WHEN OCTOBER COMES by Catherine Lanigan & Rula Sinara

Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple in Rula's yard a few seasons ago. 

CATHERINE: There’s a “lessor known” song by Barry Manilow, “When October Comes” that’s been running around in my mind as October dawns. The song is sad and about broken hearts and ends with hope as most really good songs, especially Barry Manilow songs, are and I expect them to be.

But when Rula and I started talking, we realized there a lot going on in October. For us, this is one of the busiest months of the year. December takes the first place position but both November and October rank right up there. For me, October means getting ready for the winter and this year, the house screamed for help. As most of you know, if you read the blog or saw me at RWA, I painted the exterior of my house….by myself. THAT was an accomplishment.

October means planting mums and fall flowers.

One of Catherine's mums

It’s time to hit the pumpkin patch and buy pumpkins.

One of Rula's mums planted inside a pumpkin

It's also time to put up decorations for fall, then for Halloween for those of us who still do that. I’ve got 1500 lights strung through the bushes and trees out front. Orange, purple and multi-colored.

Catherine's fall dining room decor

On Rula's front porch

Rula's front door wreath made using ornamental grasses and pine cones from her backyard, twine, a twig wreath and a hot glue gun. 

Then there was trimming trees. Washing windows. Cleaning gutters. Freezing tomatoes from the garden. Making Pesto to freeze. The list is forever long, right? 

Every year I go out to a neighboring farm and buy a Cinderella pumpkin. I don’t know why I do this, but ever since moving back to my family home, now 11 years, I have to have a Cinderella pumpkin. What’s worse and somewhat revealing…I watch the Disney cartoon movie…the original in October. Along with “The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” It’s tradition.

Catherine's Cinderella pumpkin

I have a friend who splits wood and brings my firewood every fall. This year I have just under two cords. The farmers in the area (frighteningly accurate in their weather predictions every year) say we’re in for a long and cold winter. The third cord of wood will be here next weekend.

Catherine is ready for snowy nights!

After I got my patio pressure washed, it’s now time to cover the wicker furniture and load the patio up with wood. The furnace was serviced and my old boiler furnace was woefully inefficient. It seems somebody, (ME) didn’t call for service for about…oh, five years. The pressure in my boiler should have been 20. Mine was 2. What can I say? It’s been one deadline after another, right? Some things slipped through the cracks. I felt lucky to keep up with my immunizations and the laundry.

So, Rula, how’s it going at your house when October comes? 

RULA: Well, a lot like it is at yours! We had to do some exterior house painting as well (shutters and door) and with just under three and a half acres, there's a lot of weeding and mulching for fall to do. I also give our chicken/goose/duck coops a thorough cleaning before winter hits. It's like spring and fall cleaning in the house...only for the birds :).  There's also harvesting vegetables and freezing, pickling etc... Oh, and then there's that 'soccer mom' thing, only my kid is in cross country...and homework, cooking etc...

I will say that we've had tons of rain and that has made for a lot of muddy areas. I know most of you followed news of Hurricane Florence. I really feel for those in the Carolinas who took the worst hit. We lucked out but still got the end of it with heavy downpours on already saturated ground. And even with Florence gone, we're still getting so much rain that our backup sump pump alarm went off a few days ago...at 3:00am. Yep. We just had a basement flood in May, so we have a new sump pump plus backup system. Well, luckily no flood this time, but the ground was so saturated that the backup had to kick on to help the main pump keep water out of the house. Talk about panic at 3 am! 

The up-side is that my ducks and geese LOVE all the water lol. All this rain has been like one giant, long pool party for them :). When it starts raining, the chickens take cover, while the ducks and geese run out and start partying. Also, my moon vine around the coop and in other areas of my yard got super lush from all the watering!

One of Rula's moon vines

I, too, am on deadline for the first book in my next series for Heartwarming. In the meantime, the final book in my From Kenya, With Love series is due to release on New Year's Day! Catherine has a book coming out next month!

Amazon

CATHERINE: Though it’s not until November when my RESCUED BY THE FIREFIGHTER is released, I’m getting my PRISM BOOK TOUR ready for everyone. The tour runs October 29 - November 10, 2018 and I’m dovetailing it with another PRISM BOOK TOUR for MIRACLES ARE GOLDEN, my Christmas story about a young boy who only wants a Golden Retriever for Christmas and in the process learns the meaning of unconditional love. More details, the banner, and dates in the weeks to come.


Amazon

Amazon

What are your October “fix-ups” and preparations for winter? Any cool autumn or Halloween decor ideas to share?

Don't forget to visit the Harlequin Heartwarming Authors Facebook page during October for some extra fall fun!

Comments

  1. I’m in complete awe of the work you two ladies have been doing on and in your homes! I’ve already been casting a thoughtful eye on my house this October morning and can’t use the excuse of looming deadlines because you have them too! Would love to go trick-or-treating to your houses. All the best with your upcoming releases! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janice, I never feel like I have enough hours in a day, so I've resolved to do what I can in any given moment in time and to have my heart in it. The decor part sort of builds bit by bit...put an item out or do one quick craft per coffee break and after a few days, the decor starts to shape up ;). I treat myself to buying a pumpkin per grocery store trip lol...

      Delete
  2. Hey, Janice! I swear I spend all summer getting ready for the winter these days. I can hardly imagine taking time to go to the beach...not that I can "do" sun anymore, because I can't. But, there's still so much. Clean out the shed. Get rid of more stuff. You know? And we're told we've got 12 days till the first frost. Jeepers. In the meantime, if you come for trick or treating I have roasted tomato soup I froze. Roasted sweet corn and I'm about to do the butternut squash soup with ginger....ooo so good. Plus a glass of wine...c'mon over!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aaah, you are one busy woman, Catherine, and providing some inspiration for me on this rainy day here in Ontario!

      Delete
  3. Here in Alberta, we got our first snowfall in early September with my part of the country hit the hardest. It melted but we've had several snowfalls since then, with the current one expected to give us 20 cm or 8 inches. An absolute disaster for agriculture here as farmers can't get into the fields to take off crops. Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so glum. Your harvest updates, Rula and Catherine, are lovely. Catherine, could I come over, too? I made borscht last weekend but forgot the cabbage, so it's not really borscht, is it? LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, wow! Snow already? That's amazing and you don't sound any more glum than I did over rain and basement floods lol. I totally understand the harsh results of an early snow. I don't rely on selling my garden crops (they're just for us) but I do have to check the weather often and sometimes, deadlines or not, some things outside (harvest, get extra food or bedding for the flock etc...) have to get done because they're weather dependent. I can't imagine how hard that would be if you were relying on crops for your income! In any case, I hope you get the chance to plan for a cozy winter with lots of reading and writing! :)

      Delete
    2. Ugh. I'm dreading the snow as my plower is getting very expensive. And since I have to go out every morning to work and then get back in at 30 bucks a pop, that adds up but quick. I've still got herbs growing close to the house and sometimes they last till Thanksgiving. I hope and pray. I love making the pesto. And wow..that on angel hair pasta and some grilled chicken. Heaven in the winter by the fire!

      Delete
  4. You two are so industrious--I feel like kind of a slacker. Lovely photos and I know for many, especially those with kids, gardens, houses to close up, and such. I just make soup and enjoy the colors. Well, and work on the first book of my new series--six weeks to the deadline! Thanks and good luck with everything, including your deadlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You could never be a slacker, Virginia! And there's nothing better than a good soup with fall colors outside the window...or a walk outside with a hot mug of coffee. Good luck with your deadline and new series!!

      Delete
    2. Hey, Virginia! Good luck with your deadlines as well. We are just, just getting color. Last year trees were turning by September 20th. It does look like October today, charcoal sky. Rain. Getting cooler. Hmm. I'm thinking that soup is a good idea!

      Delete
  5. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed, but now I feel lazy compared to you two. Love the decorations, especially that grass and pinecone wreath. I've put up a wreath and scattered a few silk fall leaves around because I love autumn colors. We have pumpkins in the garden. Yesterday I made puree out of one. We had pumpkin Thai curry for dinner and froze the rest. I love October.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Okay.. I need the pumpkin Thai curry recipe. Seriously, my mouth is watering. Now this would be fun for my friends! I LOVE October! Thanks, Beth. Big hug!

      Delete
  6. What wonderful pictures and what a busy time you're both heading into! And now I just looked up and saw the word "soup," my very favorite part of fall. Love your posts. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So, c'mon over! I agree. Soup in fall is what fall is all about. I have a roasted butternut squash soup with garlic and ginger that I love. That's the one I'm making now. But a quick stop at Panera the other day and their butternut soup is out on the menu. HEAVEN!!!

      Delete
  7. I love all this talk about October. The photo of Fall dining decor is inspiring and takes me back to Catherine's Hallmark special, "The Sweetest Heart." Possibly the cupcake shop had twinkle lights, or some location did. I was hoping your book tour was real and you might be near me in Indiana. Here's hoping I'll catch you on a radio interview as I have in the past.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, Cathy! I'm hoping to book a radio show. I'll be at Rosemary's Heritage Flowers on Sunday November 12 at 12:00 in Crown Point. On Walnut Street. I'm usually there for a couple hours. Unless a tornado arrives and I have to drive back home to get out of the way of the tornado...as has happened in the past!!! But that's a long way for you to drive. Keep up with Lakeshore Radio. I'm working on Friday show in November. Thanks!

      Delete
    2. Well, I've got a college kid in that direction now so you never know, and a bit more time. :)

      Delete
  8. Where I live, fortunately for me, there isn't quite as much prep needed for winter. But I still have a lot of summer overgrowth to get out of the way. Had the first rains of the season recently and it sure felt good to have the air cleaned. Your prep sounds like you'll have a cozy winter. Perfect for curling up with a book or concentrating on the computer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Callie! Honestly, most of my adult life was lived in sub-tropical Houston, then I spent a decade in Scottsdale...the frying skillet of the USA as my native Arizona friends say, and then the same amount of time...half time in Los Angeles. So this getting ready for winter is just SO not on my agenda! October creeps up on me like a spook. I always feel so far behind. And I don't hate much in this world, but procrastination makes me nuts! So, I like to be on time and prepared. Thanks for joining in today!

      Delete
  9. LOL, I'm from Nebraska and often got time off school for snow says. Today, my college closed at noon because of rain. RAIN. I'm so amazed.
    I love how you two work together :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, honey. Big hug. Yes, Rula and I are so like sisters. But she's the one with the wild life. I have to admit that when my parents built this house in the late 1940's, our neighbor behind us had roosters and chickens. No horses quite that close but we DO have coyotes on the golf course, a herd of deer, sand hil cranes and tons of Canadian geese roaming all around us now! We heartwarmers are all blessed to be together. Have a great week and a greater and blessed weekend!

      Delete
  10. Love the fall decorations! And thank goodness, here in Mississippi, we don't have to prepare much for winter. Most winters we don't even get snow. Here's hoping we don't this year. :-)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment