The Day Before December

Art by Este MacLeod
From ArtPropelled

Christmas Cactus.  Which looks rather regal in this art work.  I rather like it.

I am sitting here wrapped in my Magical Shawl (thin but oh, so warm), sipping cold coffee, finishing off eating a Brownie and waiting for parsnips and carrots to roast for SOUP.  My morning Suduko puzzle didn't go far.  I made a mistake.  Too many fours.  I am starting a puzzle each morning to exercise my brain.  My brain is in need of exercising.  I haven't gotten more that ¼ done with any of the puzzles.  Of course, I have never done well with the morning newspaper puzzle.  I should look for my book of puzzles. I was more successful with them.

A few of you have added a new post to your blogs this morning and I enjoyed reading about your "doings"...they seem so interesting and my life seems so dull.

My day at work yesterday was......tedious.  But there were high spots.  I selected my Christmas Tree.  My impression at the time of purchase was that it was beautiful.  We'll see if that was correct when G brings it home later today in the pickup.  The artificial wreaths are up on the front porch. They, all three, need new strings of lights.  A visit to Target later today and then I will have to take off the old strings of lights and put on the new.  I'm not even sure the porch is visible from the street anymore.  The shrubs in the island in front of the porch have gotten TALL.  Need pruning.

I did quite a bit of "good work" at work.   So, that is satisfying.  I got to check in the warehouse pallet of garden center goods.  Break down boxes, etc.  Work where you can see your progress.

In the sewing room I have sewn patches together into 2's and then into 4's and today into 16's.  For potholders.  Christmas ones.  Connie sent me a very cute charm pack last Christmas and I am using it this Christmas to make gifts for my favorite people.  I am auditioning backsides for the patchwork from my closet of fabric.  Plenty to choose from.

I try to work on a fabric project--like every other day.  One day sew and then next day iron.  And then there are days when I am up "shopping" in the fabric closet and then in the fabric bins.  Trying to "find" something that stays lost.  Like the potholder thermal special fabric so you don't burn your hands.  Took many, many trips upstairs and I "found" it on my work table--downstairs.

Oh---big news.  Three of the new radiators are installed in the two bathrooms and the entrance hallway.  Installed but not connected to the furnace.  We thought that would happen today.  But there was something more urgent for the plumber to be doing.  So now, I can use the bathroom and rest my hand on the new radiator.  The cold radiator.  Which, I hope, someday in 2017 will be warm to the touch.

Well, the parsnips and carrots look golden brown and delicious so I will start making soup.  And for G, who doesn't like parsnips, I will be making a second pot of soup--chicken.  We finally finished all the Thanksgiving leftovers.

I have three books on the table to read.  Will let you know which one I decide on.

The After Turkey Day Post

I cooked my Turkey this way.  Removed the backbone, flattened the bird.  My turkey was bow legged, with it's knees pointing out not in.  The 30 minutes at 425 really smoked up the oven. In the end this New York Times recipe was a FAIL.  The bird tasted "off" and no one at the table wanted to eat any after the first bite.  Could have been the olive oil.

But it was very pretty, the skin was crispy on top. Looked exactly like the picture at the top of this post--which is the NYT picture from their website.  But pale and wet on the underside.

Everything else was wonderful.  The pumpkin pie turned out to be spectacular.  The crust was flaky and tender.

We have been eating leftovers since then.  I stopped on the way home from work on Friday to pick up a half deli roasted turkey breast.  From now on--that's the only way we'll be eating Turkey. Live and learn.

I clicked on something in someone's blog post and got a 28 day NYT subscription.  Not to everything. Just some things.  For other more interesting stories--I would have to actually "subscribe".  I am enjoying having these free posts to read while I am having lunch at work. The free trial subscription should last until my last day at work.  For the season.  Then I have three months to decide if I want my "leaving" to be permanent.

I did my best to get the unripened green figs to soften (with a ripe banana under plastic) and made 3 pints of fig preserves today.  Before the football.  The preserves looked good (I usually run the figs, sugar and water mix thru the Vitamix once the sugar melts.  It's hot and dangerous to do this but other wise it's fig chunks and sugar.  Not that wonderful.  Once it goes thru the Vitamix it's brown and flecked with the no longer pink insides of the figs.  Looks exactly like the professional stuff we buy.

G likes fig preserves.  And I like having something to show for all the weeks and months of watering and fertilizing those two fig trees in pots.  I lost count of how many times the wind blew them over. I also lost count of how many days we moved the trees into and out of the garage when nights were colder than fig trees like.  Right now they are in the upstairs bedroom with the heat at 45 degrees and they have been pruned to short branches.  In the Spring I will pull them out of their pots and root prune them and give them the fertilizer they need.  And let them leaf out again.

Someday, when Maine (where I live) becomes a zone 6 growing environment--and with the way things are going--it might be next year--the fig trees will be planted in the ground.  Fend for themselves.  Wednesday, the 29th of November it's supposed to be 50 degrees and sunshine.  Right here in Maine.

Art & Emotion & Memory

Art by Anne Patay from ArtPropelled.

Often, late at night, when I am too awake to be able to go to sleep----I open Art Propelled and look at ART.  I have a sketch book handy and pencils and pens.  I should include pastel crayons.  And I make a drawn "note" to myself on some combination of color, line or emotion that I notice.  This "bird" spoke to me and I am reminded of how long I looked at it before reaching for the sketchbook.

I think (know) I could look at this artwork for the rest of my life and still not see it enough.

I am reading Grafton's Y.  Nearly finished. PBS tonight starting with Father Brown.  I don't know if our Patriots are playing today.  I know the game is in Mexico but can never figure out WHY. Or why they play in London for that matter.

I am doing two loads of laundry.  One is drying and the other rinsing by the sound of it.  I have to remind myself to sew a ripped section of my work sweatshirt.  The front pocket.  I kept losing my scissors yesterday.  A morning and afternoon Boxwood Tree class yesterday.  I wasn't teaching but did help with cleanup.  Boxwood smells like cat pee.

I somehow agreed to work three days next week.  Black Friday was added to my week. Not that we have anything on sale. But the Christmas Trees are in and all of the Poinsettias will arrive Wednesday.  I was asked if I had the Point's MAP ready.  I usually make index cards with placement  of the colors and different varieties and then staple them to the tables.  I guess no one else can write on index cards or staple.  If it wasn't so ridiculous--it would be funny. So..that will be my Wednesday.

Raining today but 50 degrees.  An hour's drive west and it's in the 20's and blizzard conditions.  Snow.  So I am driving because it's only rain.  To the supermarket to buy things for Thanksgiving dinner.  Before the weather shifts and we have snow.  

I want to work on the abstract fabric work on my easel.  But I have wanted it to have a name.  Stormy keeps coming up.  But Stormy what?  Sigh.

Dark Again with Rain

At work, it's Christmas.  But at the grocery, it's Thanksgiving.

We are making and decorating wreaths at work.  Like Santa's Helpers.  I wish we were making ones like this but ours are "less wild".   I, personally, like a wild and stormy wreath that looks like it collected it's berries and cones in the wind.  Not on wired picks.

I have a new read--Grafton's Y.  It was on the 7 day shelf.  Yippee.  I finished Still Life by Louise Penny and realized that I had READ it that first time around.  I was positive when Gamache fell down the basement stairs and broke his leg and Clara was thinking there were snakes slithering around on the floor.  It was a very deja vu experience reading that first book again.  It foretells all of the drama and sadness to come in the future novels.  Like having your fortune told.

I am trying to recover from my day at work yesterday.  Too much standing in one spot doing the wreaths.  And then cleaning up which includes "sweeping" which is TERRIBLE for my breathing.

My Wednesday co-workers have decided to have "treats" next Wednesday (pre-Thanksgiving cheer) and I am making 1970"s style Rum Balls.  I looked up recipes and think I have a good one but needed ½ cup of Rum.  So I went to the liquor store and bought two small "Nips" instead of a whole bottle.
The rum I got is from Barbados.  Bacardi didn't come in the little bottles.

These little bottles are quite cute.  Too bad they are the "tipple of choice" for most of the alcoholic homeless population here in my Town.

I did do mending on my black shawl on Tuesday at Art Co-op.  And one of the others mentioned adding a thin gold thread line winding around/through the new patch.  That was an excellent suggestion--just the thing it needed to "fit in".

I am thinking we'll be having a very toned down Thanksgiving next week.  Turkey Breast not a whole bird.  Sweet potatoes and baked acorn squash (daughter loves it).  Some sort of green vegetable. The cognac/orange cranberry sauce.  And of course stuffing and gravy.  I often make mashed white potatoes also.  As to the dessert--last year daughter brought a spice cookie/Cool Whip thing and it was quite delicious.  I may suggest she make it again.

Last year I walked with my friend on Thanksgiving morning.  Not so long ago.  It seems like forever ago.  I miss our conversations.

Garden Moon

It's always dark.  Well, it seems that way to me these days.  And cold.  Snowing.  Very light tiny flakes.  Melting on contact with the Earth.

The Holiday Open House at work was fine.  Good coffee.  Took most of Sunday to recover my energy.  And that's what bothers me.  One day at work and then needing to rest the day after just to get back to normal levels of energy.

By doing only one step at a time--I managed to finish another baby quilt top.  One day two tiny  squares sewn together (machine).  Press.  Next time a set of two sewn to another set of two.  Press. The next time (days in between) I sewed four fours together.  And then, after another few days, I sewed all the 16's together to make the center.  Took awhile to choose a first border.  And even longer (much searching in the attic storage boxes) to find the outer, wider border.  Daughter finally chose.

Now it's pressed and in it's envelope.  Ready to fly off to Connie.

I have no plans to make anything else other than some Christmas Pot Holders with the Charm Pack the same Connie sent me last Christmas.  I like making Christmas items at Christmas not other times of the year.  I have a few bits of my own fabric to co-ordinate with the Charm Pack.  Very Cute.  Should be FUN.

Reading.  One book in print and another unpublished and still in re-writes.  Both good reads. Now I am going to attempt Louise Penny's first Gamache mystery.  Still Life.  I tried it years ago and found it deadly dull.  But now that I have read (and enjoyed) all the following books--I am thinking I might as well try it again.

I have a work on the easel.  Abstract.  It has no name.  I refuse to move forward until it either has a name or I take all the bits off and start over.  Someone said it reminded them of Lake Superior. I've never seen Lake Superior (in this life) so I have no idea.  And than was before more bits got added.

I have no idea what we will be eating tonight.  Freezer and fridge are still empty.  I had hoped insurance would send me a check.  Nope.

Riley is taking a nap--I think he has a good idea and will join him in a short snooze.

Hard Frost: Winter Appears

The hard frost came overnight and this morning my head hurts.  Like a sinus headache or a hangover. Daughter appeared to drop off a table top wooden easel for my fabric work or even a painting if I feel inclined.  Very nice gift.  She found it at the G-Town Dump.

Then we went into the ice frosted garden to dig up chipmunk chewed carrots for the chickens.  Also the collard greens and the last of the kale.  Hungry chickens.  Now daughter is worrying about them during the Winter.  She worries.  Born that way.  Same as me. I saved my celery the day before. Thinking ahead.

The table and chairs are looking better each passing day.  G is wanting  something larger.  I keep saying I want this.  Eventually he will stop asking.  Get used to having SPACE all around him, sun shining etc.

A friend from my quilting days asked to borrow my Round Robin quilt and Bev's.  I told her that everything had gotten packed and was now "lost" but that I would search.  I found mine.  Had a heart stopping search for Bev's.  And then found it.  Had fallen off the pile of antique quilts onto the floor.

Friend and I looked at the two.  Bev's is so beautiful.  The six of us did a row on each of the quilts.  They began with a block we made for ourselves.  Bev's is so beautiful because we all loved her.  We wanted to do our best work for her.  I guess I went all out.  Mitered corners.  Hand appliquéd leaves on a Baltimore styled vine with roses in the corners.  The quilt lay across the top of her coffin.  I cried.  Am crying as I type.

My quilt is also beautiful.  Both were hand quilted by Bev.  Mine and hers.  She asked to quilt it for me.  I said yes, please.  

So, perhaps that's why my head hurts.  Too many memories coming hard and fast and then the tears.

I made some sugar free jello.  Raspberry.  Later I will make a third pan of cornbread using corn grits. That's three pans in about two weeks.  Ten days?  Old recipe from the Grist Mill where I bought corn meal back in the day.  I still have two servings of the German Lentil Soup.  Also leftovers of Thanksgiving turkey.  It's a very simplified meal.  A deli turkey half breast, packaged gravy mix, Stove Top dressing, baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.  Delicious and served once a week until G's birthday--he was born on Thanksgiving Day way back in the Dark Ages.  I'm thinking it would be excellent served on Thanksgiving day as well.  Just for the three of us.

I am planning to make pumpkin whoopee pies for G.  With cream cheese buttercream filling.  We can set a candle in each.  Festive.

Well, I think I will take two Tylenol and then meander off to the sewing machine and sew my Depression Era-esk blocks into something like a rectangle and then think about borders.  Get on with the work at hand.  Then the cornbread.

Living Small Has Great Appeal

There is too much room here.  Too many places to "put" stuff.  If there was less room for things, I could possibly have less?  Would that be feasible? Or perhaps just have less.  In a large space.
My daughter already says my bedroom is looking austere.  I am giving things away.

I have a dream.  That I actually dream.  When I am feeling over whelmed (like now).  I dream that I become a wanderer.  Just one room I call home. Far from what I had called home.  Just a bed.  Perhaps one table. One chair. One cup.  One bowl.  Always white.  Everything white.

What did Thoreau write?  One chair for solitude.  Two for company.  Do I want company?  Yes. But only some of the time. So, perhaps two of everything.

Thoreau had paper and I write here, on air.  What would he think?  Air is too much company?

I can feel change coming.  I have no idea what it will be, but I think I need to change. I need to stop doing things the way I am and change myself again.  Like an every ten years cleanse of the personality and habits.  Shedding one life and creating another.

What to keep and what to let go.

 (G and I) took apart and carried the long, wide table (10 or 12 feet long and 40 inches wide) out of the dining/family room.  Unscrewed it.  The heavy wide board table top is in the garage and the rest (legs, sides) is out on the front porch waiting to be broken up.  G will possibly use the  table top boards to make other things.

Instead, we brought down from the attic the very first piece of furniture we bought as young married people.  A round rattan table and four rattan chairs with caned seats.

Why?  Because when our son was visiting and the four of us sat around the table---- the big table wasn't conducive to the old days.  When we sat around that round rattan table to play cards, yahtzee or just eat a meal together.  The big rectangular table wasn't cozy. Wasn't family.

I said, one evening, that I was thinking about that rattan table and chairs.  And G said right away--  let's bring it down.  So, it's now in the center of a very large (not austere) space.  Cozy.  Looking like it always should have been there.  And it makes me so very happy to see it there.  Bringing back so many good memories of our first apartment in Georgia when the table and four chairs was ALL the furniture we had--(making payments every week).  Until distant family took pity on us and gave us an old bed.  Lord, we were poor. And yet we were so happy.  Together.

That table and chairs brings it all back to me.  Living really small (smile).

Big Rain, Wind, Power Outages

I've been missing.  Electricity.  How on Earth did we live without it for hundreds of years??? Well, we made do the first day with candles, the little burner on the gas grill and a generator heating water and keeping the fridge and freezer cold.  Then the generator shorted out when "stupid me" heated water for tea with the hot pot and not the microwave.  Too much energy surge.  I knew better.

The the food in the fridge started thawing, G got a piece of food stuck somewhere past his lungs but not into his stomach.  That took awhile to get past.  Heimlick (spelling) didn't help much as it's for choking without air not what he had--he could breath.  And then the little book light started fading.  I couldn't read from 6 pm dark until morning.  Yes, yes, others suffered more.  I am just letting you know the trivial stuff.

So.  November.  My freezer is empty (all  the food is gone).  Some ice.  Finally got fresh milk and yogurt from the re-stocked grocery yesterday afternoon.  They had to get rid of all the fresh food in the stores.  Insurance reasons.  Still no produce to speak of. Restocking is slow. But there is bread again.

We got power back late on Tuesday.  Took a shower.  Did a load of washing.  Read my book.  The simple things in life.  Those who didn't get power on Tuesday night will be waiting until Saturday. That's a very LONG wait.  The sound of generators running was ....................... ugh.

Very big fallen trees still line the sides of roads.  Just pushed to the side so traffic could resume. Down the road from me a field of grass is covered in power lines and cracked poles.  On both sides of the road. There are no power crews.  End of the waiting line.  The crews are doing the work that has the most "bang"--getting more homes back up---and the lines with fewer residents wait till the end.

So.  I have missed reading your posts and learning of your news.  It's been solitary.  Power came back but phone service just arrived today.  Cell service is spotty.  My computer needed a reboot and my "page" was lost and needed re-building.  The plumber is making a short stop to see why we have no heat in the "old radiators" in the bedrooms.  So, still very cold at night here.  Fall is here.  Dark at 5 or 5:30.   The Dark Days as they were called in Germany.  Soon, it will be dark at 4pm.

I am starting a pot of soup for our supper.  And then I am going down to the office, turning on the desk lamp, turning on the sewing machine and stitching little patchwork squares.  But, before I do that--I may have some toast and make a cup of tea.

Electrician, Doctor, Diet & New Book

Doesn't this look good?  I am going to buy whatever it takes to make this.  Chili.  I even had the Taco Salad at Wendy's today after my Lung doctor visit.  My weight.  My weight & my lungs.  Who knew that one would affect the other?????  My chili may just be beans and sauce over the rice--with olives or avocado--sort of lower calorie.  I may even have packages of home made chili beans in the freezer from the Winter I started with dry beans and bags of dry chilies and made something--adding things, tasting etc until I arrived at something I liked.

So.

G is moving furniture into the master bedroom.  And the new mattress.  I am dragging my feet. I don't know why but I kind of like the bare minimum look.  The echo of feet on the wood floors.

The Electrician arrived and moved all the switches.  Found the sconce wiring in the beadboard wall in the dining room (lost for almost 4 years).

A new author and a new book The Lake by Lotte and Soren Hammer.  This is book 4 and I am going to try and "forget" plot spoilers regarding books 1, 2, and 3 which I have NOT read.  Another Copenhagen setting.  I've been to Copenhagen and loved it.  The kids loved it also.  I need to find new authors as I have misplaced my book list.  Sigh.

Anyway--time for bed and my inhaler.   Oh, I also got a flu shot.  The high dosage one for lung
compromised elderly patients.  That's me.  That's G.  That's also our dog Riley (who didn't get a shot).

The New Normal Or Abi-Normal

We're having meatballs and marinara tonight and for the next few days.  When I cook (and it's not as often as I have done in the past) I cook a lot so we'll have stuff to eat for days.  When I was Elimination Food from my diet--I made meatballs and sauce quite often.  I could eat just meatballs. No pasta.  Some sauce.  Some cheese.

But that was then......and I have regained any weight I lost plus much more.  I seemed to have eaten my way thru renovation helped along by daily ice cream at Dairy Queen.  Oddly enough.  My clothes fit.  The scale says they shouldn't.

G and I tried and finally succeeded in setting up the traveling easel he purchased for me years and years ago.  The Jullian wooden box with legs from France.  Leather handles and carrying strap. (I see on the internet that it is no longer made in France but now in China and no longer as beautifully made)  It's been in many attics we have lived in.  Waiting.  We had to watch a YouTube video to figure it out. My "board" is now in the upright position and my newest cloth is pinned to it.  I have changed things, fabric, positions etc almost every time I walk past.  Still no name.  So, no stitch.

I am wanting to stitch. So much.

I cleared the area surrounding my sewing machine.  I found the brand new container of sewing machine oil.  I found the thread and pre-wound bobbins.  Now I just need to clear all the "maybe" fabrics, for the cloth on my easel, off the cutting board and cut four strips to add a thin border to a baby quilt top I am making and sending to you, Connie.  And, in addition, find the larger fabric piece that was going to be the wider outside border.  Attic?  Who knows.

G has asked me to help in the collecting (mower) of fallen maple leaves.  I am to dump them in a bag or carry them to the vegetable garden and add them to the beds--to compost and feed the soil.  We also have the maple leaves across the street in our neighbor's yard.  Got to get them up before the oak leaves start dropping.  They are terrible.  Not good for compost unless you have 10 years to wait for them to break down.  I don't know for sure, but in 10 years I'll be 81 and possibly not gardening too much anymore.  So....maple leaves.

I am currently wearing my pajamas.  so, I guess getting dressed is on my agenda.

Oh, I did manage to empty the freezers--the hall fridge and the kitchen fridge--of all the expired and frost damaged things.  Also all the unlabeled items.  Mysterious frozen rectangles.  Fruit that was no longer fruit.  Well, I think it was fruit.  All gone.  Now I feel like I can have a 'fresh start".  Early in the renovation I emptied the store cupboard of all the expired cans and bottles of things.

For once, I am feeling like I have the "upper hand" so to speak.  Now....leaves.

October- Warmest In Forever Here In Maine

Well, for those of you wanting to see something new on the design board--here it is.  I added a darker blue under the top edge of the painted fabric (light blue) and that has helped, but the phone is charging so no picture this morning.

This is the month I celebrate my "Blogversary".  I had intended to check the dates in the sidebar but will come back in after posting with the number of YEARS  (12) and 2273 Posts  The mind is a terrible thing to lose.

Somewhere between taking and sending three photos, shining up the stainless surface of my fridge with stainless cleaner/shiner and then washing off the stove......I forgot to remember to check the number of years.  I also had an important "stink bug" alert from the Master Gardener website.  G and I don't think the "stink bug" we are seeing is the "stink bug" they sent.  We also found, under leaves and branches of the weeping crab by the front steps ---a massive hornet's nest.  Empty with a big hole in it.  Yikes.  That could have been seriously dangerous.

It got down to 31 last night.  More frost on my car.  Which is parked outside because the fig tree is in my garage space.  Loaded with unripe figs.  I have my fingers crossed that they manage to get ripe. So many.  So large.  But today is going to be sunny and warm.  And in the days to follow, in the 70's.

Still no radiators.  Seems the plumber has rental units in Florida and in the last hurricane they slid off their foundations (?).  He had to go check on them and then decided to have a vacation.  Without notifying anyone.  I am not the only client who is angry.  Still no electrician.  He also has rental units in Florida.

Riley is still wearing his bandana around his neck with the pheromones to calm his anxiety.  Sleeps a lot.  Tried to push his way between me and the computer desk but gave up pretty quickly--usually it gets pretty testy between whomever is computing and the dog.  With whining and panting.

I have been cleaning out the fridge.  Doing it a little at a time.  Filling up a garbage bag and the compost bucket.  When I have what needs to go--out, I will remove the shelves and wash and dry them.  Go into the holidays with a clean fridge interior.  Blinded by the sparkle and shine. It's a big job and after it's over I have a whole load of towels and kitchen cloths to go into the washer. Plus the floor is usually wet and needs to be mopped.  And I will need a shower, clean, dry clothes and a nap.

Well, that's what is going on here.  Plus I have a large brown grocery bag (plastic is banned here) filled with peaches from my friend's tree.  MUST. DO. SOMETHING. WITH. THEM.  Made peach jam once--no one wants any of it.  So, not making peach jam.  Thinking I will peel and slice them and freeze for smoothies.  Won't matter in a smoothie if they turn brown (which they do).

Hey, A Big Thank You to everyone who reads this blog.  Some times I even get over a 100 "reads" on a post which makes me delirious with happiness.  Love you all!!!

Spooky House

My (visiting) son helped me renovate the Spooky House.  It's last outing (years ago) to the Town Library ended with a certain amount of damages.  A pile of loose parts on the flat roof and a written apology from library staff.

We (I) happened to have a small container of leftover bits and pieces in the cupboard-- enough to patch up the damages.  The glow comes from a short strand of red mini lights a double painting.  First a coat of a deep gold followed by a coat of a bright warm orange.  Most of the items on the surface were collected over a two or three year time period.  Halloween items are in short supply.  There are a number of skeleton's hanging from the ceiling (a garland of skeleton's was a very happy find) and a small rubber rat in the open doorway.

TJ Maxx, Big Lots, JoAnn's and our local salvage spot Marden's provided all the materials.  Under it all is a craft wooden dollhouse.  The Original House Idea was Martha Stewart's.  Her's was a gingerbread house.  I'm sure it's still available to view on her website--going back 10 to 15 years.  I originally made it out of a cardboard box.  So--very "doable" for crafty persons or children.

Happy Halloween Crafting if you decide to give this a try.

Bibbetty, Bobbetty, BOO!

Too much happening.  Son arriving this evening after flying cross country.  Cleaning of the house going on.  Carrying extra clutter up the stairs to the attic room.  Finally taking all the cardboard covering the new hardwood out of the master.  I even sorted my fabric scraps and (like choosing the favorite child) and kept only the ones I "think" I will need for the new work (in my quest to limit clutter).

It's humid here in Maine.  Like Florida.  Ick.  Raining, warm, damp, cloying.  G has taken the A/C units out and up into the attic.  Tomorrow it's supposed to hit 80 and of course, with all the damp Earth---it will be humid.

I carried the "Spooky House" I made out of a wooden dollhouse kit downstairs to display in the entrance hall for "the Holiday".  It needs repairs.  But I have a glue gun and plenty of TIME so I am going to try and do repairs.  Shingles have come off.  The plastic bones that surround the windows (as trim) didn't hold really well.  Other things got "picked" off while on display at the library in Town years ago.  The "picking" off of bones etc and candy (Gingerbread House) is why the two houses are no longer on display in public (when requested).

The lights inside make the walls glow blood red.  The red eyes of the RAT by the open door--glow. Inside I have a bag full of skeleton ornaments hanging from the "ceiling".  So "spooky".  Love it.

Pictures here tomorrow or the next day--after repairs.

The new mattress set will be delivered on the 24th.  Sigh.  I didn't plan on that.  So we had to go emergency shopping for an inflatable bed.  I'm hoping our son won't mind.  It's that or sleep on one of the couches. His choice.

When the new mattress set arrives we'll be set up with two bedrooms with king beds.  And, because that is how things work, will NEVER have need for guests sleeping over.  It was that way for years--so we gave the guest room queen to our daughter.  Yep.  And I had a sewing room.  Now I don't and we don't and that's life.

I've been eating Twizzlers and need to STOP.  It's a very bad habit.  Halloween Candy.  Last year the neighbor gave me a neighborhood sized bag of Tootsie Rolls she had bought for Treat or Treat.  We have two 5 year olds living on our street.  I managed to eat them all while reading the entire Louise Penny series into the wee hours of night.  And then getting a new crown.  My friend had a half ton bag of "right" Twix.  And fed me four of them after the gin and tonic.  Sigh.  Halloween.

My daughter got me a book on dyeing fabric at home.  (spell check wrote "dating fabric")  She's bringing it with her when she comes to see her brother tomorrow.  (spell check "bother" not brother)
So.... I'm going back to my HOUSE WORK.  Bibbetty, bobbetty, BOO.

October Arrives: Still No Radiators

The Plumber has not come back, left a message or anything.  The new bathrooms do not have a heat source.  It's cold.  It's October.  And the two bath remodel is still not finished. Radiators.  Eight Months.  We do have lights over the sinks--but in the wrong place.  Will have to be fixed.

I visited my friend yesterday afternoon-- we picked October peaches.  We talked.  I colored her hair.
I missed the end of the Patriots game.  Which was a good thing, I guess.

This morning, before I even had coffee or my breakfast cereal, I went up to the attic to see if I could find pants in my "new size".   I seem to have eaten my way thru construction.  My second or third trip up and I discovered a box of pants under three or four boxes of G's stuff.  Pants.  In the extra large size.  Corduroy and mostly greens, mossy browns.  Getting hard to find at Goodwill now that most everyone is wearing leggings.  (!!!!)  I was super happy.  I also filled another bag with things I will never wear.  Someone else might enjoy them.

I have a new sketchbook.  Purchased this Spring.  I am making small "studies" in the book to prepare myself and my ideas for the next "little art piece".  Which will have a name from the start.  I have the book and a sharp pencil by my left elbow most of the time.  Ready when an idea strikes--like while watching News and an interesting pattern is observed behind the head of someone talking.

Our TiVo  "clicker" has stopped turning the television on/off and we can't change the volume level. (but thank goodness it was at a good level before the thing went wacky this time--last time it was very loud).  G spend most of Sunday trying to re program it and then called TiVo support.  In 10 days, a new remote will arrive.  The agent is "suspending the fee" for this....the third remote in 2 years.  This last one isn't even a year old. G asked the agent if they wanted us to send the old one back.  the agent said we could do "whatever we wanted with the remote......"  G and I have several ideas....  I wonder if the President has trouble with his TiVo remote.  Big T loves his TiVo.

I had a very good morning yesterday--bleaching fabrics to remove color.  I found a strange cut up scrap of black cotton that bleached to WHITE.  In splotches and dots.  EXQUISITE.  I mean I am mesmerized by the sight of it on the drying rack.  I also bleached some hand dyed quarters.  Added some character.  May go back into them with a darker tone.  Also bleached some commercial prints to see what would happen.  Nice things.  I have enough ideas and material now to make something new.

I LOVE black fabric bleached to white.  And it is rare to find any.  Most blacks bleach to orange or rust (I know because I buy small amounts and test them). I have a piece of black that I bleached many years ago and I use it sparingly and to the upmost advantage.  Having a new piece--even as small and irregular as it is--is a wonderful thing.  I imagine I could take a piece of white and paint it with black.  But I wouldn't get the randomness of the splattered bleach.

G and Riley are out on their daily walk.  The sun is shining.  I have plants that need to be relocated to the raised beds for the Winter ( native perennials we started from seed), tubers to dry out on the driveway before going into storage boxes (dahlias), and my containers to empty into the compost bins.  The petunias have been a delight this summer.  I also need to trim the geraniums to small stumps before they go up into the attic.  And pot up the Amaryllis for Christmas. And pull up all the tomatoes and other stuff.  Will leave the peppers.  Cover them to keep them warm.  Hope they have time to turn red.

Time to begin.

Cold Morning: Is Summer Finished?

This image is from ArtPropelled:archive and is by Catherine-White in the Rock Of The Day series. I think she collects the rocks, makes the ceramic cups and paints.  Canvas under the rock and cup is her work.  I am In Love with it. One of my favorite painted cloths is very similar to this cloth.  It's why I "collected" the image.  To remind myself that I AM a Painter.

At Work.  A full sized artificial Christmas Tree is up in the Gift Shop--with lights.  90 days prior to Christmas.  Too Soon?  Yes.

I have my Fall and Winter shawl on this morning.  Still wearing a summer short sleeve shirt.  But it's cold.  Well, colder than usual.  There is sun.  So I am hopeful things will warm up.  Which reminds me--I was going to try and paint over the strange symbol the original owner of this shawl discharged on the back of the shawl.  It's misleading.  Not my symbol.  So, I think, if it warms up enough, I will try and paint some black over the symbol.  Make it not so noticeable.  I'm not sure what the fabric is. Whether its "real" or synthetic but I am going with natural as it is difficult to discharge synthetic, I think.  It's soft, light and very warm to wear in the Winter.  One of the things I would grab first in an emergency exit from the house.  It can "be" anything.  Bathing suit coverup to warm shawl.

I am having to decide:  Read my book.  Watch television.  I cannot do both anymore.  Due to the new prescription in my glasses.  If I read for an hour (which is what happened with Glass Houses) then watching the television screen was good.  If I read my "Scarred Woman" by Adler-Olsen--and I find it hard to put down--- the television images are blurry and hard to focus.  I timed how long the effect lasts--- 3 to 4 hours (after reading for 2 or more hours) and my vision was still no good for television watching.  I had been reading for several hours in the afternoon.  By morning the effects had worn off.  My eyes had recovered.  But I am wondering if permanent damage could occur?  I may revert to my older glasses.  The only thing about them was my super near vision was crap--couldn't thread a needle or read the tiny print on medicine bottles.  Now I can read super-super fine print.

I have boxes (2) of ripe tomatoes on the kitchen floor.  I MUST decide to "do something" with them or compost them.  Fruit flies and gnats.  Infesting the kitchen.  This was the year when my tomatoes were very slow (to never) really getting started.  And somehow people gave me tomatoes.  They had far too many.  My zucchini never really was productive.  Managed to only grow "just enough" to make pickles twice or three times.  No extra for zucchini patties or zucchini butter or ratatouille which in previous summer I made at least three big batches..  None for zucchini fried in a pan--I ate that every single day last summer on the elimination diet.

So--in the records of garden successes--2017 goes down as a "not so good" but--I wasn't that interested in eating produce this summer.  No cucumbers equaled no thin sliced cucumbers in sour cream dill sauce.  I ate VATS of that in previous summers. Zero this year.  In fact, I have no memories of anything  I ate this summer.  Besides grocery store brownies.

I think I will go directly to the boxes and select the best of them and make a nice pot of tomato soup for G.  With cheesy dumplings.  Ones I make in a coffee cup just like Gramma.  Stir up the batter and drop into boiling water---dumplings.  From the Austria-Hungarian Empire.

If I even had the vaguest remembrance of how it was made--I would put on a pot of the cabbage carrot veal and pork stew by grandmother made especially for me served over boiled yeast bread dumplings.  Oh, gramma.  Why didn't we write these recipes down?????????

So, okay--- fresh tomato soup with basil from the garden.

Latest Rendition Of The Little Art Quilt

As you can see, the mid-section now has been covered over with some of Deb Lacativa's DyeWorks cloth.  And after much auditioning of colors and fabrics another scrap of Deb's went over part of the mountain.  I wanted to keep my little Moon.  And the night sky.  And the cute little patchwork house.

The Lizard is also still there.  With a strange circle under his head.

I selected the large image size in case you all want to click to see details.  A lot of thread on this.  A lot of stitches.  I would do an hour or two at a time while watching television.  Instead of reading. I REALLY like the bottom third.  It works.  The color balance, fabric choices and stitches.  I'm VERY pleased with  that part of the work.

Now I am going to try and make another.  I found an older cloth in my stash--a gift from another Deborah-- and it had the makings of several really fantastic moons.  This other Deborah got me started with this blog, with painting fabrics and with a group of quilt artists doing a series of collaborative works.  I sort of played along.  It seems"right" that she is also providing me with Moons to work with in this series of little art pieces.  And it feels "collaborative" still.

The sky in the piece above was a gift from Connie.  A selection of blue fat quarters that she had dyed. I just love the night sky it provided me with.  With a Little Help From My Friends. Thank you Connie.  And I should also thank Jude Hill and her Spirit Cloth blog.  Invisible Stitch etc.  I visit her blog often and scroll thru 10 or 12 entries.  Some with videos.  I learn so much.  The next piece will have a name as soon as it begins.  A name helps guide the design and the stitch.  This piece never had a name, so perhaps it never had a path to follow?  But it does have layers of Earth & Water under the house and mountain.

Glass Houses remained "dark" until the end.  And then there was a page or two of notes from the author.  Her husband had died while the book was being written.  Which explains the total lack of "joy" in this book.  Still good.  Just a different voice.

Garden Ending Kitchen Work

So it begins--or ends.  Today I am making the last batch of zucchini pickles for 2017.  I also have a half gallon of concord/mixed grape juice in the fridge which will become grape jelly.  This means wholesale cleaning/sanitizing of the kitchen today and the huge canning kettle of boiling water.

Mt friend Patty dropped off a brown paper grocery sack of grapes on Friday.  I picked each little grape off the stems and dropped them in the big soup kettle.  Added exactly one half cup water and set it to boil then simmer for 15 minutes.  Then strain thru the jelly bag.  then empty the jelly bag into the compost bucket.  so many SEEDS.  Chill the juice and today I'll strain it again for tartrate crystals that can damage kidney function.  Then add sugar and boil until it's jelly.

So--today is canning day.

Which means I need to put on my most messed up clothing.  And my vinyl apron so I can wipe myself off.

I worked on the Little Art Piece:   some of you will be upset when next you see it.  I covered most of the mid-section with other fabrics.  And now the top third looks wrong so I might cover it or --and this is more likely--cut it off.   This was just a "learning piece" in any event.  I was trying to get a feel for abstract work in dyed and painted fabric.  Non-representational but full of meaning. (???)

I have a large piece on the work table.  This little one is where I am making my mistakes.  Hopefully the larger piece will benefit.  So far the larger piece is three pieces of fabric and a painted moon but nothing sewn down and I need to figure out a design wall.  You REALLY HAVE to do the work vertical as that is how people will see it.  Working flat on a table top---not good. Putting the work on the floor and standing and looking down on it--not much better.

I hand basted two new seams in the Red Linen Circus Tent Swing Top.  Now I have to actually sew them.  Which means digging my way to the sewing machine and cleaning the inner parts of the machine and oiling everything.  Fun trying to get the bobbin case holder back together.  Bernina.  Three parts or maybe more--- I try and forget.  Trauma trying to get them back together and then, blind, into the bobbin thingy.  I am also thinking of making a few alterations to the huge baggy pockets--that bag out at the hip (just where I need extra "baggy-ness)---just short of sewing them SHUT.

Sewing machine and Canning.   Deluxe crappy day.

Little Art Piece--Right this Minute

I transferred this at original size for those Readers who wanted more detail.  This is how the work is going so far.  The lizard just below the mountain now has an eye.  The little house has become more enhanced.  Happier.  Lots of things are happening in the lower half now that I don't need a "beast" down there.

I am liking the lower third a great deal.  I am now wondering what to do to "balance" the center which seems to be "lifting" too much to the right and is "too pink".

Nothing I can't layer another color over and continue stitching.  Lots of thread work here.

Other women who work with fabric and thread can agree--as the work goes........you learn.  And what you learn is sometimes better and sometimes just learning.  Finally in the bottom third I am making progress.  Letting go, I think, of preconceived ideas of what the work "needs".

Now I need to make the top two thirds work with that lower third.   Beginner work.  More advanced work.  If this was a work on paper (of words) the delete button would be used.  On paper with a pencil--the eraser.  On canvas with paint--a layer that covers all.  In oil--the still moist paint scraped off.  In fabric---the scissors.  We'll see.

But I am 55% happy with this.  And will continue.

Roll With It, Baby

Today is the day the curser decides to be in the center rather than the left margin.

Today is the day I promised the dental tech that I would REALLY floss every day.

Today is the day I said NO to the four pack of delicious Brownies at the grocery store where I went to buy floss and a bag of local apples.  Not Brownies.

Today is the first day of my seventy first year on this planet known as Earth.

I always have big plans to live a better, happier life after my birthday.  Sometimes that feeling lasts a day or two.  And then something happens that throws it all off--like the margin thing right now.  I know how to fix it (I think) but what I tried so far hasn't made much of a dent.

I used my new art book (with real art paper--good for pencil and I think other art supplies) but I started with pencil and drew (in the book) a few things that were floating around on the desk and table on index cards.  I love white index cards.  4 by 6. Now I have a few ideas to work on and expand.  Nine patches, flowers, circles.  These are things I enjoy using in my work. Also a few insects or moths.  Why I don't know but I drew three variations.

Today is the day I have to decide how to go forward with the Circus Tent Swing Shirt I purchased in May from South Street Linen.  Yes, I looked like a wide red linen circus tent in it.  I can possibly lay it out, inside out, and do some basting to see if I can limit the width in some way.  Alter it. Super expensive and I can't see how I would EVER wear it out of the house again.  

Made me look wider than I am tall.

G says it didn't look like that in the store where I tried it on.

Alchemy?

I have now watched three full football games.  

No, I don't know what is going on with that, either. It's a safer alternative to watching the news?

Still reading Louise Penny's Glass Houses.  Dark.  Very dark.   Depressing. 

I have to stop every few chapters and do something cheerful.  Pet the dog.  Walk to the Garden.

Almost not wanting to continue.  The plot isn't that interesting.  And the characters I like so much and who seem to have such a good time together.  Not so much in this book.  Everyone is just Off. 

Even descriptions of the two rescued puppies is sinister.  Is the little one even a dog? 

Anyone else read it? Care to comment?

I'm going to make myself some lunch.  Read my book.  Check the mailbox for mail. 

Seventy One

It seems old.  And Then it doesn't.  Happens Monday.

I have been "contemplative" the past few days.  Reviewing what has happened and was has not.  What could be and what will never be.  Past mistakes.  Lost opportunities.  Victories.  Lucky Breaks.
The Good The Bad And The As Yet To Be.

And that's okay with me.

The Mature Adults got to go home early today at work.  I was ready to be done.  I had been on my feet all day, talking for two hours while I taught a class on dividing perennials. My voice got thready which is new. We had a BOGO sale on perennials.  Boss said we did good.  Had me order more from the Mother Ship. People in the class mentioned a "great sense of humor" on the Rate The Teacher form.

That's about it for this post.  I am tired.  Have the new L. Penny book--Glass House.  Just finished the newest Longmire book--Western Star (ended with a cliffhanger--hope I don't have to wait a full year.....)