Halloween, on Floyd and Hanover

Super storm Sandy put pay to preparations for this year's Halloween, so things were decorative rather than show-stopping and sadly the bad candy became the core of it all. What with the grabbing and careless teenagers and the petty thievery we were left a little uncomfortable about the night.

Good news beckons in the form of good candy to come in 2013 (brand details to follow) and the decision to stick on Floyd with Big Bird and our crazy, scary neighbours along the street.

Plus check-out our finished pumpkins!

Pumpkin preparations...

From the carving, to the painting, to the pinching (pastry pie),  to the roasting (seeds), to the whizzing (soup)... we did it all together.

This year the pie triumphed thanks to an organic pureed can and the soup remains a tad oily. Croutons and cream required!

Pumpkins, Ashland Berry Farm

As Hurricane Sandy approached and Virginia declared a State of Emergency, I decided that the priority was pumpkins. So in sharp winds and low grey cloud we bumped across farmland in a tractor heading out to the last of the pumpkin crop.

The deal is $20 for all you can carry for three paces - with some coaching P secured six for our doorstep. The garden centre was deserted of plants and people - all tucked up away from the wind - though the staff remembered us from last year, as they pulled down the tarpaulins and closed for the season. J measured in at just over 3 feet compared to last year's just under.

Fox Running Club, 8.20am

We're late adopters but we love this Mr Baytop special. Fab dads on motivation and mileage plus grandads and mums getting fit amidst the pack. A great start to the school morning!

M got in a good deal of companionable chatting whilst she attempted to cover 2 miles... Trainers out for me next time, if Hurricane Sandy calms down.

Obama at the Carillion, Richmond

He came, they locked down the parks and the crowds were bussed in, and those arriving after morning shifts sat with us on the curb, listening to his speech live-streamed on phones and hearing the cheers from those who'd made it in!

Obama was hoarse, joked about 'Romnesia' - saying, thankfully even if suffering from it, Obamacare covers pre-existing conditions - then he called out the repeal of 'Don't ask Don't Tell' and reforming student lending... and it all sounded great to me and my pavement buddies. Still the press say the balance has tipped to Romney. He flies in on Saturday. I'll not be cycling out to that one.

It all ended with The Boss (aka Bruce Springsteen (live in Charlottesville, but recorded for this)) and the odd ambulance for the fainters in the heat.

Fu Jian, Main and Meadow

From the back of the car as we sat at the lights on Main and Meadow, moments from our house at the end of the day... M slowly read out, "Fu Jian Chinese Food to Take Out". As Henry Higgins would say, "By Jove she's got it!", and has been doing it ever since, though observes that reading is tiring.  J listens patiently as every book is painstakingly uttered out loud.

The Miniature Break, Yorktown

A lack of Tom Tom obedience landed us on the Colonial Parkway - a glorious open road alongside the water, with pine trees and creeks and just out of sight -  the world's largest naval weapons base.

The beach was magical... still and empty - we lay back and warmed our skin before leaping into the well-chilled water. M trained up future jelly-fish-catchers and recovered from the trauma of her half-day truancy (she wept most for her missed Pollution Patrol duties).

The sun began to set, the day-tripping schooner came in and the canoes went out for some night fishing. Headed home, after pizza and cocktails, with the moon gleaming above the water.

Seriously, it's October the 24th and we're beach swimming - it's hard not to love!

Autumn days

There is something magic about this time of year. The stillness, the blue skies, the crackle of leaves and the chill at night - it's hard to beat Virginian right now, though I bet Symond's Yat looks pretty good too.

Sunday Lunch, Belle Isle

An English gathering down on the rocks proved to be a slightly fraught but delightful take on the Sunday lunch. There were herb marinaded roasts for the intolerant one, the vegetarian and the more liberal; plus brownies, raspberries and watermelon for treats or mains, depending on your ability to sneak off and consume at speed.

G&Ts and eminently drinkable white wine aside, we relaxed into the afternoon sunshine, whilst the youngest napped, the eldest swam and the rest of us gazed on.

Dodgy II

Dodgy car number two has no passenger seats, loud clonking noises and major stains on the carpet plus random knocks on the bodywork. But it's our dodgy car with a radio, air conditioning, a potential reach beyond the Fan and speeds above 30 mph.

Roll-up guests, standing room only!

Dodge Caravan 2005

7-Election 2012, Staples Mill, VA

Down the 7-Eleven we can all vote - me and the Mexican construction worker who took this photo. I felt reinvigorated about the campaign and will now volunteer my services to drive a mini van to get elderly voters to the polls (in a Democratic neighbourhood of course!).

Get your steaming hot mug of democracy

7-Eleven predict the presidential election

Autumn art

J's self-titled 'Autumn' artwork - thankfully her well spoken home-schooling keeps her terminology english, for now.

Some great colour mixing and the final daub of yellow is most restrained.

Fall in the Fan

Fall/Autumn has arrived... The colors/colours are truly fantastic, the sun is mildly warm, the spiders are withdrawing and the mozzies have vanished - bliss!

This is us on our walk home from school today.

Richmond Folk Festival

We did this all back to front... eventually I got to where I wanted to be - sitting on the dry grass in bright sunshine, listening to Forró Pé de Serra All Stars (Brazilian Forró), as heard last week on 97.3 WRIR, with the girls curled on my lap and leaning. It was fabulous, alive stuff.

For the kids the intense craft zone, crazy Russian magician show and stunning parrots had them grinning from ear to ear. I failed to embrace it quite so much as I was still recovery from 5 minutes of total J-loss. Thankfully in the crowds were folk who knew her and scooped her up.

I could smell the beer from nearby tents but as a lone parent stuck with home-brewed water.

Fantastic Thrift on Main, Richmond

Just sometimes you find a gem amidst the thrift store mayhem and today it was an easel! So J took to the paints in the Fall sunshine and created this fabulous Rothko-esque masterpiece - no fake signatures on this one.

Natural Bridge, VA

Sometimes a big rock arch is just plain impressive, rising effortlessly above its historic, tourist-destination status in life. It was damp, we were cold and the path seemed long... but it was worth the effort and the waterfall and smooth flowing, brackish stream made us feel more at home than ever before. Almost Dovedale - with a native American village thrown in, a steaming fire in the central hearth and a satisfying twine display - for those string collectors out there.

A long drive home, with no tea shops but warm beds waiting...

Foamhenge, Natural Bridge

I ask you - can you walk around the real thing???
Well here in the U. S. of A. you can! All thanks to a crazy man called Mark and his piece of Roadside America that reminds us why we came to this side of the Atlantic - who needs an election to campaign to tell us these guys are pretty much all nutters. The experience was made all the more 'genuine' on this day by the low grey cloud and gentle but freezing rain.

PS: If you dared to peel at the styrofoam surface, Mark threatens to go scratch your car...

Carter Mountain in Fall

The hill-starts in the mountainside queue defeated me, however the man from Indiana took over the wheel and we made to the top of Carter Mountain. Amidst the genial crowd we found our path up to the Jonagold apple orchards and picked to our hearts content.

Committed to the substantial 'Donut Only' queue and were eventually rewarded with these warm, apple cider joys consumed in the Fall sunshine.  Had a hay ride too... Bliss!