I decided then and there that I had to have it. Afterall, it had sat in that store for six months, patiently waiting. It was time for my little tilt to come home.
This tilt hat is a very interesting style - one that you don't often see. In true tilt style, there is a solid patch of fabric in back to hold the hat to the head (as well as the more traditional felt band) while it tilts forward.
The truly unique aspect of this hat is that the crown, which slouches forward in a very charming fashion, is actually slightly (and purposely) off-center of the brim! 
Very interesting, and rakish! Finally, the hat is decorated with a curled ostrich feather on one side, and a veil in front.
Been making some sales in my Etsy store lately (yay!), which means extra hat & holiday money. I need to make a trip to the post office soon to mail off the latest items, but I'm saving that errand til Wednesday (as I have to go to town for my dentist appointment - boo! - anyway).
They are well-loved and well-worn, so please read the description carefully. However, they have many years of use left, and they will certainly keep you warm this winter!
But only with a great deal of advanced planning...
To celebrate Halloween/Samhain, we had a small gathering of friends over at our place. There was lots of great food
and of course fabulous wine (served by a hot bartender)!
My sole attempt at carving a Jack-o-lantern. This is one of our own homegrown pumpkins!
Here I am in my Halloweeny vintage finery!
