I have been spending some time in the sewing room.  I finished a toddler quilt for one of the grandsons.   I used up some scrap fabric that I had from another project or two to finish this quilt.  It's all washed and already in it's new home.

I've been wanting to make Quilt of Valor quilts, but just never can find the time to make a whole quilt.  I found a Facebook page that you only make star blocks and send them to a woman who puts the blocks together to make the quilt top and then quilts it, and they are just beautiful!  So I've started making star blocks to go into quilts for veterans.  I don't have to make the whole quilt, I just have to make the blocks and right now that seems to be a better fit.

We've been to the apple orchards twice this fall.  We usually get the seconds on the apples and this year the apples were absolutely huge.  I found this recipe on Facebook and so far have made it twice, it's absolutely delicious and easy.  Here is the link for the recipe.

I have been volunteering at the local hospital once a week, sometimes it's more.  It gets me out of the house, talking and meeting people and it feels good.

Hope to catch up with you all soon.

I just can't seem to get enough of the colors this year.  To me it seemed like we got a late start, trees that turned so beautifully in the past didn't do so well but others did.

The sunset tonight was spectacular.

I'm not sure I want Autumn to end just quite yet.

Do you?

With all that has been going on lately, with the passing of my mom and my dad only 9 months earlier, Mr took me away for my birthday.  We had a wonderful time.  We stopped in Dubuque Iowa and took a ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator.  It was pretty cool.  My photos of Dubuque are cell phone shots.  We really need to get one of those selfie sticks...lol.

We had lunch at a cute restaurant and then took a river walk.  The weather was a bit cool but really was a beautiful day.

We stayed in a beautiful Bed & Breakfast in Maquoketa Iowa.  I'm so glad that I only have to spell it correctly for you and not have to pronounce it.  It's not pronounced how you would think it's pronounced.

The room we had was the Jennie E. Mitchell Suite.  The sun just shone so brightly in the sitting room and warmed it up, especially since the temp this morning was only around 24 degrees.

I was having a cup of coffee and looked up and this floral arrangement just caught my eye. 

Then I started to get snap happy with my camera.

What can I say, it's been a rough and busy year.

Can I let out a big WHEW!  Hopefully life will start to somewhat slow down.  My cousin came here from Illinois for the night and then we headed to Upper Michigan for my aunt's funeral.  The colors were just gorgeous there, then instead of heading back to my home we drove to Illinois for my mothers service.  Mr met me there and we came home on Sunday.  Last week was a busy blur and unfortunately I wasn't able to do a lot of spinning, but there is always next year.

Our colors are not like the northern part of our state and upper Michigan with the reds and oranges, but it is still pretty here.

This morning the woods looked so pretty, my photo just didn't do it justice.

I know I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again.

I LOVE this time of year!

With that comes heating the sauna up more.

Plus doing more knitting and over at Ravelry I joined a knit-a-long and made this cowl.

I also joined a spin-a-thon over here, and day 1 have one spool almost full.  I don't think I'll be spinning very much, I signed up before my mother passed away and now my aunt passed and it's been busy over here.

I have been quilting too, and have started to put a quilt on the frame.

I just love this time of year and I think I always will.