Daily Notes- Saturday. November 15th. Sunshine here and 35 degrees.

Okay, images of Winter Seed Sowing...  top image is of seeds (way more than needed) on top of a nice potting soil mix...second photo is of the MANY seedlings produced over the Winter.  Notice the little weed seedlings between the bricks??????  This might be how the idea was discovered.

NOW...when I was teaching I always suggested using clear plastic milk bottles.  With the top half cut open with a hinge uncut so the top could be folded back giving you space for the seed sprinkling. Also making it easier for snow, rain and sleet to moisten the soil and the seeds.  I'm not even sure those exist in these days of recycling.  But the black plastic pots are just as nice.

You sprinkle the seeds on the soil and then put the pots out on the back deck or the front walkways or up against the house or foundation or where ever they won't get knocked over.... but will get some Sun and will get rained on or snowed on.  No need to check on them.......unless you worry about some animals knocking them over.....????

We usually were growing perennials.  Plants that came back year after year all on their own...  Seeds and seedlings that have more gumption regarding staying alive in unpleasant weather.   Herbs?  Yes.

Okay the Master Gardener in me is finished for the day.....

No British Soccer on USA Today... Gigantic Bummer.  I have books and I once again.....travelled to t the sewing room looking for a certain color of fabric with black dots......as FATE would have it- the light brown with tan dots was actually a much better choice........for ONLY one specific square....but one is better than NONE.

I made Rhubarb Strawberry Jam yesterday using the frozen fruit, sugar and water.  Set it to simmer gently for a long time..... some pectin would have helped but...all fruit has some in its DNA so...it looks and tastes great.
 

Daily Notes from Coastal Maine- sunshine and 42 degrees. All the snow melted.

 I was interested in these small items.  At one time I had a hand carved collection of these...it was fun until I needed stitches.  One knife slip and...well, not fun.  ER visit. Stitches on fingers- very painful.

And I had places and pages to add little stamp images... it's fascinating and sad to see how narrow my Life is now.  And how open and full of things it once was......now everything is boxed up and well, Life goes on.....and then it's over.

Today is Grocery and Library Day.....  I haven't ordered any books...from other Libraries.  I still have some from last week that I haven't read as yet....and the bookcase is full so there is always something. To Read. I am keeping the two Lipman books for another week....like having some extra dark chocolate stashed.

The Black Fly count is diminishing.  I had five or six the day before yesterday and then none (or one) I can't recall.   I watched NEWS....OMG...... I had to stop.....  "hell in an hand basket"...I did LOVE watching him sleep thru a meeting .....on camera.

Daily Notes for Thursday November 13th. Cloudy and Damp here in Maine,

 I think this might be a ZEN FOOD CHART.   Oats, eggplant, beans, and tofu.

It's also the last of the new images in the right hand side of the screen where I keep things..... had a second chance at the one slow moving black fly of the day (so far). Got it.  FIFTEEN YESTERDAY. Yes, 15 flies yesterday - an all time high...

I accidentally watched some news out of Washington DC.  Super big mistake.

1.  I had to wait to see the newspaper to know what day of the week it was.....losing my grip.

2.  No Soccer.....Law and Order episodes get deleted as soon as I recall the episode details.... I've watched them all so many times..... I watched 15 minutes of Karate Kid.  Then moved on to Hallmark and  The Angel Tree- GAG.  And then I turned off the TV and started in on Ms Demeanor by Elinor Lipman.  I was super happy to have two Lipman books back to back.  Every Tom, Dick and Harry was a delight.  And I always love Ms Demeanor.

3.  I went into the mostly destroyed Fabric Room- tubs are everywhere etc.  I can get them off the shelving but no way can I lift them back up..... I was looking for a specific color and pattern ...I knew I had that particular fabric in every color variation it was printed in..... I did find yellow.  And eventually pink. I also have it in pale blue and dark blue... and a very lovely pale green.. and a dark green. If I work hard enough I will just make a pile of this particular fabric on the shelf....not in a tub.... and then in a tub when I finish this project....at the pace I am going..that will be never.  I have to make several of each color....sign... I have already run out of a particular  fabric that looked fantastic in the first square I made.  I have enough to add it to one or possibly two more squares...then I have to find something else.

4.  The  prompt for this project was using up what I have and actually like working with.  Dots.  I was tempted to just make the finished square (3) into potholders....but I noticed the gifted ones- are still in pristine condition in the homes they went to.......not used.  The ones in my house get dirty.   This would all be finished if I used the sewing machine....I am hand sewing because I actually prefer it.

Daily Notes for Wednesday, November 12th,

 No time or patience to add a photo.

1.  The Dead Fly totals... Sunday -Eight   Monday - Thirteen . Tuesday- Eight. Wednesday (today) so far.. Five...day is young.  Son read something about a bowl or cup with apple cider vinegar...the flies are attracted and etc.... so Cold Weather Black Flies in the House is "a thing".  Not just ME.

2.   I have the heat going and warming the large spaces up a bit....I have on a fleece pullover- daughter gave me two- she bought for herself and then didn't like them....not loose enough.  I'm not fond of the colors. (fruit pop)- but they are warm and light weight.  And V-neck collars so nothing tight around my neck. Do not like that.  I read it's a "past life " thing.  Creepy.

3.  I managed to get the recycling collected before going to bed....  For this morning.

4.  I have sorted piles of cloth strips for the making of more squares.....I just NEED something good to watch on TV while I SEW.  The Blue and Purple piles have the most likely probability of a really EXCELLENT SQUARE.  Though the orange pile is looking pretty great also.   The Pink pile needs significant additions- weak as it is now. but I have plenty of magenta in the tubs.

5.  I have over a dozen Law and Order episodes lined up in the TiVo.  I watched 10 minutes of two of them and deleted both. Then stopped as once I get in the delete mode- I am not responsible for my choices. ( I'm in a NEGATIVE MIND SPACE right now) I did watch two Hallmark Christmas Movies....all the way thru....some gagging but not as much as usual.

6.  A CATALOG arrived in the mail yesterday...I was BEYOND EXCITED.  I used to get so many and lots of them were cooking related.....the one I got yesterday was okay...not great...but just getting it was so WOW. LLBean no longer sends me catalogs....which is sad.... I'd like a Cooking Supply Catalog- even though I own so much already.   Well, that it from here in Maine this morning...we had some snow on the ground from overnight. But now the grass is green again.

7. Managed to change channels at the exact right time for the very end of Sixteen Candles.  I love the end of that movie when she points to herself and says "me?" and he nods "yes, you!!!"