A Quilt

 My Mother made a quilt for Jen a few years ago.   It now has a perfect spot at Gather in Laporte. 

It hangs on the railing upstairs. 

My Mother is adjusting to life in the assisted living apartment by herself.   It is hard, she and Dad have been together more than 72 years.    Dad was asleep yesterday when I visited.  Mom shared that the Nurses at the Home said he wandered the halls all night long.  Mom usually eats the noon meal with him and sometimes supper.   At his table is an elderly lady who has no filter and her language is quite colorful...it doesn't seem to phase my Dad. 

One day at a time. 

We have candy ready for our usual Trick or Treaters...hopefully I will get some photos! 

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Leaf me alone

 I am so done with leaves.  The last of nine mulchings was completed on Friday...it was dirty work as it is real dry here.  Yesterday Far Guy washed up the mower and got it ready for winter. 

We washed the windows again...this time using glass wax.  Earlier we used something else and it just wasn't working either that or when it sprinkled a tad bit of rain it had mud in it.  :(

Yesterday we had 63 F or 18 C for a high...although Far Guy reports that out thermometer was showing 70 F for a while in the sunshine. 

I collected all the yard art that I wanted to save from winters wrath.   We still have a few things to do on our list but we are basically ready for winter. 

I sprayed one last time for ants on the outside perimeter of the house.  

Yesterday we got a heap of mail...mostly Medicare stuff...switch here...try this...they are pretty stupid as they included return postage paid envelopes.  So I returned them...empty. 

Lately my email has been getting some scam stuff...can you believe I won an I Phone, a set of Nordic Cookware, a Generator and a Vacuum cleaner and if that don't beat all a Lawn Mower...I just had to give them a credit card to pay for the shipping.   It all sounds so good...I can see why some people are sucked in. 

Photo taken before I got the blower out and blew most of these leaves into the woods...it looks better now. 

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Baxter

Baxter spent some time with us one day this week.  He is happy to see me and has much less separation anxiety...however I cannot go into the bathroom with out him or put away laundry...he wants to be near me. 

He settles down quite nicely if I stay in one spot!.

 We went for a couple of Ranger Blue rides, he loves riding along.  We recycled and got the mail. 

 We met the Post Master delivering mail, he told me that some days no mail would be delivered because they had no mail carriers for all the routes and he needed two clerks full and part time and several rural mail carriers.  He is in charge of three post offices and he rotates through to deliver mail himself.  He said to mention the job openings to anyone who might be interested.

"Got some more treats lady?"

Baxter was good until he wasn't.  He rolled in some smelly stuff while I was in a different part of the yard...so I got out a bucket and cleaned him up as best as I could without giving him a bath.  He sat quietly while I cleaned him up....then his people picked him up. 

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Progress

 Progress is slow on my other Mosaic Crochet projects.  

Here is Winter Wonderland. 

The next section is rose and white...ornaments I think.  Hope it looks okay next to the burgundy and teal! 

I started this project a long time ago! November 28, 2021.  Yup almost a year.   Oh well.  It might be another year before I get it done! 

Grocery pickup was uneventful yesterday, it rained.  

The Dollar Tree Store has Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas stuff out all at once.   I bought the Christmas bags and boxes I need for the wood carved  Christmas ornaments....a few more days and we will be done with that project! 

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This week

 I got to see baby Maziar who lives in Boston, he is my baby brothers Grandson.  I last saw Maz  when he was just a few weeks old.  He sure is cute and we enjoyed watching him play!

He is now 17 months old and came to see his Grandparents and Great Grandparents...I heard he liked the buttons on the bed at the Nursing Home where my Dad is.  By the way Dad is doing okay physically for the moment, however he did not know who I was on my last visit. 

One day I got a package in the mail.  

Mug rugs and dish cloths from Sam in Arkansas  a perfect gift!   Thanks Sam!!

Here is one of of my projects that I finished at Craft Retreat. 

It is a mosaic pattern that is crocheted over a muslin zippered bag.  As you can see I still have plenty of yarn left!  Always fun to have a good supply of yarn for projects!  I have a number of muslin zippered bags waiting in the wings!

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Jody is 62

 My other baby brother is 62, how can that be?  I was 9 years old when he was born.   We graduated from High School 10 years apart and both got married the same year we graduated. 

Here he is in 1961 when he was 1 year old.  Looks like Mom was taking the photo with her Kodak camera and others were standing around....not sure who is holding the cake.  This photo was taken at the house on the farm. 

Happy Birthday Jody!  

He lives right next door to us...well next door country style...I can walk there! 

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Scraps

 Jen is taking a beginning quilting class and had homework to do during retreat.   The instructor is apparently very accomplished but unable to write so that beginners can understand what to do to create an 8 pointed star ( which I think is very complicated and more for advanced lessons)...needless to say we had many scraps while trying to create that square.  We were supposed to use the tri rec rulers...which proper quilters with experience possibly know how to use.  I helped as much as I could with my very limited quilting skills and barely a C in Home Ec sewing class years ago ( the C was a gift...because my Mom finished my sewing project for me...a pleated skirt.)

I admire my daughters persistence...and anyone that can sew a straight seam and make beautiful quilts. 

This art work is made totally from wood scraps.  Jen designed it and Andy helped put it together. 

It is the perfect addition to one of the walls in the hallway at Gather in Laporte.

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Home again

 I made progress on the Christmas cards, they are ready to sign, stamp, address and tuck a Christmas letter into.  Yeah me!

Crocheting was slow...two projects were never touched.  I did have a few naps and time to relax and watch a few episodes of Manifest with my headphones on!   I will share my crochet projects soon.  

The hallway inside Gather at Laporte, the bedrooms and bathrooms are all off this center hall and leads to the great room with the kitchen located on the "stage" of this old Town Hall where kids used to roller skate! 

A very fun place to Gather! 

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Retreat 2022

 I have known all the gals at retreat for years.  They are all friends of our youngest daughter Jen. 

This year we are at a new venue that is owned by Jen and her friend Jamie, they bought the property last Spring. 

The gals here are varied in their interests and talents. English Teacher, Chemistry Teacher, Physical Therapist, Nurse Practitioner, Social Worker, a Director of Patient Services and a Learning Specialist.

There are card makers, scrapbookers, quilt makers, digital bookmakers and just about everything in between. 

It is a great place to gather!  There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The food has been awesome; tacos, loaded baked potatoes and chicken with cheese and bacon and roasted parsnips and carrots. 

The view from my spot. 

Headed home soon. 

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Crafty

 I am at a crafting retreat for a few days.  Far Guy is doing okay and I am just a short way from home.

I am working on Christmas cards and four crochet projects.

 

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Lotza Bows

 I have been tying bows to beat the band.  Our wood carved Christmas Ornament requires a bow and a string to hang the ornament.   It is putzy work...it takes me about an hour to tie twelve bows and get them exactly right.  Yes, I am a bit fussy! 

Far Guy has been doing an awesome job painting the carvings.  When the windy cold weather keeps him indoors he likes doing a project.  

Some of the ornaments are headed out of the house this weekend...that way they won't have to be mailed!  

I will guess that we are about half done with the project.  

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Book Club: October reads

 Book Club is today.  

The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin is the book we are discussing.    I gave it a 9...it was an enjoyable read however it was most likely a "formula" book. The author picked many small survival items that came in really handy in this romance/disaster novel.  The editing was poor...get real...suddenly he has his car keys and charge cards.  I just didn't buy that.  I guess it has been made into a movie.  

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate is not a book club read...it was a bonus book that I have wanted to read all summer and I finally found the time...it is a page turner and is based loosely on true incidents.  I give it a 10...although the author could have tied up all the loose ends...

What are you reading?  

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New Old Project

 I have two totes of old photographs to scan.  The photos belong to my parents.  I finally got my new printer /scanner to talk to Far Guy's lap top and got it all set up.  It is upstairs so I can work on it when I get a chance and leave everything out.   

My Mom had some photos stuffed inside manila envelopes, I will double check them and scan if necessary...eventually all the folder type wedding, graduation, school and baby photos should be returned to family. 

I started a facebook page for my Dad's family and many have enjoyed the photos I shared there and I will do the same thing for my Mom's family...soon...it all takes time! 

I ordered a few special photo labeling pencils so I can mark the backs of some of the photos with the who, where and when if possible. There are a wide variety of pencils out there that can be used.  Creative Memories is where I purchased mine. 

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Mosaic Crochet: Costa Nova

 Yeah!!  I finally finished a project! 

Took some photos to celebrate!   Yes more leaves have fallen in the yard. 

The back is almost as pretty as the front.  I really like doing mosaic crochet...and it is simple and feels like art!! 

Since the finish I have started another mosaic project and thought about another....and Winter Wonderland should be worked on as it has been hanging around for about 10 months.  

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The Bobber Tree

 The leaning tree has a new mane.  The Bobber Tree.

It almost looks like a decoration.

We had a quiet Sunday.  We worked together on Christmas Ornaments.  My other baby brother and she who sees robins first came by in the afternoon for a visit.  It was another chilly day with a high temperature of  38 F or 4 C eh!  Of course next March that will be a heatwave!

Nephew Josh had an emergency appendectomy last Friday morning. 

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Still colorful

 We took Ranger Blue into the Smoky Hills on Friday afternoon after the snow melted. 

The Popples and some of the Oaks are still colorful. 

Yesterday I stopped by the Nursing Home to see my Dad.  He is more confused.  He has a very nice room that looks out onto a patio/lawn area that would be a really great place to sit if the weather was nice. 

Back at home I did a bunch of laundry and helped Far Guy with the Christmas Ornament project.  We made a pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy and baked carrots for supper.   Comfort food on a chilly day!  Having a roast in the oven makes the kitchen very cozy! 

Our high on Saturday was  46 F or 8 C eh!

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Second Snow

 At this rate Winter will be here early.  The third snow usually stays:(  

We woke up to the second snow. 

By afternoon it had melted.  

We had a fairly productive week.  Only two more windows to wash and the screen door.  It may or may not happen.  Ranger Blue was cleaned out before the cold weather and windows were washed.  We brought in "stuff" from the garages that would freeze.  Far Guy cleaned up Tilly's garage and did some work in the greenhouse/woodshop.

 Leaves were blown around and mulched.  One more time around the yard might happen.  So far I have mulched our yard seven times this Fall.  I mulched at my other baby brothers...he has lots of leaves yet to fall.   The leaves in our yard are 90% down.  

The last of the ant hills were doused with borax/powdered sugar.  The no trespass signs were put up.  

Are we ready for Winter...not completely but in the next two weeks we should be. 

Our quiet snowy day yesterday was spent mostly inside...Far Guy began painting the Christmas Ornaments. We watched Blue Jays and Juncos out the windows.   I cleaned the bathroom and did some laundry and organized some craft stuff. 

We both are a bit headachy and tired from the high dose flu shot.  Naps were high on our priority list in the afternoon.  Far Guy cooked supper...hamburgers without a bun but with some bacon, waffle fries in the air fryer and peaches.

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Old and First Snow

 It was my Mothers 93rd birthday yesterday.  She was having a hard time with my Dad.  We were supposed to go out to lunch but since they had a bad night and morning we stopped by to see how they were doing.   Dad was asleep, sometimes I think he has his days and nights mixed up just like a baby.  He woke up and had lunch, later in the afternoon he was moved into the nursing home next to the assisted living apartments.  Mom can walk over there to visit him.

And so it goes.  

Far Guy and I got the high dose flu vaccinations yesterday.  So cross that off our list.  The gals at the Infusion Center where Far Guy goes for his weekly infusion take good care of us. 

Grocery pickup was mostly uneventful.  The peanut butter shortage must be over!   Town was busy.

And it snowed.  In some spots the ground was white.  So we have officially had our first snow.   Early in the morning we knew something was up as our yard was full of Robins and Juncos.  I think the Robins were just stopping by on their way south.

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Sprinkled

 No not the rain kind of sprinkled or sprinkling the clothes with water and rolling them up and putting them in a plastic bag so they could be ironed properly. 

A permanent sprinkling. 

Notice the white colored ash in the grass?   Notice the urn?   This is the grave of my Maternal Grandparents.   Their youngest daughter Karen died May 24, 2017 at the age of 65.  Recently her children brought her ashes from Florida to be sprinkled on her parents graves.  Better late than never. 

No I did not look in the urn to see if it was empty. 

As far as I know they did not contact anyone while they were here.  We had hoped to have a grave side gathering when they brought her ashes back.   My Mother and two of her brothers are still alive and it would have helped give them some closure. 

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Leaves of three

 Let them be.   Poison Ivy is green all summer and blends in with many other plants.  The more shade a plant has the taller it will grow...seeking the sun in the shady woods.   I saw some plants last summer that were over three feet tall. ...scary for sure.  

Fall is a great time to identify poison ivy on your property because it sticks out like a sore thumb. 

First it turns yellow...there are still some green/greenish yellow plants in this photo. 

Then the real red flag.

Everything the pretty red is Poison Ivy in this photo!   You can mark the area with a flag and spray it in the Spring.   I use Round Up for Poison Ivy. 

If you have endured the insane itching of poison ivy...then you will understand my personal war against it.   Those of you lucky enough to escape it...good for you!  ( My husband has never had it... very lucky guy!)

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