The Owls have it

 The May basket this year is an owl.  I am undecided if I want to put a handle on the baskets...most likely...anyways the playing with the paper and glue is now done.   They await handles and candy.   This year I made 24 May Baskets.  

They are all different..cause I am easily bored.  You have plenty of time to find a simple design and make a May Basket for a friend or a neighbor!  I missed doing May Baskets last year due to Covid...

There is a new Mosaic CAL (Crochet Along) starting in May.  It is a beautiful patchwork afghan.   I bought the pattern and proceeded to order the yarn...oh all those colors to choose from...I didn't want it too dark...because darker colors are harder on old eyes.  I was supposed to order three colors and 23 skeins then I added another color that Far Guy liked so 26 skeins should show up later this week and I can do a practice square.  This gal has a really good way of taking care of all the ends with the color changes so you have minimal ends...we will see.   It took me over an hour to decide on my colors.

In the meantime I am working on a baby blanket. With our weather taking a nose dive I should be able to finish it this week. 

I brought in the solar bird bath fountain and all of the glass rain gauges so they won't freeze and break.

Far Side

October is almost over

It seems like October began just a few days ago and now there are only a couple of days left. Where does time go anyways.  Sometime I just want to holler STOP…I need more time to catch up!

The scarecrow flag is up.  Most of the snow has melted.

It was a dreary day, no sunshine, but at least there were no gale force winds. We went for a ride in the late afternoon…it is dark after supper…Chance misses his evening drives…so we have to take him for a ride during the day.

I am thankful that we got our yard work done and for a warm and cozy home.

Cold Feet

We checked out the water coming out of Fish Hook Lake yesterday.  The lake seems frozen for the most part. The ice is not safe yet..for dogs or humans.  I heard that there was a successful rescue of a dog on a nearby lake.

The Fish Hook River has quite a current and the water is open.

“Whatcha been doing ..are your feet cold?”

“Crazy youngins ..I guess when they get cold enough they will sit on their feet and warm them up.”

“Bottoms Up!”

I had a blast watching the Swans.  I wonder if they will stay all winter?   We will have to keep an eye on them.  Chance rolled down his window ( he does that all by himself if he wants to hang his head out..it scares the crap out of Far Guy) anyways Chance watched patiently and did not bark.  As soon as he rolls down his window Far Guy locks all the windows..so he doesn’t try to roll it up on himself..crazy dog. 

Swans and other fowl like ducks and geese can get cold feet.   The temperature in their feet is cooler.. they escape hypothermia because their arteries and veins are close to each other and exchange cold for heat and visa versa..very efficient.  If all else fails they sit on the ice and cover up their feet, or hold one foot up under their feathers to warm it up. 

A much better system than fuzzy socks! :)

21 shopping days till Christmas..gifts bought 2..both were wrapped and delivered.  Ornaments left to paint..14.

Brown and Pins

I like the color brown..earthy..most of the interior of our home is decorated in warm shades of brown.

I have a hard time with the outside browns. Blah brown mixed with shades of grey. How wonderful…

This is our yard to the east looking north.  I put up a chickadee flag to brighten things up.  Yes, that is a clothes pin holding the flag in place.  When the wind blows it will blow that flag right off of the holder and I will have to walk around in the woods looking for it..I still have a flag lost out there someplace. Since that loss.. the clothes pin does a good job.

Now this is a highly scientific survey..how many of you have heard the term “Pin Money?”

Far Guy insists that he had never heard that term before.  We were conversing..I said “OH so and so thought that she was working for pin money when in fact she was working to buy groceries and pay rent.”  Far Guy said “What is pin money?”  I replied “A woman’s money that she can use to buy pins or whatever else she desires.”   Hat pins, stick pins, clothes pins..fabric..rugs ( my Aunt Toots took a job once because she wanted new throw rugs in her kitchen). 

Far Guy said “Oh..like us guys have fun money..you women have pin money?”  Yes dear.

I suppose he has never heard of “Egg Money” either..my Mom had egg money..from the sale of eggs..but egg money was usually used to buy groceries not pins:)

Spring Snow

It has turned cold here, it froze a couple of nights, and friends in Canada report snow. I would not appreciate a spring snow...thank you very much.. all my Father's tomato plants froze.. ours are still warm and cozy inside Far Guys greenhouse/workshop. Area gardeners are getting discouraged..some have already planted their gardens twice..

Years ago I took a Woody Plants Identification Class. The secret to this class was knowing exactly how to spell all the scientific names..and knowing where the trees were located on campus. Lectures were given outside, trees were identified..the same trees were on the mid term and final exams. I always wrote in my notes..my observations..one of which was location..this came in very handy. I was always intrigued by the names. I ran across a Flowering Crabapple, Malus X 'Spring Snow' ..well I took the class fall semester..it was not until the following June that I really appreciated this tree. As I walked along, I could see the tree in the distance.. and it looked like it was snowing..in June. I stood directly under the tree and enjoyed the snow, from my view under the tree it was a real "Ta DA" moment.. I now understood it's name. Nice to finally meet you 'Spring Snow'. She is sterile, and produces no fruit, perfect along a sidewalk in town ..instead she produces huge white flowers, and when the wind blows it is just like a snowstorm. It is only a few days in June that she is noticed..

I am sure that there are many other varieties by now. There are so many flowering trees white, pink, rose and red flowered ones.. how do you keep them all straight? I eventually gave up, I just enjoy them for what they are..beautiful flowering trees.

I took some photos up in Bemidji the other day. Maddie and I were going through them. She asked "Grandma when did it snow?" It was not 'Spring Snow' but one of her relatives.

"It didn't snow Maddie, but it sure looks like it did. This is at the end of your driveway." She replied "It is? Way cool. I never noticed that, when I get back home I will have to look." :)