halloween

 chanda and i drove up to my sister's today for halloween. 

 we couldn't stop exclaiming over the foliage . . 

 every turn in the road brought an even more beautiful sight!

 and the japanese red maple tree in my sister's yard glowed iridescent red . . 

 we had our traditional orange carrot soup . . 

 with a salad and corn muffins . . 

 and then chanda and her cousin got into their costumes.

 it was a cold night and as soon as we stepped outside it began to rain!!

 we persevered . . but we did stop back at the house for umbrellas . .

 we walked far in the rain . . there was always another friend's house to visit just up the road a piece . . i collected candy also, since chanda insisted. she didn't want to be the only one with a bag (adam packed everything into his cargo pants pockets). i was dressed in morgana's gryffindor costume, but the robe was too long and with all the rain, it became heavy and wet. i ended up carrying it over my left arm. but before i did that, i was trying to slog across the grass, leaves and mud with it down around my ankles. finally, as we passed through the back of a neighbor's house to a house on the corner, chanda turned around and said "are you alright? be careful mommy," and then two seconds later i tripped over a wagon. "didn't you see it," chanda asked? i said no!! i hadn't! she didn't tell me there was a wagon there! my eyeglasses were spattered with raindrops! i couldn't see a thing!

 

 i was happy to return home to warmth and hot cider and pumpkin pie . .

and apple cake . . 

 counting up the booty . .

 my nephew's jack o'lantern.