fall fun

I'm loving fall today. I walked to work, first stopping to enjoy the crimson-painted leaves on our Japanese maple out front. On my walk, I listened to children laugh as I passed the school, crunched on leaves covering sidewalks, looked up at berries, bright against the clear blue sky. It's one of those days you cherish, knowing that it could be the last one. So, after this post, I am headed home to rake some leaves and soak up the last of fall.


Another reason I love fall...Halloween! My mom always made my Halloween costumes. Sometimes she had to get really creative when there wasn't a pattern to be found for what I was asking for. Like one year when I wanted to be "a lady riding an ostrich" (we saw it at the circus that year). I will never believe that Halloween fun is only meant for kids and has to stop when you grow up. I think my husband now really gets what Halloween means to me. Last week, he said, "Betsy, I've realized that Halloween is to you what St. Patrick's Day is to me."(he's Irish) And I said, "Exactly!"

Here is my niece Ava the Bumblebee at a Halloween party, where she is already demonstrating her creative talent. Just look at how she holds the paintbrush, without instruction!




And lastly, a recap of the Buckeye Book Fair last weekend. It went great! I had lots of fun meeting parents, grandparents, kids, teachers, librarians, authors and illustrators. It's nice to get out of my bubble and get some firsthand feedback from the people that are really buying the books. I was so busy signing and talking that the day flew by, and before I knew it, I was all sold out of both books, two hours early! So, look for me there next year!

at my table


The buttons were "prickly", so I decide to let people "fish" for them with a homemade rod made from a chopstick, string and magnet.