Hello Everyone...and a Crispy, Chilly, Autumn to you!
I'm a little late with my update...well, in my opinion...a LOT late...but now's the time I'll get you all up to speed and current with what's going on in Annie's world!

The concerts back in Sept. were just wonderful! Each night was sold out and each night's audience was just amazing! Everyone was enthusiastic, warm, generous with applause and seemed thrilled to be a part of the project.  Click here to see the nights' photos.

Dave Shirk has been getting each show ready for me to preview and then the song selection or the CD begins. I'll choose the "best of" each version from each night, then make final selections from there.

Catesby Jones, Mark Teachey, Jim Clare and John Golden were all in their finest forms for the shows...and were a huge hit. I've heard SO many kind comments and compliments and it thrills me to know everyone
in attendance felt happy to be a part of the event. I'll be posting pictures from those shows along with this newsletter!

I will be back in The Old Theater in Oriental on Oct. 21 and 22, opening for Loudon Wainwright, III. If you haven't gotten your tickets for either of those shows...make sure you HURRY IN! He is an extraordinary talent and Pamlico Sounds was very fortunate to be able to book him...especially considering the fact that he's super busy in the movie industry these days. Though you might not be familiar with
his name, you will recognize some of his works. As a song writer, he covers a lot of territory, funny one minute, quite serious another. Come see us there!! We'll be watching for you! 
Click here to see the October nights' photos.

Back to the season of Autumn...
For many reasons, I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Yes, spring is wonderful and I always look forward to the season of LIFE...but there is something about Autumn that is comforting. Clothes become a little
heavier, days do get shorter, we start to retreat for things that comfort us. I start thinking about chilly nights, warm blankets, sinfully rich coffee, the aroma of leaves drying, the smell of first fires being built and the magnificent sunsets that only a Harvest
Moon can rise over.

Autumn is also a time for reflection. I can look backward only a few months and see what was accomplished, what is left to be done and what things I might want to attempt before year's end. I can see
things that need improving, relish those things that worked out well and then continue moving forward to the close of another year. 

While on a recent trip to Atlanta, my friend Frieda Hudson and I had plenty of time to talk, laugh, share and muse. We're a lot alike and enough different to keep things interesting, so it's a fun balance. We drank coffee and made pit stops to wile the hours away on our return trip. Finally, we decided it was just too late to continue, so we did something both dreadful and exhilarating all at the same time!

We spent the night at South of the Border, SC!!! Mind you, Frieda and I are a pretty tough pair of gals...not afraid of much. So, when we found out the 24 hour drug store was open...out we went! That was just as good as finding a 24HR Wally World in Anytown, USA! I must admit, there was a different sort of crowd frequenting the South of the Border Drug Store after midnight, so we checked out all the fabulous merchandise, bought a few necessities (bumper stickers, postcards, etc.) and retreated to our humble hotel. 

Morning brought rain...but undaunted, we took full advantage of our surroundings and went on a photo shoot!!! I'll provide some of the results of that excursion here on the site! HA! We went to a hat store and I tried on EVERY hat I could get my hands on. Of course,
the clerk minding the store was wondering what on EARTH we were up to! She made coffee for us and even selected HER personal favorite hat for a quick picture! We felt our impromptu shoot was a great success. Life's best moments are those that are unplanned!!! That is
FOR SURE! 

With that in mind, I hope you, the reader, will look for the unplanned moments in your own life! If there's something you're putting off till the new year, why not start now? There's plenty of time left in THIS year to accomplish much! I think perhaps that's the reason folks don't like Autumn....they see it as time to give up! I see it as a THREE MINUTE WARNING! There's still time and plenty of it.  Savor these days as they grow shorter, get some candy to give Trick- Or-Treaters, hit some charity Fall Bazaars, make the first pot of vegetable soup of the chilly season, bask in the glory of another year. This is the Harvest Season....harvest your dreams, your wishes, your hopes, your wants, your needs, and re-assess their places of importance. Find out what things you can put away for this year, things you might need to carry over till next and compliment yourself on what has been accomplished.
Slow down with the pace of Autumn! Enjoy the splendid beauty of such a wonderful season.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE AUTUMNAL WORDS AND PHRASES:  cinnamon, wood smoke, ground coffee beans, fluffy blankets, crackly leaves, fresh baked bread, pumpkin, Brunswick Stew, sweet potatoes, pine resin, snuggly pajamas, comfy slippers, my big mug, warm oatmeal, Thanksgiving Dinner, football games, walks in the woods, lazy Saturday mornings, board games, gatherings of friends, State Fair, first frost, fireplaces, cut logs, fresh hay, and family...those are for starters! What are some of your favorites? I'm sure you have a list too!

Here's wishing you all a WONDERFUL Harvest Season and thank you for stopping by!
I'll see you soon, I'm sure!!!
Make Yours A Beautiful Life!
With love from Annie