Weekending 10/14/24

 Good Morning!

How are you?  I know it's a holiday for many folks.  Indigenous People Day...or as we always called it, Columbus Day.  This is the week that Fletch and I would often target to go to Vermont.  Typically you could count on it being peak time for the leaves changing.  I think that time frame may have changed.  Our leaves are finally changing and they are gorgeous!  I've seen some brilliant trees while out running errands (but too much traffic to stop and take a picture).

As it turns out I am going away this week...but not with Fletch and not to Vermont (sadly).  Instead a friend and I have rented an AirBnB for a couple of days in Rehobeth Beach, DE.  I am looking forward to getting away and am not taking my laptop.  I'll be away from blogging and reading blogs for a little bit.  I am packing knitting and stitching and reading.  I'm hoping for some beach walks, maybe finding a museum to wander through, etc.

Meanwhile, how was your weekend?  Mine was very nice.  Fletch and I headed out on Friday morning to drop our ballots off in Creamery (at the 4-H Center) and then we headed to Ott's to look for pumpkins and gourds.  I wish I had taken a picture at the nursery - there were TONS of all different kinds of pumpkins and gourds, but I was too busy filling a wagon with things we bought.

These are the two we bought for our front step.  I love the green "goose-like" one.

A good part of Saturday was spent cooking.  I discovered that one of our supermarkets now sells venison!  So, despite the warming temps, a big pot of venison chili was made.  (Bonny - I was thinking of you!!)  And, it turned out delicious!

There were no kidney beans around, but I had soaked overnight a package of cranberry beans from Rancho Gordo.  Plenty left over to freeze and to have some in the frig for leftovers.

This was Sunday morning!

So close!  Reminded me of our cat Maestro who was sure the deer were her friends.  Mabel doesn't seem too worried by them, though when this deer moved even closer, she got up and scooted under the picnic table.

Today I have some errands to run and I need to pack for my little get-away.  I will see you back here possibly at the end of the week, or next Monday.  Have a great week!

Unraveled Wednesday 10/9/24

 Hello Everyone,

Happy Hump Day and Happy Unraveled Wednesday.  I was up and out early this morning as Mabel had her annual physical at 8 a.m.  I'm happy to report that they found her not only beautiful but also very healthy.  She now weights 8.9 lbs...up from 8.7 lbs a year ago.  If only my weight gain could be as minimal!  LOL

Meanwhile, send your healing juju Marcel's way.  He had been throwing up a lot and having diarrhea and then not eating...turns out he has a cancerous tumor.  He is now on steroids and starting an anti-cancer drug (i.e., chemo therapy).  They will also be administering B-12 shots to help build up his energy.  He has already improved...is eating and a bit more active, but it's a long road ahead for him.  Luckily Talbot is doing fine.

And, I am pretty sure I pulled a deer tick off of my arm this morning.  There was a black "spot" on my arm and it would not come off with my finger...I got out tweezers and yanked it off...blood and all.  Yuck!  I'm waiting for a text from CVS telling me a prescription is ready to pick up.  I contracted Lyme disease a few years ago, so I will always test positive.  I don't want to take any chances with getting it again!

Meanwhile, as already mentioned, it is Unraveled Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.  Fortunately there has been no unraveling.  On the other hand, not a lot of knitting.  BUT, Tapped Maple Sock #1 is finished and the second one has been started.

I'm a little more than a third of the way down the leg.  It's just plain knitting, but I have not had much time to devote to this sock.  

Reading has been good!  I finished Leonard and Hungry Paul a few days ago.  What a delightful book.  I know it will not be for everyone.  It is not compelling or fast paced.  Not a whole lot happens, but it is nice.  Everyone in the book is nice.  It is a book that, if you read it, will just make you feel good.  

A bunch of books came in for me at the library and I started The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl.  For some reason I was expecting another Ruth Reichl memoir with recipes, but this is not that.  Rather it is a novel (just as the title indicates...duh).  And, it is good.  A fun read and there are lots of descriptions of food.  I started this yesterday and read about 60 pages, so a fast read.  Which is good, because Intermezzo is another book I picked up.  I'm not sure what to expect (I've never read anything by the author), but I'm looking forward to getting into this next "Read With Us" selection.

Fletch and I finished listening to In True Face which was just ok...kind of boring in a lot of places.  But now we are reading Clear after dinner and what a great read it is!!  Has anyone read anything else by Carys Davies?  I'm so impressed with her writing.

Lastly, I finally got to making sauce with our tomatoes yesterday afternoon.  We have not had it yet, but the house smelled wonderful and I did sneak a couple of tastes...yummy!  Garden tomatoes, peppers and garlic along with some mushrooms, onions and left over grilled sweet and hot sausage.

We will have some of this tomorrow night.  Tonight Colin is coming over to help Fletch with a couple of things and we will be grilling lamb chops.  I'm planning to make an apple galette as well.

Fletch has an appointment at 10 and I have some errands to run, so I'd best get moving.  I need another cup of coffee.  Hope your week is going well!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 10/8/24

 Hello Friends,

I hope your week is going well.  Mine is.  Though, Fletch came home from the dentist's office with a whopping bill!  (Plus the bill for someone else...). It seems that our Medicare Advantage plan is slow to pay dental bills.  It may also be the fault of the dentist's office.  Something for me to work on.  Later.

Meanwhile, it's Tuesday and time for a Tiny Needle update.  The Blessing from Examplars From the Heart is coming along nicely.  It's a big piece with a lot of solid stitching, but it is proving to be fun.  Here's a snap from yesterday:

The tree now has all of the leaves on it.  A second cat has been added as well as a pumpkin and a sunflower.  The beginnings of the fence on the bottom left can be seen and the roof has had a few more rows added.  Most importantly, the left side border and bottom border met up with no problem!  Here's hoping the other corners work out nicely too.  There's enough going on to keep this interesting.

I've a busy morning ahead of me, so I'd best grab a second cup of coffee and get moving.  Have a wonderful day!

Weekending 10/7/24

Good Morning One and All,

How are you this fine Monday morning?  I am doing well.  A bit groggy - not yet fully awake, but doing well nonetheless.  How was your weekend?  Mine was a nice quiet one.

Starting Thursday (because I'm retired, my weekend can start any time!  hahaha).  We put the final piece in the 299 cats and a dog puzzle.  

 It wasn't as hard as it looks.  We took it over to Colin & Mailing's that evening and I think they will try it without the border pieces which should make it a little more difficult.

I also baked some banana bread on Thursday - knowing we were heading to C&M's that evening I wanted to take half of it to them.

This was a new-to-me recipe that called for espresso powder in the batter as well as chocolate chips and walnuts.  It was finished with a maple glaze.  C&M and F all liked it.  I did not.  I now realize that I am not a fan of chocolate chips in banana bread (I know that is a scandalous opinion, but there you go).

Fletch and I got our Covid booster shots on Friday (no reaction on my part...Fletch had a sore arm for a few days).  Next up we need to get the Tdap vaccine.  Colin has been pestering reminding us that we need to get that before the baby is born.  My last Tdap was in 2013, so I'm due and Fletch last had one in 2006, so he is way over-due.

My weekend included reading, stitching and knitting, so that made it a good one.  I received notice that both Clear and Intermezzo are waiting for me to pick them up at my library.  When it rains it pours!  Intermezzo is the next selection for the Read With Us group and we will not be discussing it until January...so not sure I want to read it now...the way my memory is (or isn't) I may not remember it!  But, I can always get it again.

Fletch did a bit of garden clean up (taking down the cucumber trellis and spreading some top soil).  The large raised bed is ready for garlic planting.  Meanwhile, tomatoes keep coming in fast and furious!

I may make sauce today since there is left over hot and sweet sausage that Fletch grilled last night.  And, I will need to get out and pick some greens for a salad tonight (steamed mussels, salad and garlic bread is tonight's menu - YUM).

Enough rambling!!  Time to pour a second cup of coffee and see if I can wake up a bit.  I hope your weekend was lovely and that your week is off to a good start - enjoy!!

Unraveled Wednesday 10/2/24

Good Morning Friends,

Isn't that a pretty Mum?  Fletch picked that up on one of his outings the other week and as time has moved on the mum has changed a bit.  It kind of went dormant or something when Damon & Peggy were here.  After they left it perked right up again and now the colors are intensifying somewhat.  I love it!  Fletch picked up two others as well - a brilliant purple and a burnt orange, but the deer have munched on both of those...

Here we are at the first Wednesday in October and it is time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.  Two subjects dear to my heart.  Once again my making has been more on the stitching side of things (see yesterday's post) and less on the knitting.  My poor Semplice Shawl has seen no love in almost 2 weeks.  I'm enjoying it...but I'm just not knitting on it right now.  The first Tapped Maple sock is almost finished.  About 15 more rows on the BIG foot and then I will start the toe decreases.

As for reading, I finished North Woods by Daniel Mason and absolutely loved it!  What a unique and interesting and fun book.  It certainly will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was great.  I picked up Leonard and Hungry Paul from the library and have started that.  As everyone who has read it says, it is just a nice book!

An interloper just arrived at the office front window feeder.  I heard a terrible racket - much louder than the normal birds flying in and this is what I saw:

Yes, Mr. Squirrel has come calling.  Mabel will not like this!  Nor will Fletch (as said squirrel was hanging on to the siding at one point).

He did not even move when I knocked on the window!!

Time for me to pour another cup of coffee.  Hope your Wednesday is a delightful one!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 10/1/24

 Good Morning My Friends,

How are you?  I'm a bit stiff - I woke up chilly and that always makes me stiff.  It will ease up as the coffee warms me.

The first Tuesday of October and it's time for a TNT update.  The Blessing by Vilma Becklin is continuing to expand!  More of the roof was stitched (still more roof to come), a lot of the tree on the left and most (not all) of the leaves.  Plus the addition of the first cat!

This is such an addictive stitch for me.  One, I really like the design and two, the silk threads are a joy to use.  Fortunately multiple applications of hand cream has helped stop the thread from snagging on my rough hands!

Yesterday we were having spaghetti with clam sauce for dinner.  I went out to the garden to get some parsley...got that plus one fig and then saw the tomatoes.  I went back with the gathering basket:

More large tomatoes are ripening each day.  I need to make some sauce or some ratatouille or something!

Fingers crossed we may be away from the drizzle we've had for days on end.  The sun came out yesterday afternoon and this morning looks a bit brighter!

What are you up to today?

Catching Up 9/30/24

 Good Morning!

The last day of September!  How is that possible?  I enjoyed my little break away from the computer and I sure hope everyone is ok and weathered the storms without incident.

Fletcher's brother Damon and his wife, Peggy, arrived Monday afternoon and we had such a nice time.  We took a short walk along the canal (and did see a blue heron in flight!) and then had lunch out.  

Two brothers

 Tuesday night Colin & Mailing came over for dinner and then a fire in the pit.  Unfortunately Damon & Peggy left early Wednesday after receiving a call that Peggy's grandson had been in a horrible car accident while on his way to work.  They live out in the country, but Carson was taken to Norfolk General where there is a trauma unit and he has been in the trauma ICU ever since.  Peggy has been keeping us updated - Carson is now breathing on his own and the MRIs show no spinal damage at all.  Still, it will be a slow and long recovery period.

The rest of our week was quiet.  We did not get the major rains from Helene, but it has been misty and rainy all week.  Everything feels damp and clammy.  I'm not complaining...we were fortunate not to be hit and we need the rain.  I did manage to do some knitting and stitching and reading.  We also started a different jigsaw puzzle since it was too crappy to be outside.

The border pieces are huge, but the balance of the pieces are mid- to very small in size.  The title of the puzzle is 299 cats and a dog!

Friday's mail brought my October Sock Squad yarn from The Farmer's Daughter.  Love these colors!

The colors are not right in this photo (thank you grey, damp morning) - the large skein is really blue and the smaller one is more like a rust color.  Very pretty together.

So, what have you all been up to?  I trust that everyone is well and gearing up for a wonderful Fall!