Daily Notes- Halloween

As close an image to the holiday as I had in my cleaned out photo files. Boo!

The sun is shining.  The boy is finding it very "chilly" here in Maine.  I lent him a pair of Smartwool socks and his mood warmed a bit.  We are having a Wonderfilled visit.  There was even a nice spice cake--his favorite--baked yesterday.  And a lemoncello tart at a favorite local restaurant last evening followed by card games around the table.

Riley is getting used to the new "resident" here and enjoyed the daughter's visit last evening, as well.
A full house that we were all missing.

All set for the two Halloweener's that trick or treat on our dead end street.  A big bag of candy (that I like to eat) and two Buzz Lightyear toys.  The 5 year olds won't know who Buzz is--possibly-- but their father will recognize him.  The Spooky House never got brought down from the attic this year.  It was just that kind of season..........hopefully I recover my holiday spirits by Christmas.

Happy Halloween!!

Daily Notes- October 28

Fairy Mushrooms.  Pixby image.

The only mushroom we see are the white caps that seem to grown from nothing into something--overnight.  Inedible.  I once upon a time, tried making felt mushrooms like this for my Christmas Tree.  I may try again.  My hand/sewing skills have matured and I am happy to work slowly these days. And I think (know) that there is beige felt and red felt in the Magic Attic. I'll take my son up there to help me look.  And to look at his big storage box of vintage Legos.  Daughter also has stored vintage Legos--castles.  From 1982 to 1986.

Lots of wind and rain but mostly to our south.  Where they had power outages.  Downed trees.

Daughter stopped by and went on our travels with us today.  Goodwill.  Chinese food lunch.  Grocery.
And now she has gone home and I am settling in for an evening with Hallmark and old Christmas movies.  On the mysteries channel.  They are "emotional" and often make me cry.  I'm in the mood for that.  All of them are "new" to me as I have been only watching the regular "happy" Hallmark movies.

Our son arrives tomorrow and I may not find time to post while he is here for his 5 days a year.  Got to pack as much mothering as possible in this small space.  Not that he allows much but we do play board or card games in the evenings.  Like we did when both children were in their teens and home from college.  Before iPhones and video games.  Real "face time".

Daily Notes- October 27

Image from Garden Design

Near freezing here in Maine and raining.  Soup weather.  I just now finished putting together lentil soup from a recipe given to me by my best friend when I lived in Germany.  Lovely German woman who I spent much of my 6 years with.

And in that vein of sweet remembrance:  A recipe for German Linsensuppe.

The recipe calls for one pound of country ham pieces.  I have gone without during vegetarian phases. I have added one end cut off a smoked ham from the deli section of the grocery.  Costing usually less than a dollar.  And I have used ham flavoring powder in little packets.  Fine with.  Fine without.

Here is the recipe:
One pound ham pieces simmered in 2 quarts of water for an hour (to make a ham broth), I have never done this.
OR
Use 2 quarts plain water--it's what I usually do when I have ham ends or I don't have ham ends.
Then add one pound of dry lentils (I use the ordinary brown ones)
Carrots, diced--as many as you have or want (three today)
Celery, diced--one or two stalks (two today)
Potatoes, diced--as many as you have or want (two were left in the basket)
Onion, only one, diced
Tomato, only one, diced (still on the porch table from my garden)
red or green Pepper, diced--I had roasted some red peppers (garden) and used one in today's soup
Parsley- I had picked the leaves off my entire production of parsley before they froze and rolled it into fat cigars and into the freezer in freezer bags--I unwrap and cut off as much as needed--here it was an inch.

Add water if it gets too thick--simmer for an hour.  And you can add boullion cubes if you want.
If you don't add the ham--add some salt to the soup and some pepper.

The peppers, parsley and celery if you want (I do) is added in Germany as Suppengrun flakes.  I have found dried vegetable flakes in some small grocery chains but not often.  So I read the label and these items were listed. So I use fresh.

This makes a very thick, filling soup.  Monika served it with smoked sausage slices on top.

Daily Notes- October 26

Image from Pixby

We have had a flock--I know that is the wrong word--of junior crows visiting the birdfeeders.  They were probably born this year and are having a reunion.  Crows do that.  They return to the place of their birth. Very social. Family oriented.

The sun is shining today.  Forty one degrees.   In March, I will consider this warm.  In October, I consider it cold.  There are  a few additional gardening chores to attend to--a few bulbs to plant.  A few plants to get into the ground.  A few cuttings to take to grow over the Winter in water.

Our son visits next week.  We are looking forward to his annual return to the family--like the crows.

G's credit card was used to buy a plane ticket to Kuwait yesterday.  So we are getting a new card.  His other credit card was used to buy software.  Another new card.  I am changing the passwords to this computer later today.  Nothing feels secure right now.

Be careful out there!!

Daily Notes- October 25

The Full Moon was eagerly trying to get into my bedroom last night.  Through the blinds.  Lighting up the room.  Lighting up the yard outside when I got up to look.  Riding high in the clear night sky. Bringing the first hard frost to Maine.

We (G, Riley and I) are falling quickly into our Winter patterns.  Up early, breakfast, and then wanting a nap.  Eating all meals a few hours earlier than usual and in bed by 10.

I am dreaming again.  Not many all summer and now they come each night.  Strange, puzzling dreams.  Last night I was getting married.  Had lost my wedding dress--found it and then the shoes were missing.  House full of bridesmaids.  Odd.  I had none when I actually got married.  Perhaps now I would have a houseful of bridesmaids.  From the internet.  All of you! Well, that is a happy thought to carry with me. Perhaps what the Moon was trying to tell me.

My coffee friend gifted me with the remaining art supplies from her short adventure in drawing--a class she took but didn't enjoy.  She found she enjoyed the paper more than the drawing. Folding. More pencils, Grace! And some kneaded erasers which I love.  And two lovely small sketchbooks.  I was very happy.  Last time she gave me indigo seeds.   I give her bags of vegetables from my garden.  Yesterday the last red bell peppers. She roasted hers.  And now I will roast mine using her method.

I think my flour tortilla today will hold roasted red peppers.

I need to go into the Ordinary Attic to find the rest of my Winter thermal shirts.  Take my summer linen shirts up.  Make the exchange.  I am thinking I will make alterations to the wide cowl collars on two cashmere sweaters. Roll them and stitch them.  Perhaps fold the wide collars over and add a button.  I don't wear them as they are.  Perhaps adjusted they will be......better?.  I may also look for other cashmere at Goodwill.  To add to the bottom edges--make the two of them longer. They were poor choices. Or perhaps on my visit to the attic I will find another sweater to cut and sew onto those two unfortunate sweaters?  I am wondering if they are even warm?

Daily Notes- October 24

Circles.  I love them.

Woke today to alternating rain and snow.  Yep.  SNOW.  Up North here in Maine-12 inches.  It rained and snowed and now has stopped.  Kind of a gray day.  House lights are on, heat is on.  Only hot food from here on........

Went out in the wetness for the long awaited coffee date with my friend.  Conversation in the little Town coffee house.  Almost all the seats taken.  It's a lovely welcoming spot.

By the time we had finished with our conversations, the rain had stopped.  I had a few errands so I walked.  Music Theater to buy next summer's seats.  Then the grocery--lucky for me they had Arnica cream for my sore thumb.  That meant no long walk to the Health Food Store. And no temptation to buy a good loaf of their bread.

Grace, the Arnica cream seems to be having a good effect.  Perhaps I will be able to do some hand sewing in the days ahead.

I roasted some peeled and cubed sweet potato with oil and taco seasonings from a packet yesterday.  Then rolled the soft spicy cubes up in a warm flour tortilla with red onion, yellow cheese and avocado.  Delicious. I have enough to have another one today.  Or I can mix it all into a bowl of steamed rice.  Life is good when the food is good.

Daily Notes- October 23

Image of a soap bubble.  Full Moon?

So many images on the internet of cloth with a full moon.  Jude from Spirit Cloth.  And tonight the Moon will be 100% full.  We might have cloud cover.  Last night the moon was riding high over the trees with no clouds.  A beautiful thing.

One visit of family past and the next arriving on Monday.  Our California boy wondering how cold it's going to be here.  In the time it took to type this we had sunshine streaming into the windows and now it's dark, looking like rain.  Maine weather is ephemeral.

My thumb hasn't hurt-until I sat here to type replies to email.  Connie mentioned the pain is sending a message--too much typing????  Connie says good thing on the way.  Our boy.

Made a large pot of chicken soup for G--the first of this season.  It looked amazingly delicious. I had gone out to the library and then grocery (they are very close to each other) and got fresh carrots, celery and some very nice onions for the soup.  And chicken thighs.  And soup noodles.

G spent the day mow/mulching the neighbor across the street's maple leaves.  It took most of the day. He was cold and tired when he got back into the house.  So the soup was welcome.  He told the neighbor this was his last year/season to do her leaves or her lawn.  She will have to find someone else.  He decided it was time to retire from landscape work for anyone other than me.

He still has the daily walk with Riley.  No chance of Riley letting G retire from that.

Daily Notes- October 22

Autumn Leaves, Seeds and Birds Stocking Up

We have a very large blue jay feeding at the bird feeder attached to the kitchen window.  He hangs upside down and sideways to get his seeds.  Makes "racket" on the window.  Perhaps so we'll look over and notice him?

Our neighbor across the street is getting  the back side of her house roof shingled. Lots of trucks and work people.  Nailing noise.

G is going across the street to mulch mow and pick up the maple leaves on our neighbor's front lawn. I want them for my garden.  G says this is his final year doing yard work for anyone but me.  He says this every Fall.  But this year he says there are enough maple leaves in our side yard for my garden.

I am going to the library to return books and then to the grocery to see if they have something for my aching right thumb joint.  A pain cream.  Something to rub into the joint. I haven't been able to hand stitch anything in a few weeks now. My working hand thumb.  I can still manage to sew squares together on the sewing machine.  Cutting the squares is not comfortable with the rotary cutter. Sigh!

My desk calendar is filling up with written notes.  Ideas.  Beauty in the unfolding of Life. John O'Donohue. I like the thought of Life unfolding as one moves through Time.  Always something yet unseen, waiting for you to unfold, move into it.  Perhaps the pain in my thumb leads to something new and unexpected?

Daily Notes- October 21

Image from Art Propelled

Sunshine.  Cold yesterday but today a bit warmer.  Goodwill?  Not so much.  A small bag of beads. Another cold chicken from the grocery to make into chicken salad.  My protein for the day.  I am trying to have a serving of protein each day.  Something I don't really enjoy so I think of it as "medicine".  My allergy to soy eliminates that as a source of protein.  Not fond of eating animals.

I also got a bag of beets from the local Six Rivers Farm.  I usually roast them and then have them cold with vinegar and oil.  When I have some fresh mozzarella-  I mix that with the beets. And I have my broccoli and cauliflower crunchy chop salad which I prepped but haven't dressed.   I could always make a frittata with sautéed kale, onions and......... what?   Not really excited about any of it.

Football Sunday.  G wants me to "stay calm" so I don't get the dog upset.

I collected some highly pigmented leaves from plants in the greenhouse yesterday--for another eco printing day tomorrow.   The leaves I took weren't fresh and had some browning on the edges.  I have another group of purple smoke bush leaves from a branch my daughter collected at work last week. It takes a Village doesn't it when one wants to collect plant materials?

We're going to have pizza (football) and I think I'll roast the beets first and then the oven will be hot for the pizza.  Sounds like a plan.  I love a plan.

Monday I am going to try to walk to the end of our street and back.  If my breathing is okay.  Got to really make an effort to do some exercise.  See how much I can do before needing the rescue inhaler. There is also a local gym with a beginning old people's yoga class. I have also been invited to join a Pilates beginner class.  But......the walk first.  Start slowly.

Daily Notes- October Twenty

Image from Art Propelled

Today was One of the Best Days.  I was teaching a class on putting your garden to bed for the Winter.  Time is running out here in Maine to get garden chores done before the first snowfall.

Seven were signed up by my lovely, sweet co-worker had many many chairs set out.  Not enough.  We had 30 gardeners for the class.  I had to use my rescue inhaler once.  Drink water and clear my throat many times.  But they heard me.  So many good questions.

There were no indicators in my personality in childhood that "teaching" would be the perfect career for me.  I found out only 12 years ago.  It comes so naturally for me to talk about what I love.  Perhaps I needed to fall in love with a subject before the teaching magic could happen?  Something to think about.

I came home and took a long hot shower.  The greenhouse is a dirty place with airborne particles. I caught up on the news--sadly a special needs adult guy who came in three days a week to clean the bathrooms, sweep and dust hadn't come into work for a few days so our employer asked the police to do a Wellness Check.

 Sweet, kind Joe had died. He lived alone. His sister came in to collect his last check and tell us how VERY MUCH he loved his job at the greenhouse and the people he worked with.  I was his "go to" person when the vacuum got clogged and we swept the greenhouse together for 10 years.  Joe will be missed--

G and I are eating our way through the"visit" food I prepared.  Today might be the end of it.  I just finished another Hilderbrand book--- Blue Bistro.  It had everything a Nantucket book wants--food, beach, money, clothes and this one had so much "heart". It will be one of the special books I reach for again and again.  Summer is ending and the time for reading beach books will end soon.  When it snows?

Daily Notes- October 19th

Art Propelled image

The sun shines each morning, melting the frost from overnight.  Each morning more and more of the plant life has been frosted or frozen.  Death is everywhere.  I have carried as much as I can into the house.  But I don't have enough room.   The figs and the two large pots of geraniums.  The large asparagus fern was talked about--but left outside.  Now.......too late?

My husband continues to change passwords and then "forgets" what he changed them to.  My Time here on the blog may come to an abrupt end.  I am getting warnings from Ad Blocker etc that things are not right......... the car alarm is going off repeatedly because he wears the car fob on his pants pocket and it gets pressed by accident--too many times and the security system will lock him out.

Our son comes the last week of October--- he may have to teach me how to manage this computer.   Today has not been a good day and it's just 10:46 in the morning.

Daily Notes- October 18

Art Propelled image

Woke up this morning to light SNOW cover on everything.  Our newspaper announced it as "the end of the growing season".   I also had the "joy" of paying the first seasonal oil bill-nearly $500 and that's for 6 weeks of oil I think, now--(later the bills will come every month)--if we keep the house cool not warm.  Welcome Winter.   Where did I leave my sweater?  the heating pad?

I carried the two large pots of geraniums into the house just before sitting down here.  They are in the vestibule.  Seeing how many bugs and worms might be co-habitating before coming into the house proper.  The big asparagus fern is still outside and will need a good haircut before entering.

Not much to do today.  The garden needs a good cleanup--- my sister in law picked the last of the raspberries, I guess.  The ones ripening will be mush about now.  The fig trees are already inside.  And now that my rosemary plant has gotten a frost--it can come inside without fear of drying up. Nature's way of letting the plant know it needs to stop growing.  Lots of branches on the rosemary so I can, perhaps, prune it into a topiary globe and a bare stem and used the cuttings for cooking and for starting new rosemary plants--perhaps for gifts.

There is never enough room inside for all the things we have outside.

My worktable in the sewing room is filled with cloth.  I will need to start cutting and sewing.  A new baby quilt top for Connie's group and I have a charm pack to turn into holiday potholders again this year.  Or perhaps into placemats?  I loved making the other charm pack into holiday potholders--adding from my fabric piles to stretch the material into ten potholders.  And NOW I have remembered how to do the binding!!!!   I did have to watch a few You tube videos.

Daily Notes- October 17

Well, are they really gone?

Riley always enjoys having guests.  And these guests were family.

My brother and his wife were here in Maine and we had many, many good conversations and much laughter over two days.  We also shared good food.  My pie--that I was so worried about--was wonderful.  The crust flaky and crisp.  The apples filled the entire crust--no big gaps--and the Pink Lady apples were tart and crisp.  A good pie.  Good visit.

We are finding that MSNBC on the television works very very well to keep Riley for having a panic attack while we are out of the house for periods of time.  No destruction of woodwork or furnishings. No saliva wetness all over the floor from panting.  It works, I can't explain it.

After all the cleaning and carrying of un-needed things to the Attics--my knees are hurting.  For some reason the large joint in the thumb is aching.  So, I am thinking today is a good day to just rest, read a book and perhaps take a few minutes (or more) to just close my eyes and rest.

A day to rest.

Daily Notes- October 15

It seemed like such a simple thing.  Bake a fruit pie.

Nothing went as planned.  The crust would not "pull together" and remained dry and crumbly no matter what I did.  Then when the baking time was done--no fruit juices bubbling out of the top crust. so I covered the entire pie with foil and back into the oven.  A few bubbles after 25 minutes.  Meaning the pie had been baking for over 2 hours.

It looks great.  I have no confidence it will taste great.  Or even cut nicely.  It might be the sort of lovely pie that has to be served with a giant scooping spoon.

It never looked like the crust in the picture.  So much more "lumpy".

The beds are made, the laundry done, all the floors mopped or vacuumed.  The trash and garbage are out on the curb for morning pick-up.  Bathrooms spotless.  My bother is somewhere  "having an easy drive" which is a wonderful thing in itself.  It's getting dark and we have drizzle.  Rain is coming.

We just got a call--inviting us to have dinner with brother and wife--lovely visit.  And they aren't staying with us.  Will come for dinner and another visit tomorrow.  I guess I misunderstood.

So, it's good.  My house is clean.

Daily Notes- October 14

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

We had a hard freeze here in Maine overnight.  Like ice on the plants.  Too soon.

I was thinking ahead (and feeling cold) so I upped the number on the thermostats before bed and we had heat overnight and for the morning in the bathrooms.  But it's still cold and I'm not wearing sweaters--but I should be---so I set the number up two and now we are warming up.

But I am going to dig around in the closet for my sweaters.  I didn't put them away in the Other Attic like usual.  Or--did I go up there for warm stuff a few weeks ago?

Who remembers.

I went out and got some new bed pillows for the guest room.  Worked hard in there to get the room dusted and carpet vacuumed (one of the two rooms that still have carpet), fought with the bed (king) to get the underskirt on top of the box spring and then the sheets on etc.  That's when I realized I need more pillows.  The room looks "minimal" but comfortable.  I may need to add another blanket.  Guests staying this month are from warm states. and yesterday as I made the bed--it was still warm.

I have floors to do today and dusting.   I'll dust first.  And there is still clutter.  I am planning to bag up all Riley's dog toys.  He doesn't play with them at all now.  Usually, the toys were spread out over the entire floor surface of the house- making that a twice a day routine of picking them all up (making a big pile).  He'd grab a toy and shake it to death.  Then go get another one.  Most of them had squeakers.  I may start doing a load of small toys in the washer every week.  Then donate them to a dog shelter if they allow that.  Riley also has a collection of enormous toys--as big as he is.  For some reason, only known to Riley--he loved carrying (dragging) these "big as he is toys" around and then climbing on top of them for a nap.  A giant moose is sharing his dog bed right now.

Riley is sounding the alarm--intruders in the back yard.  Squirrels or Deer.

Daily Notes- October 13

I like this idea.  A string holding a few leaves on the door.

Very cold here.  I may have to get the furnace going.  The autumnal color show is nearly finished.  All the leaf colors are fading, browning.

I have been carrying things up into the two Attics.  The Magic One and the Ordinary One.  Things that I have allowed to sit around and clutter up the spaces.  Boxes of class handouts I create for the gardening classes I teach.  Researched and then set down into a package for each class.  I took them all up to the Magic Attic.  Not ready to shred them into compostable paper goods.  The ones on Composting take up so much room.  I even had built a small three bin composting model to show in classes.  The Boy Scouts asked if I would let them borrow it for a Scout display.  I said they could have it.  I would layer the browns (dry) and the greens (wet) in the miniature bins as I spoke to the class.

Biggest mistake in composting is too little of the browns (dry).  You need to stockpile as much dry as you can find or scavenge.  Right now I have leaves in a tall pile and a bale of straw to cover my kitchen composting for the winter months.  And I have bags of shredded mail.  If that isn't enough, I shred the daily newspaper as well.  And no worries--the ink is soy based.

My right thumb joint is painful.  I am massaging it.  And my knees from going up the stairs.  I know I am carrying too much weight right now for the knees.  I can work on that.  But the thumb.  I need that hand for my stitching.  From the long Winter of sewing.

Daily Notes- October 12

 Nest Cleaning.  For Company.

I am halfway into the kitchen cleaning.  The refrigerator is done.  All the shelves and jars and bottles washed and wiped dry.  The recycling container is full.  The dishwasher--seldom used these days-- is loaded with the empty containers from the fridge.

I have the guest bedroom yet.  Still removing my cloth and things that get piled in there.  Then will clean and vacuum and make the bed up.  Ready for Tuesday--which was coming slow but not is coming fast.

Riley and G have just returned from their walk.  Riley isn't eating.  This always worries me and then--out of nothing--he eats and asks for more.  Which we give.  An old dog--new habits.

My second try at eco printing in the new Aluminum Pot with Good Handles.   Heats up fast.  The cloth is still not what I imagined but it is good.  Getting better impressions.  I have to wait until after company to try a third time.  Dipping the leaves in rust water and then onto the cloth. See how that goes for me.  The Sumac pot still giving color.  A commercial red and white floral-- very Civil War-- but too white.  In the pot and (aged)-- perfect if I want to finish things begun 20 years ago.  Or for a Baltimore Beauty.  Many loose ends here.

Whatever I do--they will be hybrids.  Open pollinated by the internet.

Daily Notes- October Eleven

The Day After The Hundred Year Hurricane.

Which angel is Michael?

Mexico Beach.  Gone.  How many stayed behind because they had no money to travel away to safety?  We had rain all day even up here in Maine.  But ours comes from up North.  It's cold.

I am reading another book--G is reading also--Riley is sleeping.  No more television.

I happened to catch some of Kanye in the Oval Office.  And stopped watching.  Came back later--I guess they had just returned to MSNBC and the two talking heads were just sitting there --eyes wide-- stunned-- speechless.  I guess it got even wackier after I tuned out.  Even Trump knew he had a big pile of "Oh-No" in his office.  Bi-Polar.  Possibly skipped his meds.  Lunch with the President.

What could go wrong? So invited the press corp.  On camera.  Live.   Get out the black vote.

Daily Notes- October Ten

Give Us Our Daily Bread

It's been a long Time since I baked bread.   Like this in the cast iron pot.  A good crusty boule.

It felt like religion when I baked bread - like the process was a prayer.  Perhaps remembering a Time when that was what it was.

I am foggy brained. It happens in Fall when too many spores and things are in the Air making my head stuffy, my nose runny and my eyes itchy or dry.  Death.  Decay.  Sadness.  Tears. But it also seems quite beautiful.

I am really wanting to set aside all the cleaning and get a few bundles of cloth and leaves into the dye pot.  The new Goodwill dye pot.   I can do chores while they steam.  So after I hit publish here--it's up to the Magic Attic (perfect name, Deborah) to get blank cloth from the bolt I purchased so many years ago. After it's hand washed (scrubbed) and rinsed I can let the magic begin.

The small restaurant pot still holds the sumac drupes and cider vinegar--- I take out a cloth and add a cloth, add thread and let it go--color keeps happening.  Today, a cloth with pattern.  To see what happens to commercial printed cloth.  It would seem to be the truth--that I wasted the other drupes.  Not knowing they could continue to give color.  It's all about being open to new information or knowledge. This sumac pot is small-- possible a quart size.  It holds only two small cloths at once. Not meant for stove top heating.  Meant for holding cut items to add to restaurant food.  I have more but they have drainage holes in the bottoms.  The ones with holes fit into the ones without.  The things I didn't know could be used this way.   I use them on the restaurant stainless table--in the garage as a potting bench.

And they can now be both.  For starting plants and for using the plants as they die in Autumn.

Daily Notes- October Nine

Style Files Photo

The Open Door.  Of a House or a Mind.

Something to consider as things get more and more angry.

I had coffee with a friend today.  The weather was quite nice so we walked.  Around Town.  On the walk I picked up leaves that looked interesting.  The shape, the color etc.  My companion usually picks up litter and recycling.  We are a good pair.  On a walk.

G vacuumed and washed the floor under all the potted plants.  I sprayed them for insects.  Now I have cleaning the fridge and mopping the wood floors with my Swiffer and Bona floor cleaner on my list.  And washing the windows.  We have new windows so they open in -I can do both sides- from inside the house. No ladder or buckets of water--or the hose.  All I need is blue window spray and a good supply of newspapers.

I found my missing drawing pencil set.  Ready to perhaps draw the chairs again.  Or the pepper grinder.  Or a leaf.