SPARKLING OCTOBER BY CATHERINE LANIGAN and RULA SINARA





Frankly, this October has rushed up on me/ us like none other I ever, ever remember. What happened to September? Sorry, did we have a summer?  I ‘m so in a muddle between writing, promoting and conjuring new stories, not to mention putting up two bushels of tomatoes into spaghetti sauce for the winter, plumbing problems and well, the list goes one.
I know that a writer’s life is just like everyone else’s---except that we have a WHOLE lot more going on. Right? 



I was at a dinner party last night and there were two other authors there. Of the three of us, I was the most out of whack. Apparently, I was doing three, no four times, more things than they were. For those authors who still have kids at home, I remember those days. NOW, that I’m older, I have not only kids, but grandkids, two new grandnephews on the way. One is due in October. There have been showers, plans for the birth. The baptism. Then another wedding. Another shower, though I hosted one myself  three weeks ago.

And me?  I’d just like to get to the pumpkin patch to get my pumpkins!  In the meantime, I’m sharing here. I couldn’t stand it. I HAD to decorate for the holiday. So,  here are my pics at the moment. 

This is the mantle.


I actually have 2,000 lights in the front yard. I'm not done yet. It's not October officially. 

The china. I'm not showing the kitchen with another three hundred or the master with it's garland around the bed and four hundred lights. That's like over the top, right?  Or not. 

Some of you may know, or not, that I lived in Quito, Ecuador for over three years. When I was there, in the autumn, which is spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, we went up to a 400 year old resort, which was where the Ecuadorian Declaration of Independence was signed in August of 1809.  In the restaurant each table was centered with these hand made clay CASITA luminarias. They cost six dollars. I hand carried mine back to the US and I’ve had it and two others for over twenty-three years. To me, they are worth millions of golden memories.
In Ecuador, the harvest moon is enormous. The moon is so big, it looks as if it will crush a house. Thus, the Ecuadorian artists have always depicted an Ecuadorian house with a huge partial or full moon over the roof. 


The big pumpkin carving party is coming up end of the month. I have another Halloween party and November is even bigger, because November is the release of my HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!




 I’m so excited. I’ve been sending out books and getting feedback already. I love, love Christmas. Every single minute. Confession…I SERIOUSLY thought about putting on Christmas music tonight. I know…not EVEN October yet. Right? Sorry, I love, love Christmas. Then I talked to my friend in Los Angeles this afternoon. She’s putting up her tree in two weeks. Okay. I’m not nuts. All the world needs now is Love, Sweet Love.

How about Y’ALL?   How are your plans going?

(Don’t forget you can find both Rula and me on Amazon for our newest releases.  @cathlanigan on Twitter. And www.catherinelanigan.com)


Happy October! Happy Halloween and Joy to you all!  
Catherine and Rula 

Comments

  1. Wow Catherine, I’m in awe of your energy and enthusiasm! I always enjoy seeing photos of your seasonal decorating. If only you lived closer and could come over and give me a hand with that. :) Congrats on your upcoming release and looking forward to the Christmas post here!

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    1. Hi, Janice. Okay, I'll fly in. How's that? Coffee and cinnamon rolls. I'll bring the rolls. I have this fantastic recipe I found of my mothers. Now THERE was a woman who did it all. Thanks for stopping by. I'm already looking forward to Christmas decorating!

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  2. Great post, Catherine! I gear up this month for several family birthdays and hosting Thanksgiving before the holiday season even really kicks off. Awaiting new babies to spoil is a much better reason for being out of whack though:-) I'm curious about the sculpture on your mantle. Is that a stone carving? Did you get that in Ecuador too? My cousin does wood carvings and it reminded me of some of his pieces. Is there a story behind it? Congrats on the upcoming book!

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    1. Hi, Elizabeth! Interesting that you picked up on it. It is an antique relief off a wall in Paris circa 1643. I've had it for 25 years or so. I keep it up all year and take it down only for Christmas when it's replaced by a HUGE garland and candles. I found it in an antique shop in Houston when I was building and decorating my townhouse in the Galleria area in Houston. That was such a lovely time and experience. I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas ---never too early to start the joy making and wishing.

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    2. It's beautiful. I would keep it up all year too! Enjoy the joy making!

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  3. October. Until this morning October was one of the months I had no birthdays, then my grandson was born this morning at 1:53 (CST)! I rarely decorate for the fall other than a wreath on the front of my house. Looking forward to your Christmas book!

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    1. Hi, Patricia! SEE???? Congratulations! October is sparkling all over, isn't it? I love the wreath on the door. I have two. One on either side of the door. Um I supposed I could put one in the middle. Is that over doing it? Hmm.

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  4. I agree, September just whooshed by. I love your luminaria. My college campus always put out hundreds of paper bag luminarias along the main circle at Christmas and it was just lovely. Enjoy those kids and babies and good luck with the writing.

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    1. Hi, Beth! I'm with you. Those luminaria at Christmas are so special. I used to do them all the time in Texas and Arizona . The bags get rotted from the snow around here, so I opt for more lights in the bushes, but frankly...it's not the same. I miss going through the Phoenix Botanical Garden at Christmas. That was our annual thing and we had so much fun. It's incredible. Thanks for commenting and being here.

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  5. You two are as amazing as always! Love celebrating with you.

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    1. Thanks, Liz. We are still hot here...89 degrees today. BUT it's supposed to cool down next week. How's everything down your way? Still hot and dry?

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    2. Yes, although we had three inches of rain last week. Cool and foggy this morning--my favorite way to begin the day!

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  6. Lovely photos. If we have to go through periods of lots going on, and we do, wouldn't it be nice if it was always as bright and colorful as October, at least in this upper Midwest region I live in. There's something very special about this month. It's actually been raining all day, and lots of days lately, but I have faith that better weather is coming. Have fun with all your comings and goings.

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    1. I so absolutely agree with you, Virginia. We have lovely autumns here in the Indiana/Chicago area. But when I lived in Houston....autumn was hot and humid and somewhere around December 15th, the leaves, which don't turn color, just muddy brown, dropped off the trees and it looked dismal. That's when I started really decorating with vibrant colors for autumn. Amber, gold and crimson...can't get enough of them in October and November!

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  7. I love fall, though I hate to see the days getting shorter (an emotional oxymoron?). Sounds like you stay really busy. Between salaried work that could always use a few more of my hours. writing, canning, walking, etc., etc., I always stay busy. Today is a rare exception, because I'm recovering from a probable reaction to my flu shot. But while it wasn't fun, it was a whale of a lot better than the actual flu, so I wont complain. Congrats on the new book!

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