Discover St. Charles in the Fall

 One of my favorite places to visit, is a town that is only a few miles away from me.  It is historic St. Charles Mo.  It has a very vibrant Main Street that attracts visitors all year long.  I have written about this area several times in the past and I will include those links later in this article.  Today I want to review with you some of the photographs I took on a beautiful fall day in October 2022.  First of all, here is a photo I took telling a little bit about the history of the area.

Main Street in the Fall

Main street is a wonderful area with cobblestone streets and sidewalks and lots of delightful little shops and restaurants.  In the fall the shopkeepers do a wonderful job of decorating for the season.  We saw lots of pumpkin displays, colorful leaves and some very imaginative displays.  Here are a couple of the photos I took on Main Street.

Halloween Decorations and Activities

Halloween is a fun time on Main Street.  There are a variety of activities for all ages and the shopkeepers have some wonderful displays for the holiday.

You can click on the QR code in the above photo to find out about the Legends & Lanterns tours that take place on Main Street.

These fun characters are motion activated and you can hear them talk and sing when you pass by.  Below you see some of the decorations around the gazebo, which is a gathering place in the middle of Main Street.

The Riverfront Area

A block down from Main Street is the Missouri river.  This area has a wonderful park that provides some great trails and walks along the river.  There is an old train station, and you can see some train cars on the tracks.

There is a lot of history that took place in this area including a departure spot for Lewis & Clark.

Other Articles about St Charles

Here are four other articles I have written about the area.  The first is about the era when St. Charles was the first capitol of Missouri. Visit Missouri-First Capitol  .  Another article was written on the riverfront area. Frontier Park

A favorite time in St Charles is during the Christmas season.  Here is an article on that. Christmas in St Charles

Several years ago I went on the Worldwide PhotoWalk in St. Charles.  Here is an article I wrote. Worldwide PhotoWalk

Read More about St Charles

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Autumn Colors in Missouri 2021

 

Fall Color November 2021

I love the beautiful colors of Autumn.  It is my favorite time of the year and after the long hot summer I am always looking forward to the cool, crisp days of Autumn.  This year the hot days of summer seemed to never stop, in fact they carried on well into September.  This delayed the beautiful colors of Autumn to well into October and in my area the peak didn't come till the first week in November.

Peak Colors in Missouri

In order to discover what is normal for peak colors in Missouri I went online and read the Missouri Conservation website.  

That site lists the normal time for Autumn colors beginning about the middle of September, with the peak being by mid October.  But as you can see in the photo below at my home in the St. Louis Missouri area the changing colors were only beginning at the time of the Autumnal Equinox on September 22.

View from my Deck

Here is a photo from a walk in the park in mid September when the leaves are getting a tinge of color.

September

The Missouri Conservation website states that predicting fall color in Missouri can be difficult.  Missouri is blessed with a large variety of bushes, shrubs and trees which change colors at different rates.  The entire autumn color season will last from 4-6 weeks and where the best colors are best will change according to what varieties of foliage is in a particular area.  The changing of colors in Missouri start in the northern part of the state and progress southward.  The weather plays a big part in when the colors change.  This year we had 90 degree temperatures into September and high 80's into October.  This set records for one of the warmest falls on record.  These temperatures delayed the fall colors.

What Makes Leaves Change Color

For a review on what makes leaves change color I looked online for some basic information.  I found out that leaves are green because of chlorophyll production and lots of chlorophyll produces green color and mask any colors underneath.  Light regulates chlorophyll production so the shorter days of Autumn produce less light and thus less chlorophyll production.  The photo below shows a tree in my front yard as the days are getting shorter and the green is disappearing.

Peak Colors for 2021

Today is November 5th and the colors are really starting to pop.  The television newscasters last night said that the next week will be our peak colors.  Here are a few photos I took yesterday.   I love the bright colors.

November 10th Update

Here is an update on the colors from my front porch on November 10th.  The colors are certainly vibrant now.

Zazzle Products from My Autumn Photos

Autumn  photos are great for cards, mugs and other products I make on Zazzle.

Spectacular Fall Colors Coffee Mug
by mbgphoto

Bandstand Forest Park Card
by mbgphoto

Autumn Leaves Card
by mbgphoto

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Reviewing The Joys And Uses Of Autumn/Fall Leaves

Autumn/Fall Leaves

I appreciate all the seasons and I love the time of year when the leaves start to change colour. Although the vibrant colours of the beautiful spring and summer flowers are now a fond memory, Autumn leaves are equally gorgeous. 

I love to see all the different colours and when you look more closely all the diverse shapes and textures of the leaves. Underfoot if it's dry they feel scrunchy and if it's wet they are all slippery.

When the wind blows you can hear the rustle of the dry leaves and some get caught up and fly higher into the sky like wild confetti! 

In the Fall/Autumn season we are treated to the stunning show of reds, golds, bronze and russets to lift our spirits as the days grow colder and shorter. I do have happy memories of Autumn that stay with me always.

There are many beautiful and lasting memories that can be made at this time of year between children and their parents or grandparents and I wanted to highlight some of the uses and joys to appreciate this season's beautiful falling leaves.

There is nothing quite like standing under a large tree when its leaves are changing color to golds and reds gazing up at the sky as the sun is streaming through, it is truly a magical experience.

Autumn/Fall With Children

 

This time of year always raises memories of my childhood. My parents always encouraged a love of the outdoors and Autumn always evokes memories as a child walking through deep rifts of crunchy leaves holding hands with my Mum and Dad kicking up the leaves, having fun!

We collected leaves of all shapes, colours and sizes to press, make into a picture and learn about. To succeed in this process on a basic level all you need is tissue paper and a very heavy book. Simply lay the leaf between 2 layers of tissue paper then place in the middle of a heavy book, close and leave. Before very long you will have beautifully preserved leaves. If you wish to learn more about leaf and flower pressing this book is a great starting point to learn how to create really lovely personalised art from simple leaves and flowers.

 

The Art of Pressed Flowers and Leaves

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The Art of Pressed Flowers and Leaves: Contemporary Techniques & Designs

 

For younger children dried leaves can be laid down on white paper, the outline drawn and then coloured or painted in whatever authentic or imagined colours they like!

Autumn leaves are so beautiful to paint and also to take photographs of. They have amazing colours and shapes and are always interesting for the artist. Such gorgeous rich colours and moods to capture. 

When older children are involved in looking at and experiencing nature in this way it is then very educational to teach children about the different leaves and which trees they come from. 

This gorgeous book is a wonderful resource, beautiful, visual and well organised to teach children about leaves, trees, seeds, flowers and so much more to encourage an interest in and appreciation of nature.

Trees, Leaves, Flowers and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom

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Trees, Leaves, Flowers and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom (DK Our World in Pictures)

No Fuss Caramel Apple Treats

Easy and delicious caramel apples

During this time of year, the one treat I find myself craving constantly is a caramel apple. That is the one thing I always buy at fall festivals and fairs. Because I have never felt like bothering with the mess of melting the caramels, I never have them at home. Fortunately, there are a few delicious ways to take care of my caramel apple cravings without the fuss and muss. In this review I will show you a few of those caramel apple treats.

Ms. Prindable's Caramel Apples

There is no fuss or muss if you buy your caramel apples already made. Food stands at local apple harvest festivals or state fairs have the most amazing caramel apples. But what if you want a caramel apple and don't feel like leaving the house? 

I believe it was two years ago when someone gave me a wonderful gift of a Ms. Prindable's caramel apple. That gourmet apple was divine. I don't recall which flavor I had, since Ms. Prindable's carries a variety of caramel-covered apples, but I do recall it was covered in roasted nuts. It was rich, delicious, and it was one of the large apples. That gourmet apple was a very welcomed and thoughtful gift.

Some of the apples offered by Mrs. Prindables on Amazon

Werther's Sugar-Free Caramel Apple Hard Candies

The least fussy-mussy caramel apple flavored treats are the Werther's sugar free hard candies. Even though they are hard candies and  even though they are sugar-free, these are some of my favorite autumn candies. 

These Werther's candies truly taste like caramel and green-apples. They are small treats that are individually wrapped - small enough to carry several of them in your pocket or your purse. Because they are hard candies there is no mess other than having to throw away the wrapper.

In addition to the sugar-free hard candies, Werther's offers caramel apple flavored hard candies and caramel apple flavored soft candies.

Werther's Candies

Caramel Apple Pops

Caramel Apple Pops are green apple-flavored hard candies on a stick with a coating of caramel. They are wonderful but not quite as easy to carry in your pocket or purse.  You can definitely keep them handy at home or in your desk drawer. And they are a popular Halloween treat. 

Caramel Apple Pops

Making Caramel Apples at Home with AllRecipes

Well folks, I've now spent so much time thinking about caramel apples that I looked for a tutorial on making them at home. AllRecipes has this "recipe" and video showing the steps of melting the caramel in the microwave and coating the apples. 

You can be sure that I'll be snacking on the caramel apple treats above, but I also may end up making some caramel apples at home this year with the help of allrecipes.

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Halloween Garden Cleanup and Planting Time Too! Let's Review How to Get This Done

Summer's Heat has given way to Autumn cooler temperatures, let's review ways to get your garden ready for the oncoming cold that is sure to happen.

Autumn is that wonderful time of year when the weather gets a little cooler and the days start to have a little bite in them.  Leaves are turning those beautiful shades of yellow, gold, orange, and red. Everywhere the eye goes, it's a myriad of beautiful colors to keep us all in Awe!  What a wonderful mystical, beautiful time of year.  The Maker's  paintbrush is never still and our picture changes daily.

Everyday,  I look out over my balcony and the trees are changing colors from one day to the next.  Yesterday the leaves were all green and today it seems that they are turning shades of gold, red, browns and oranges.  One day makes such a difference.

It's also time to get cracking on the Autumn garden chores! 

If you are not sure what to do with all those leaves,  give that link(Autumn garden chores) a quick review, your garden will love you for it.  It doesn't hurt to organize our chores for the best outcomes in our gardens. 

Cooler Days and changing colors are a shock to the system after all of summer's warm days.  Time moves on and these changes are a gardener's Alarm Clock, because the next thing is garden cleanup before the winds of winter come.

Don't fret!  Garden cleanup is easier than you think.  You just need the right tools and the right attitude and your job will be done lickety split!


Because Autumn is also the time for Halloween, we can do two things at once!  By using our leaves in funky Halloween decorator bags, we now have our glorious pumpkin display all done.  Or if you prefer you can also make crazy spiders and pumpkins to give all the kids a good chuckle.   Packing those bags will be child's play after raking them all together and then using our monster hands to stuff the bags. Now after all the festivities are over, don't throw all those beautiful leaves away. Use a chipper/grinder to make the world's easiest and best mulch for your garden beds. The extras can go into the composter along with the worms and everyone will be happy! You won't believe the work that those worms will do in the composter.  Even in the winter months, those worms are working away.  The beauty of a compost heap is that it will remain warm all winter long.  The worms will be happy and so will you when you see what they accomplish while you are inside staying toasty warm.

Autumn is also a great time to buy yourself a new pair of gloves, because I'm sure the ones you started out with in the spring have seen better days, and they just might be on sale at this time of year. You know you will always use them.

Once the gardens are all cleaned-up, it will be easy to see where to plant all the tulips and daffodils, crocus and snowbells, grape hyacinths and some irises too!  The time to do that is now!   Fall Bulbs are available in just about every garden store around.  If you want that gorgeous Spring Garden you do have to plant those bulbs in the fall.  Spring will be just bursting forth sooner than you think and those bulbs will be so happy to grow in your well mulched beds. It's a little bit of heaven in just a few short months and something to pin your hopes on while the cold winds blow. The Leaves you have mulched added under the bulbs will give those bulbs an extra boost of good compost right under their roots, so they will grow big and strong! You won't be disappointed. Good gardeners and great gardens all give so much credit to the mulch that is brought right down into the soil. Best of all, it's free fertilizer and no chemicals! All natural, Mother Nature will thank you and so will all your family when they are enjoying the fruits of your labor. Such a pretty sight, a well tended garden can bring a smile to you and everyone else too!

I hope you take the time to enjoy the changing of the seasons and preparing your gardens for the Spring of 2018!  In planting for the spring, you give everyone a reason to hope for the future and the brightness of your fabulous garden to come.

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All pictures are courtesy of Pixabay.  

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Harvest Time Home Decor Review

Fall Trail Photo by Creation Photos

Harvest Time is a great time of year to decorate your home in Autumn colors that reflect the gorgeous changing leaves of Fall. It's also a time of holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving that include the lovely harvest-related colors of orange, brown, yellow and red.

There are many beautiful items that show off the bounty of the harvest season. Among the most unique are those that are handmade by clever crafters or created by fabulous Indie-Artists in art and photography.

For a very unique touch to your Harvest-theme décor this Autumn, come look at some of these clever, and often one-of-a-kind, handmade items available on Etsy.... and elsewhere across the web.


*The beautiful Fall photograph in the introduction can be found on Zazzle. 
 

Harvest Time

 

Harvest Time is the time of year when crops are harvested, especially autumn.

Harvest Wall Decor

Pumpkin and Gourds ~ Autumn Fall Gourd Pumpkin Art Photo / Print by eball photography on Etsy.

Bring a bountiful Pumpkin Harvest into your kitchen or family room with this outstanding photo to frame and hang on the wall for a lovely Autumn décor.

*Photographed by Earl Ball of Delaware for his Etsy Shop.

Pumpkin Coasters

Pumpkin Coasters on Etsy

Pumpkin design beverage coasters are perfect for home decor in the Harvest-time-Autumn-Fall season, or fun all year round for anyone who likes pumpkins.

This set of 4 drink coasters, each with a pumpkin design, measure 4 x 4 inches. They are created using plastic canvas and acrylic yarn in two shades of orange, plus brown and green on an off-white background. Perfect colors for your Harvest time decor.

Pumpkin design drink coasters also make an attractive and useful  hostess or housewarming gift. 
 

Pumpkin Patch People!

Pumpkin Patch People Pattern - Amigurumi Dolls in Crochet

If you are a crochet crafter, you can create your own Pumpkin Patch for Harvest Time.  This set of cute crocheted pumpkin patch people is perfect for your Harvest Season décor. Decorate your table throughout the Fall, or use for a Halloween Party decor.

Created by Janine of Worchester, England, it is available as a pattern to create your own harvest décor. Pattern includes "Pumpkin Patch Pete and Polly" dolls, along with pumpkins, ghosts and a black cat. This pattern is just one of a selection of original and fun Amigurumi crochet patterns found in her Etsy Shop she calls mojimoji design.

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Useful and Attractive Kitchen Decor for the Fall

 

Autumn Leaves Cluster Embroidered Hand Towel

Embroidered towels with Autumn scenes  continue the Harvest Theme...

Beautifully embroidered Autumn designs on towels for the kitchen or bath set the scene for Harvest Time. Brilliant Autumn Leaves Cluster makes a perfect design for Fall.

This is the design of Embroidery Everywhere of Oakland, California. Visit all her lovely embroidery designs in her Etsy shop.

Bountiful Harvest Cornucopia Magnet

by Sandyspider

Harvest Time Refrigerator Magnet

Even the magnets on your refrigerator can be changed for the Autumn Season. This 'Bountiful Harvest Cornucopia' magnet is from the Zazzle store of Sandy Mertens, who is SandyMertens and Sandyspider on HubPages! Sandy's designs are created using a variety of vintage and modern photos and drawings.
 

 

 

 

 

 

THANKSGIVING

Handmade Turkey Beverage Coasters

Harvest Time includes the Thanksgiving holiday. These handmade drink coasters with an attractive turkey design make a perfect accent for your Thanksgiving table. 

Lovely Autumn and Harvest time Seasonal Decor and a terrific hostess gift for a holiday dinner invitation.

The design is created on plastic canvas using acrylic yarn in harvest colors. The turkey design is done in tans and browns with a touch of orange for the beak and legs. Turkey sits on a pretty yellow background. 

These harvest colors coasters measure 4 x 4 inches and are available in the Etsy shop of Coastal Crochet & Crafts.

The Harvest Time Season is Special

Get in the spirit of the season with a variety of seasonal decor.  

For more Harvest-Time suggestions, check out these reviews by our Review This contributors.



© 2011 Wednesday-Elf. Updated for Review This Reviews on 8/30/2022

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Decorating Your Bedroom for Fall

Temporarily Change Your Bedroom's Decor to a Fall Theme

Reviewing Ways to Satisfy Your Urge for a Seasonal Change Without Spending a Fortune

We rarely think about making a seasonal change with a bedroom, mainly because we believe it would be time-consuming and pricey.

However, if  Fall is your favorite season and you'd like to bring fall colors into your bedroom without doing a major overhaul, here are three ways you can accomplish that without breaking the bank:

1. Cover Your Existing Comforter and Pillows with an Autumn Duvet Bedding Set

If your bedroom's existing color scheme is fairly neutral or decorated with a few fall color tones already, then go ahead and bring fall into your bedroom by putting a calming fall duvet cover over your existing comforter. By doing this, you keep your existing comforter; you're temporarily covering it up. Remember to change those pillowcases as well.

You don't have to spend a fortune either. You can find Duvet sets for under $100, and the best part is that when you're ready to go back to your standard decor, just remove it. Or better yet, replace it with a
Christmas Duvet Set.

2. Switch Your Standard Drapes Out for those that Feature a Fall Scene

This temporary change is more challenging than the bedding change; however, if you choose drapes that go up the same way as your existing drapes, it's a breeze.

We rarely think to inter-change our draperies, yet window coverings can change a room's entire feel and look. In the case of fall colors, they add warmth and coziness.

Again, when you're ready to go back to your standard decor, remove them until the next time.

3. Add a Double Sided Fall Room Divider - Surprisingly, They Don't Cost a Fortune

Granted, this is a more difficult addition to a bedroom (unless your bedroom is pretty large). 

It's also valid for large dual-purpose rooms, such as bedroom/office combinations. 

Because this piece is prominent, it isn't something you can easily store away, but why would you want to - just move it to another room. 

You can place this gorgeous artistic piece in the family room, an office, a study area, a foyer, or any place where there's a need to create a division in an open area.

Changing Your Decor for the Season is the Best Way to Get Over the Craving to Buy a New Home

My days as a Realtor allowed me to understand why people decide to move. 

People often expressed this common sentiment ... 'we need a change.' 

You may, in fact, need that change. However, before you decide whether moving is right, go ahead and redecorate a little. Sometimes, the changes we need are minor.

After all, decorating changes are a lot less expensive than moving.

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns" by George Eliot

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Autumn Artistic Endeavors Craft Review

The first day of Fall has arrived and artists and crafters are inspired to create in natures' Autumn Season colors.  Reds and yellows, orange and brown show up in art and photography and a variety of handmade items.  Let's review a few of these.

Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves Stationery Note Card by mbgphoto
 

The beautiful colors of the Autumn leaves draw thousands of visitors each year to New England and the mountains and forests across the country.  Mary Beth (mbgphoto) has captured many gorgeous views of the colorful leaves with her lovely photos, many of which you can see in her Autumn Art article here on Review This!  You can also find her Fall photography featured  on a variety of items in her Zazzle stores, such as this "Autumn Beauty" note card from her Beauty in Nature page.

Pumpkin Patch

 

(c) Personal Photo/Wednesday Elf

Autumn is the season for harvest time and Halloween.  Pumpkins are the focal point of this season, especially for hand-crafted items.  From playtime plushies to handmade dishcloths for your kitchen chores to accessories such as purses, pumpkins are a fun theme. 

Plush Halloween Octopus or Stuffed Spider

Halloween Octopus or Spider

Plush octopus measures 2 inches tall and 6 inches across the eight tentacles. Each octopus is made with acrylic yarn and filled with a small amount of polyester fiberfill.

Colors include Orange, Black, Speckled Black (black with specks of color), and a two-tone combination of orange and black. The black octopus could also be a Halloween 'spider'. :-)

These cute plush octopus are fun to have around for Halloween or anytime of the year. They also make fun Halloween party decorations.

They are available in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts.  

Autumn Time Table Runner for Halloween

 

This reversible table runner is made with prewashed cotton fabrics. One side has assorted Halloween fabrics in traditional orange and black. The fabrics have Jack o lanterns, bats, pumpkins and candy corn. The reverse side is black and covered in candy corn. This table runner has been quilted and there is a layer of cotton batting.

Table runners are an easy way to decorate your table for any holiday, occasion or home decor.  This table runner is 14" wide and 38" long.

Quilted Fall Coin Purse

The Halloween Quilted Table Runner is just one of a wide variety of table runners, lanyards, and quilted purses in the Etsy Shop of Cute PurseNalities, which also features handy coin purses and fabric lanyards. Pictured is a handmade quilted coin purse in an Autumn design.

Cooking in the Fall

 

Chocolate Halloween Ghost Train Cake

Cooking, to me, is both an art and a craft.  Creative recipes are something to be treasured, as Sylvestermouse Cynthia shows us with her Chocolate Halloween Ghost Train Cake tutorial.  

The recipe and tutorial for this fantastic cake are described in her "Cooking for the Holidays" blog. 

Pumpkin Potholder and Washcloth for your Autumn Kitchen Decor

Pumpkin Duo Potholder and Dishcloth

A potholder is a necessity when baking and it's delightful to have one that matches the Autumn theme. Pumpkins are a large part of this Harvest-Time season, so let's have some pumpkin kitchen helpers.

This pumpkin potholder is handmade in crochet in washable orange acrylic yarn with a green top. It measures 9.5 x 11 inches and is made double-thick.

Cleaning up from baking your pumpkin dessert is more fun when you have a pumpkin shaped dishcloth to use.  It measures a generous sized 9.5 x 9.5 inches.  Handmade in cotton yarn makes this dishcloth a joy to use for your kitchen chores.  


This kitchen duo in the shape of a pumpkin of a potholder and matching dishcloth can be found at Wednesday Elf's eBay Site. 

The Fall Season has Arrived

So, enjoy the Fall Foliage in photos or have fun with hand-crafted harvest-time pumpkins, or bake a favorite seasonal dessert while you enjoy the cooler weather and the colors of Autumn.  Welcome to Fall.

(c) 10/3/2015 Wednesday Elf

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