Wednesday, September 30, 2026
It’s Wednesday and time to link up with Joyce for Hodgepodge!
1. When you think of autumn what sounds come to mind?
Leaf blowers! No, that’s just a little joke. The leaf blowing maniac next door doesn’t just blow in the fall. I love the sound of leaves crunching under my feet. I also love wet leaves if I have on my rainboots. The wet leaves can be “slicker than snot” as my dad used to say.
2. Is a trip to the mountains something you enjoy? What’s your favorite mountain?
Yes, although I would probably choose a beach or a city. I have been to the smokies the most because of proximity to where I grew up and where I live now.
3. What’s something that once felt like a mountain, but is now just a molehill?
Laundry even though I had my boys learn how to do it at a young age. I still felt responsible for the switching of loads and the folding and putting away or at least the management of it getting done. I had to nag. Now, laundry is an easy and enjoyable task, even. Tom does his own and I do my own and the house laundry. Tom helps with that if I need him to.
4. Let’s play this or that-fall foods edition. Yes you have to choose.
- pumpkin spice latte or chai latte – I love both and they both feel very “fall” to me. I usually pick PSL
- apple cider or hot chocolate – I love both but hot chocolate
- stew or chili – I love both but chili
- sweet potato casserole or green bean casserole – Sweet potato if there are no nuts but I love both
- butternut squash soup or creamy mushroom soup– Butternut squash soup
- cranberry sauce or gravy – I am not really a fan of either. Cranberries taste pretty bitter to me and I like my mashed potatoes naked, thank you very much
5. Sum up your September in a sentence or two.
It was a hot September and at times hard with Mason gone and not being able to celebrate my twins’ birthday, but we got away for one night for a music festival and I had some fun times with Tom and friends. Mason moved to Santa Fe for grad school on August 24th, for reference.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I have really enjoyed my fall decor since September 1! I went ahead and added Halloween specific things, but I don’t have much of that anymore.
You can really go crazy on decor but I kept new purchases this year to just a couple of things from the Target Dollar Spot.
I added one mum (so far) and two pumpkins, also:
I have a fall bow on the front door and a pumpkin yard flag.
I was listening to a podcast that was talking about how much spending people do for Halloween, specifically at the Halloween pop up stores. They also mentioned that some of the decor is AI generated! I had no idea, but that makes sense.
What would you say to any of the topics today?
Amy
The leafblower! I hope your airpods noise canceling feature works well for the leaf blowing noise. Crunching leaves are a good sound! I didn’t even think of that one. Your September seemed like a good one.
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I’ve yet to try them with it but I’m hopeful! Knock on wood but he hasn’t been too bad lately. There was once during dinner last week and we can hear it in our house! It was! Hope yours was, too, besides work – lol.
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Most of the either or choices are a “neither” for me. I do like the sound of crunching leaves but find we walk just a bit slower in fall because wet or not all those leaves on the ground so make it slippery and harder to see what’s under them.
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I liked them all! Lol! That is true. They can be hiding things!
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I enjoyed all of your answers. It’s interesting how one son moving changes the family dynamic. My heart hurts for you to have to experience that, even though I know you’re also very happy for him. Such a mixed bag of emotions! I like all of your fall things, especially that bow on your front door. I feel like it’s simple in my home as well. You are right about wet leaves! My mom has said that all my life. Happy Wednesday, friend!
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So true! Thank you for thinking of me. I’m loving the bow. I now need to secure one in Christmas colors for when it comes down. They can really mess a person up if they slip on them.
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Once all my peeps were grown and gone, I got rid of the Halloween decor. I had loads of it, because I have a Halloween baby, but it felt weird just decorating for myself. Now, Fall? I’ve had that out for a month already. I am so over summer. Bring on the cooler weather!
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I get that! But, if it makes YOU happy, do it! I love my little pumpkins and my small decor now!
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hahaha! The leaf blowers did make me chuckle. I haven’t heard that saying, slicker than snot for years. My grandad used to say it. It sounds like a good September and I love your Halloween decor.
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That was one of my Dad’s signature phrases! Ha – glad you remembered that, too.
It was! Thank you!
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Hope Mason is settling in nicely. When will you get to see him again? I LOVE an apple cider cocktail too this time of year 🙂 Awww EO is always the cutest! Love that pic 🙂
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He seems to be really happy! We are debating if he will fly home for short Thanksgiving break or wait til winter break which is about a month.
I plan to make some good cider drinks and I need to entertain to share with people! Thank you!
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That leafblower-ha! So when are you making a trip to NM? My mom was from that area and we loved visiting my grandparents. The landscape was so different from NJ. I need to snap some pics of my fall decor. Not a lot but it’s enough. I haven’t added any pumpkins yet. My daughter made me one of those big long fall bows last fall and I have it up on the front door wreath again this year. I left it on a hanger when I switched the wreath to Christmas and it held up well. She made me one for spring and one for summer too. I told her she should be selling them!
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Yeah!
I think in the winter or early spring? I want to give him a chance to get acclimated. She should sell them because I am already thinking of a black watch plaid version for Christmas!
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Hi Amy!
I would love to try more apple drinks but most are just too sweet and they upset my stomach. I’ve never had a PSL I should try it. Whenever I go to Starbucks I always get a green tea lemonade and that’s way more appealing!
Have a great day!
Cheers!
Missy
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