Syksy saapui sisalle / Autumn arrived in the house

Ulkona on ihan selkeasti ollut jo syksy jonkin aikaa vaikka lampotilat valilla yrittavatkin huijata. Sisallekin saapui syksy. Sain aikaiseksi kaivaa syksyiset koristeet esille. Ovessa keikkuu lehtikranssi, pari kurpitsakoristetta buffettisenkin paalla. "Ruokasalin" pydan paalle paasi ruskeasavyinen Marimekon Lumimarja ja muutamia koristeita. Vanhempi neideista oli ihan onnessaan. Nyt tuntuu kunnolla syksylle. Ja sen kunniaksi joimme kaakaot vaahtokarkeilla hoystettyna.

It's definitely autumn outside even though the temperature tries to lure us to think otherwise. Autumn finally arrived in our house as well. I got my autumn decorations out. Few decorative pumpkins on the side table. Leaf wreath on the door. Brownish Marimekko Lumimarja tablecloth on the dining room table and few other decorations. Our older daughter was so excited. Now it really feels like autumn. And in honor of that we had cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows on top.

Kukat kukkii ja kuihtuu / Blooming and withering flowers

Ulkona oli ihanaa tanaan. Aurinkoa, vahan tuulta, +14C. Tytotkin tykkasivat kovasti kapsytella pitkin poikin aarteita etsien. Tammenterhoja loytyi vaikka miten ja yksi VALTAVAN iso vaahteranlehti. Kuvitelkaa normaalikokokinen vaahteranlehti. No tama oli valehtelematta ainakin 4 kertaa isompi. Ihan uskomaton. No, siita jai tietysti kuva ottamatta kun se jo lennatettiin tuulen vietavaksi ja muiden iloksi.
Osa kukista ovat kuihtuneet ja torrottavat kuolleina pystyssa. Viimiset ruusut sinnittelevat viela. Nuppujakin nakyi. Ja kyllahan niita kukkiviakin kukkia loytyy.

What a wonderful weather today. Sun, little wind and +14C (57F). The girls liked a lot to make a little walk, looking for treasures. We found lots of acorns as well as one ENORMOUS maple leaf. Picture a normal liza maple leaf in your mind. Well, this one was at least four times bigger. Seriously! Avsolutely unbelievably big!. And of course I didn't manage a photo of it before it was already given to the wind to blow it on someone else's path, making them smile.
Some flowers have already withered and are standing upright, but dead. Last roses are still trying to manage. We saw even some buds ready to open. And there was some blooming flowers as well.

Aamuhetki kullan kallis / Morning moments

Tana aamuna saimme vanhemman neidin kanssa harvinaisen tilaisuuden kayda kahdestaan aamuteella kodin ulkopuolella. Ajelimme paikalliseen Dunkin Donuts donitsikahvilaan ja nautimme kaikessa rauhassa Mami kupposen kuumaa teeta, neiti kaakota ja tietysti donitsit. Nam!
Minahan en koskaan osallistu mihinkaan arpajaisiin kun en koskaan voitakaan ..... nyt osallistun (arpajaisiin). Nama kyseiset arpajaiset loytyvat TAALTA.
Illalla olisi taas neuloosin paikka. :) Sita odotellessa siis taman paivan koitoksista lapi.

This morning we got a rare opportunity with my oldest daughter to go and have breakfast outside home. We drove to one of the close by DD's and enjoyes in leisure mummy cup of tea and miss a cup of hot chocolate. And of course we couldn't go without the doughnuts. YUM!
In the evening it's time for our crafty club. With the promise of a nice evening getting though the day's challenges.

Valmiita juttua / Finished things

Posti toi tullessaan taas mainoksen Pahkinansarkija baletista. Se on taalla Bostonin baletin traditio. Meille siita on tullut joulunodotukseen liittyva traditio. Olemme kahtena jouluna sen kayneet katsomassa ja nyt meinasin kylla varata liput hetimiten. :) Kaksi viimeista vuotta se on ollut sama produktio. Tana vuonna kuitenkin uusi: uusi koreografia, uudet kulissit. Bostonin baletin taiteellinen johtaja on suomalainen Mikko Nissinen.
Puikoilla on jo uusi projekti. Pikkuneidille housut. :D Villikset! Villasukat tuli valmiiksi ja heti piti saada toinen projekti alkuun. Olen tehnyt sita rivin aina silloin kun on ollut hetki aikaa.
Ja vihdoinkin eilen illalla sain viimesiteltya pikkuneidin sieni legginssit, jotka sopivat niin mukavasti punahilkkamekon kanssa. Nyt ei muuta kuin koko asu paalle ja menoksi.

The post brought an advertisement about the Nutcracker ballet. It's the christmas tradition of Boston Ballet and it has also become our tradition at christmas season. We've seen it twice and I'm definitely going to get tickets again for this Christmas. :) Last two years the production has been the same. This year they have a new one: new costumes, sets, choreography. And to "boast" a bit the art director of Boston Ballet is a Finn, Mikko Nissinen.
I have new project on my knitting needles. Pants for the little miss. Woollen pants! :D I got the socks ready so had to start another project immediately. I've been knitting a row here and there when ever I have a minute or two.
And finally last night I managed to finish the mushroom leggings for the little one. They go nicely together with the Little Red Riding Hood dress I made earlier. Now just have to wear the whole outfit.

Sunnuntai / Sunday

Kuinka nopeasti taas viikonloppu hurahtikaan. Aamulla herasin sateenropinaan kattoikkunassa. Onneksi saa kirkastui paivan mittaan. Huomiseksi luvassa +24C ja ukkosta. :) Nain taalla lokakuun puolivalissa.
Ystavia iltapaivaa viettamassa. Lapset leikkivat. Maisteltiin leivottuja herkkuja. Yritan kuvat huomiseksi.
Uusi viikko tuo tullessan uudet kujeet ja haasteet. Niita kohden siis.

How quickly the weekedn went again. In the morning I woke up to the pitter patter of rain in the skylight. Luckily the weather cleared up during the day. Tomorrow's forecast is +24C (75F) and thunder. :) This is Massachusetts in mod October for you.
We had friends over in the afternoon. Children were playing and we were tasking all the baked goodies. I'll try to get some pictures for tomorrow.
New week brings new challenges to be conquered.

Puiden tuijottelua / Tree staring

Tanaan on aurinko paistanut ja valilla on satanut. Pilvet viilettivat taivaalla huimaa vauhtia. Vilpakkaa (+13C) kelia. :)
Ulkona ollessa tuijottelin ylospain puita. Vahan teki mieli halaillakin. Vaaranlainen tuubi kamerassa vaan tahan kuvaukseen.
Irlannin matka alkaa hahmottua hetki hetkelta enemman. Viela on kuitenkin mietittavaa ja jarjesteltavaa. Ostoksillakin on matkan puitteissa kaytava.

Today some sun and some rain. Clouds have been racing over the skies. Quite chilly (+13C). :)
While outside I was staring upwards at the trees. I did think if hugging few as well. Just had the wrong lens for this kind of photography.
The Ireland trip is starting to get more shape by the hour. Still some planning and organizing to do. Have to do some shopping as well in regards of the trip.

Kieppuvia lehtia / Tumbling leaves

Ilma on taynna tuulessa kieppuvia lehtia. Aurinko paistaa ja tuuli puhaltaa aika kirpakasti. Silti oli ihanaa kavella koululle hakemaan vanhin neiti iltapaivalla. Joidenkin aitien mielesta olen hassu mutta on ihanaa nauttia raikkaasta syysilmasta, auringosta parin sadepaivan jalkeen ja katsella upeita vareja puissa. Taallakin on aika hyvin puut jo syysvareisssaan. Erityisesti vaahterat. Niin upeita kirkkaita vareja. Auringonpaisteessa ne tulevat viela paremmin esiin.
Tanaan postitettiin pari synttarilahjaa serkuille Suomeen. Ostettiin hauskoja postimerkkeja. Ihailin myos postin tuomaa kangasta. Odotan paria muutakin kangasta mutta ei ole viela saapunut. Sormet syyhyaa paasta tekemaan siita jotain mutta menee jonon jatkoksi. Niin paljon muuta tehtavaa jonossa. Pelastin katkenneen kukkaoksan tuulen nurin puhaltaneesta kukkaruukusta ja toin sen sisalle maljakkoon.
Suunnittelin pari tuntia myos Irlannin matkaa. Etsiskelin pienia Bed and Breakfast paikkoja. Ei ihan mikaan helppo homma kun yrittaa pysytella kuitenkin jonkinlaisella reitilla (vaikka ei meinatakaan mitaan tarkkaan suunniteltua reittia ja aikataulua tehda). Kiitos kovasti Katrille kaikista vinkeista.

The air is full of flying leaves. It's sunny and bright but there's a certain chill in the wind. However, I loved walking to get our older miss from school. Some mother's think I'm silly, when I want to walk in a weather like that but I enjoyed immensely of the crisp autumn air, the sun after few rainy days and look at the flaming colours in the trees. Especially the maple trees are glorious in their fiery colours.
We mailed two birthday parcels to cousins in Finland. Bought some cute stamps. I've been admiring fabric brought by the mail. I'm waiting for few others as well but they have not yet arrived. My fingers are itching to get to work with this one but it will have to go in the line. To the bottom of the list. I saved a snapped flower stem from the flowerpot, wind had huffed and puffed over. It's now inside making my days a bit sweeter.
I've been planning for our Ireland trip again. It's fast approaching. I'm looking for small quaint bed and breakfast places along a "route" (even though we do not have any set route or timetable for anything after the wedding and meeting some of the family). Thank you Katri for all the tips.

Harmaata / Gray

Paiva on ollut harmaa aamusta alkaen. Sadetta. Kunnollista sadetta. Tihkusadetta. Menisi muuten ihan mukavasti sateinenkin paiva mutta kun itsella on vahan hontti olo (olenko tulossa kipeaksi) ja lapset kinastelevat niin eipa siina paljoa nauti sateesta.
Tehtiin kaulakoru, kaivoin viime vuonna ostetut Halloween muffinsivuoat esiin etta ne tulisi tana vuonna kaytettya. Omppumuffinsja kenties?

It's been a gray day from the very beginning. Rain. Constant rain. Misty drizzle. Otherwise I would have probably enjoyed the rainy day but when you are not feeling quite yourself (wondering if I'm becoming sick) and the children are bickering.
We made a necklace, I dug out the Halloween cup cake liners I bought last year so that I'll use them this year. Apple muffins maybe?

Pompula ja pinnikaaos / Hair tie and clip chaos

Te joilla on tyttoja tiedatte sen etta hiuspinneja ja -pompuloita ja muita hiuksiin pistettavia ihanuuksia loytyy sielta ja taalta ja viela tuoltakin ihan koko ajan. Tein viime vuonna ontelokuteesta naille kommenverkeille oman korin toivoen etta ne pysyisi yhdessa paikassa. Aika hyvin ne on pysyneetkin mutta edelleen "hiusjuttuja" loytyy paivittain sielta mista niita ei pitaisi loytya.
Laitoin eilen asian jarjestykseen ja hirmuisen ukaasin isommalle. Otin korista kaikki tavarat pois. Rikkinaiset pompulat ja pinnit suoraan roskiin. Muutamalla pannallakin oli sama tuomio. Korista loytyi yllattavan paljon tavaraa, jota siella ei olisi pitanyt olla. Ne poistettiin. Muistin etta minulla olisi ollut pari pienta kangaspussia (muistin vaarin) pinneille ja klipsuille. Muistin petettya ne joutuivat nyt valiaikaisesti pieniin muovipussukoihin. Hiuslenksut saivat myos oman kodin. Muistaakseni Pinterestista joskun bongailin etta oli kaytetty kirjarenkaita (miksikohan niita sanotaan suomeksi, englanniksi kaytossa book ring) johon pujotin lenksut. Ne on sen verran tiukkoja etta pienempi ei niita saa auki, isompikin juuri ja juuri. Mutta nyt on lenksut jarjestyksessa ja ne voi avata juuri siita oikeasta kohdasta ottamatta kaikkia pois. Ihan kateva juttu.

You who have girls in the household know that hair pins and clips and what not can be found here and there all the time. Last year I made a basket from a tubular weft hoping that it would be a home where they would stay a bit better. Pretty well they have made it into their home but sill daily I pick up hair things from where they should not be.
Yesterday I organised things a bit and gave an ultimatum for the bigger one. I took everything out from the basket. All broken clips and head bands etc got the sentence of a rubbish bin. I also found surprisingly many things in the basket that were not supposed to be there. They were taken to their rightful places. I thought I had few small fabric pouches (I remembered wrong) for the pins and clips. As my memory failed me I put these in small plastic snack bags temporarily. I used book rings to contain the hair ties. I saw that idea in Pinterest once and thought it was clever. The book rings are tight enough so that the little one cannot open them and the bigger one can just about get them open. But now the ties are in order as well and you can open them from the exact place where the exact right color is without having to go through all of them or taking them all out. Very handy.

Viikonloppu kuvina / Weekend in photos