Ornaments 2021

 Most of the 2021 Christmas Ornaments have been delivered.  

Far Guy did all the carving this year.  ( My thumb was just not up to wood carving)  I did some touch up work and sanded them all in preparation for painting. 

Meet the 2021 Gnomes! 

Welcome to the dining room workshop.    The peanut butter jar stand should be patented, it works so well!   I can work on 12 carvings at once.  

The carvings this year are various sizes, shapes and colors.   There is ONLY one orange Gnome and that goes to special friends in Wyoming. 

Some have beards and some have smiles.  Each one is unique and one of a kind.   I used acrylic paint, sanded some paint off and did a brown wash and then added a sparkly glaze to the Gnome hats.

We are very pleased with them and hope that everyone on our list enjoys them.   110 carvings were made. It is truly a labor of love. 

Far Side

Ornament Winners!

 I will share their stories about their favorite Christmas gift! 

My favorite Christmas present when I was young was a bicycle. I remember how much I loved that bicycle. It was pale yellow with dark green stripes. The hand grips had streamers which made it even fancier. My father attached a basket on the handlebars. I would peddle over to our neighborhood grocery store to pick up items for my mother or take dinner over to my grandpa’s. I took such good care of that bicycle that I would compare my feelings about it to someone getting a new car.

Thank you for helping me remember some really happy times growing up. Whether my name is drawn or not just thinking of that bicycle made my day. I was such a proud and happy kid because of it.

Thanks again,

Marlys

Congratulations Marlys! 

My favorite gift as a kid was a pair of steel roller skates. They could expand and contract to fit different sized shoes, so I think they were a gift to all 4 of us. I can still remember the sound and feel of those steel wheels rolling on the sidewalks.

Congratulations Dawn!

My favorite Christmas gift was a doll that I received when I was when about 5 years old. She had curly hair and was just about the same height that I was!

Congratulations Jan!

I enjoyed reading all your stories about your favorite Christmas gifts!  I wish I could mail ornaments to everyone.

Marlys, Dawn at Change is hard and Jan at Jan's Journey  I will need your mailing address please contact me by email captainconnie2001atyahoodotcom

This week we have Dental appointments and the third covid shot for me later in the week.  It is a good time for me to get the third as yard work is pretty much done and I have no plans for next weekend. 

Deer Report:  Hailey and Brooke got their deer also! So it was a good hunt for our Great Nieces!

I shoot my deer many times with my camera!  

Going on the record now to say I hate the time change. 

Far Side

Ornament finish and more

 3PM Monday afternoon I finished the ornaments for this year.  I was very happy to put the paints away and get the dining room table back to "normal"...is there really a normal anymore?  110 ornaments were finished. 

How about an ornament giveaway??   I will draw at least three people names on Sunday night ( November 7) and then get them off in the mail.  Well lets see...IF you want to be entered please leave a comment that includes your favorite Christmas Gift as a child.  You can also email me.   I will mail packages to the United States and Canada...all other countries are just too expensive to send packages to....sorry. 

 My favorite Christmas gift as a child was a pair of ice skates.    I wished for those Ice Skates for a whole year and got a pink radio...then I wished for them again and finally got them the next year.  I loved those ice skates and wore them for about 10 winters...a Christmas gift that kept on giving and giving! 

I was feeling guilty that no one won the Snow Stick contest last Spring...so I drew some names...Congratulations Karen at Wildflower Adventures and Pauline Persing at Pauline Persing Art, Writing and Natural history!   Karen I need your address, you can email me at captainconnie2001atyahoodotcom  Pauline I have your address.  Something will be on the way to you soon.   There I feel better now! 

Far Side

Happy Halloween!

 We had some Trick or Treaters...we knew they were coming , they were out and about as the Main Street in town had treats from 3 -5 on Saturday.   Another group that usually come are sick ...so not sure if we will get anyone today.  Candy will be sent to the sick kiddos. 

I strung a bit of clothesline rope from one tree to another and attached the treat bags with clothes pins.  It worked well last year...so we are doing a repeat! 

The Hulk, a Fear Leader and a girl!  They took treats for their sister who couldn't come and for some reason I missed a photo of their other sister.

Fear Leader in action. 

They were more excited about their Christmas Ornaments than anything else! 

Far Guy and I spent part of the afternoon getting Christmas ornaments wrapped up and ready to go.   The count is 92 and the end is in sight.  I will finish up by Monday for sure...then I need to order mailers and get them to the Post Office in the next week or two three.   Many will be hand delivered. 

My Mom wanted to cook an early Thanksgiving dinner when we could all be there.  My brothers and I went my sister did not attend.   Mom could have fed half the neighborhood she made so much food; roast pork, roast beef, roasted potatoes, parsnips and carrots, coleslaw, green beans with bacon, orange jello, raw carrots and celery, pickles, grapes, squash and tomatoes.  Then the meal was topped off with apple crisp for dessert.   It was a  good meal.

Goodbye October ...onto November. 

Far Side

Grocery Day

 Moldy bread was in our grocery order.  I called and complained...especially since I ordered two loaves of bread ...only got one and it was moldy.  At least they didn't send out oranges that they knew were wrong...you know that spot where the customer can write notes...well I give them lots of input.

There is some flat bread in the freezer and I can bake bread if needed. 

The wallyworld order was almost perfect they had to sub a larger size of multivitamins. Give me more for the same price all day long. 

Far Guy and I looked at mowers....at least there were some to look at.  We picked one out and it will be delivered next week...it was the only one of the 2022 models that they had on hand. The mulching kit for it won't be released until next Spring....we requested that a mulching kit and blades be installed before delivery...they called and said that the 2021 kit doesn't fit the 2022.   Bummer.   Oh well it is what it is.  

Went to Bingo with my Dad and baby brother...we did not win.

Ornament count is now 80.  I can see clearly now...another ear worm for you...you are welcome:)

Far Side

Trails on Saturday

 On Saturday we decided to go on an adventure.  We wanted to see if we could navigate from our house to my cousins house on the backwoods trails. 

The Popples still have some golden leaves.  Aspen ...Piss Popple ...same thing.

The Tamaracks  (some people call them Larch) are turning golden.

 Yes, we found my cousin's home...he lives just off one of the main trails.  We got caught up on some family news and got to meet one of their band new grandsons...they had two grandsons born just a few weeks apart.   They also saved some Purple Coneflower seeds for us.  

Back at home I have been working on catching up on the Christmas ornaments.  I am back on track again with 54 completed....just about half done! 

Far Side

Projects

 I made some headway on my Mosaic Crochet Afghan this week.  

Here is week two of seven.

Making progress, I am now working on week three... five weeks have been released...so I am a bit behind but I shall catch up!    Look off to the left...Mosaic Crochet is pretty from the reverse side also!   My next colors are a bit adventurous and there is a mistake at the bottom of the pink for some reason I went brain dead and didn't get all the brown and orange stripe in there...oh well all works of art have mistakes. 

I  finished 6 Christmas Ornaments yesterday.   I have 36 done now.   Slow but sure!  

I tried those Midknight Oranges from South Africa...they are juice oranges.   Next time I order Cara Cara Oranges I will write extra notes that I don't want substitutions AT ALL for oranges.  I wonder if they will get the message? 

We got a new "smart thermostat"  we have been waiting on some kind of special resistor most of the summer.  The part finally came in and the electricians did their thing.  Happy to have it checked off the list! 

Far Guy worked on Tilly's radio...it was real staticky...it is better now...I think it gets four radio stations. 

We had another hard frost, the ground was white with frost yesterday morning.  The high yesterday was 45 F  or 7 C eh...in the spring we would call it warm, in the Fall we call it cold. 

Far Side

cool

 Yesterday as I mulched the leaves in the yard for the 8 1/2 time out of a possible10 the temperature began to drop.   I was chilled by the time I was done.   I was spoiled by the warm weather.

Poor Tilly had a hesitation when she shifted into passing gear...well it is fixed now...she runs like a champ.   Far Guy has been tinkering with her everyday.   He was pleased with the way she drove. 

I caught up with some things inside the house...laundry and cleaning the bathroom.  I managed to paint 12 Christmas ornaments ...yeah me...24 are done!

I am feeling much better...still a tad tired...but that might be my new normal. 

I need to dig out a pair of snowboots, a hat and some mittens..oh and maybe a coat. 

 I am not watering flowers anymore, the hoses have been disconnected.

There was still a bee out on the Salvia...apparently it did not get the memo.  Oh and the Juncos (we call them Snowbirds) have been here off and on the past few days...making their way North I hope...perhaps we are just a stop on the way.

Far Side

 

Another quiet day

 We had another quiet day.  I worked on painting Christmas ornaments and we went for a ride in the afternoon. 

There is still a bit of color out there.

In the evening we visited our oldest daughter Trica.   

Far Side

Quiet Day

 We saw this nest along one of the trails in the area.  It is a wasp nest. 

We have gone on this trail before and this is the first time we have seen the nest. 

We had a quiet day on Friday.   I had a nap in the afternoon.  I am feeling a bit "off"  my Covid shot arm really hurts...not sure if that is a coincidence or not....the weather changed.   I often have intense itching in that arm.   I got the flu shot in the butt...the injection site is swollen to the size of a softball and has a temperature.  I am tired and chilled, but I am often tired because I am old. 

We started painting the Christmas Ornaments...the first few test ones turned out great so painting is a go.   It will be a process and I hope to be done by November 1st...we will see. 

Far Guy made Halibut and a baked potato for supper...raspberries for dessert.   He is a good cook. 

We may get our first freeze overnight. 

Far Side

More color

 The leaves are changing fast! 

We went for a ride after supper. 

We had a busy day...usual stuff and our Christmas Ornament count is up to 90 ready to paint...yeah us.   I ordered what I need to finish off the Christmas Cards....just something a little extra. 

I started crocheting on the newest blanket.    I mulched leaves in the yard day one of ten is complete...it was nice and dry and the wind was supposed to come up...so I figured the wind would help push the leaves into the woods...not so much. 

Far Guy is about the same...no better but no worse. 

Far Side

September Flowers

 I mowed again yesterday...some areas that I didn't get the day before. 

The small flower garden is still looking good.   The Hummingbirds love the Salvia Victoria Blue.  They have done a good job of covering up my solar lights. 

Soon the frost will take care of the flowers. 

We are still getting a few tomatoes everyday.  We have been real pleased with the sheep tank as a growing spot!   Lettuce was a bust this year we got a couple of cuttings and then it just was too warm for the lettuce.

I have a number of projects in the works...some Christmas gifts.  I have not ben able to help Far Guy with woodcarving the Christmas ornaments ...my thumb is not good enough yet for carving.  I can do some touch up work and the painting.  Usually this time of year we are done....not so much this year.   I auditioned some ideas for the Christmas card but nothing is written in stone yet. 

Goodbye August...hello September.

Far Side