The plants are inside, the last of the tomatoes are ripening in the window, the Halloween decorations are out, it's getting dark early. Time to gather your resources for autumn.

Seems that every year brings newly added family to Thanksgiving Dinner.

On a hectic Christmas Day, other commitments bring family members in and out of the festivities at Mom and Dad's. We ease the schedule with an all day buffet.

Everyone brings something to large family dinners. Final preparation can be crowded. We have a rule that only one person at a time gets to be grumpy. Can you pick out the one playing the part?

Thanksgiving Feast

The Winter Solstice is our traditional tree trimming get together.

The tree comes from our back seven acres where power lines cross our property.

Either we take it, or the Electric Company does.

Sometimes the traditions of a significant transition like the coming of a New Year out weigh even the importance of maintaining a regular wake/sleep cycle :)

Lillian and Dad.

Halloween is a favorite holiday for us.

Houses are too far apart where we live for practical Trick-or-Treating, so we drive over to the County Seat where there is a small suburban type neighborhood.

Apparently, we have added something to the local culture. Our first year here, the adult escorts in our group were the only adults in costume. We got a few raised eyebrows and our pictures taken.

Ten years later it seems most adults are in costume as they go around with their kids. It's still a kids' holiday, but now it's a family event also - and much more festive, I think.