Oh Where Has Allison Gone?

Hmm, to work, to work, to work!

I had hoped it wouldn't be quite so long between postings, but I guess something had to give! I felt terrible when I had to put Vintage Pollyanna aside, and now look at me, I am not blogging on Shady Tree, where I've been documenting my life for the LAST FOUR YEARS!

I have read other blogs and seen how sometimes the authors come and go, ebb and flow, but I was always pretty consistent. NOT ANYMORE!

I was in Tulsa last week visiting my grandparents with my husband, my kids and my younger sister. Amy was talking about how she missed the blog and I felt a little pang. ME TOO!

Well, folks, here's to trying. Maybe if I can get here a few times a week I can get back in the swing of things. So I promise to put up some recent pics of the kids later in the week. Want to see if I keep my word? Check back! And Amy, thanks for being a great sister and for giving me that little nudge that I needed. Love you!

And BTW, I had a lovely Mother's Day yesterday, and I hope all of you Moms out in Blogland did too. Mom, you know I miss you and I think of you often. A little lately I think of you in a happier way and less in a sad way. You will always be with me. xoxo

Pumpkin Picking with Grandpa in Maine

We visited with my Dad and my sister Amy in Maine last weekend. Dad had grown some pumpkins for the kids, and took them out in the garden to harvest them.


It was a sweet moment for me. I remember as a child Dad growing pumpkins for Amy and I; he would put a mason jar with water next to the pumpkins, cut a slit in the shell and run a piece of cheesecloth from the slit in the pumpkin to the water in the jar. Somehow this would make the pumpkins grow larger.

I love the look on James' face in this photo:


He gave Ella a smaller "pupin" as she calls them; she carried it around the yard all afternoon!


Here's a shot of Dad and Ella that I fooled around with in Photoshop--I think that the hazy quality really captures my nostalgic feelings while I look at it.


The foliage was amazing--Autumn is definitely my favorite time of year! Happy pumpkin picking!