Pajama day

Another photo from Sarah of Tootie!  Today is pajama day at preschool....well, of course Lorelei wanted a gown.  One from last year.  Sarah happened to have these leggings for her to wear under it!  Isn't she adorable.

I did not get to visit any blogs yesterday due to one thing and another.  And I won't be blogging after this for a few days.  Tootie has her tonsils out Friday...say a prayer that all goes well for her.

And in case I do no more blogging till after Christmas, I want to wish each and everyone a Merry Christmas. 

Recent pics to make you smile...

These are recent pics Sarah has sent me...in the top she was wanting pics taken with her and Otto...or Otti as we call him.

The one above and the ones below were taken on different day...

Can't you tell what a wonderful dog he is?

I am even getting anxious to see him.

I told Roger the first thing he will do is come greet us, then run get his blanket and bring it to share with us.  If he loves you, that is the first thing he does after his initial greeting.

YES! We have snow...

I am sitting looking out the window at a white, white world.  And watching the birds flock to the feeders.

I suppose I will be sitting here watching the birds today.

Bridgeton Covered Bridge

This is another view of the Bridgeton Covered Bridge...I take a picture of it almost every time I am near it.  I don't know if I have ever taken one that I totally love.  Almost always the sky is too washed out.
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Do you realize that it is a bit less than two weeks to Christmas?  Are you ready for it?  I am close.  Got most things wrapped, though I do have to get a couple wrapped and mailed.  We bought the ham the other day, but still have to figure just what all we are having.  Since there are so few of us I do not do near the cooking that I did when younger.

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I have decided to make a crumb border for the quilt top that is on my design wall.  It is taking me longer to make it than it did to make the top.  Or at least that is how I feel.  I try to sew a little bit each day.  Some days I do more than others.  I had a friend comment on the post of the top the other day saying that crumb blocks are hard work.  I must say I agreed with her...they are no mile a minute block for me.  Yet they are sort of mindless.  No worrying about seam allowances or points matching.  Just sew and trim.

I am in the mood for a new sewing machine....I don't need one.  I absolutely love my Juki 98Q...I just want one to play with and maybe have upstairs. And it is another Juki that I want...but have been looking at some of the cheaper  Brother sewing machines.  I have been debating on getting a little sewing cabinet and bringing one of mine upstairs from the basement.  I know though that I would end up running up and down the steps half a dozen times every time I wanted to sit and sew.   Plus there would be the mess upstairs...so I never quite take the plunge to bring it up.
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I think it is supposed to get up to the freezing mark in the next day or two...and we are supposed to have snow tonight and tomorrow.  If it gets up that warm, and it does actually snow, I am wondering if it will be a heavy snow that lays on branches and sticks to fences...I hope it is.  

For the first time I am really showing my age about snow...I really consider the fact that we might get in a wreck when going out for pics.  Even on the back roads.  I have never been a fan of being on main roads right after a snow, but on the back roads where there is hardly any traffic, I have always felt pretty secure.  So we shall see whether we get out even if we do get a nice snow.

Daughter's new Etsy shop...

Sarah, Lorelei's mom, has started BowTodayBowTomorrow....her new Etsy shop.

What little girl wouldn't like some of these!  If you have a little girl in your life, check her shop out. 

Lucky to be alive

This is our Bubbie.  Some of you may not remember, but at the end of 2008, he ended up with a broken leg....he had to have a pin put in. It was left in for a period of time, then taken out.  I don't remember for how long.  The vet thought he had been hit by a car.

That was his first close call.  The next one was probably within a year.  We don't know for sure what happened to him.  It was summer, I noticed he wanted inside so opened the door for him.  He came flying in, went in out bedroom and laid down and did not move for 24-36 hours...didn't get up to eat, to drink, or to go to the potty.

He had no sign of anything on him...no blood, not roughed up fur.  Nothing.  He finally got up and drank a little, moved to another room and laid for several more hours.  Gradually came back to himself.  When he finally wanted back outside, he slunk out looking up and over his shoulder...like he expected something to grab him.  We wondered if a hawk had caught him....or almost caught him.  Though in all honesty, he didn't go much beyond our yard, and I have never seen a big hawk here.  But had seen a big owl.

Anyway, I consider that Close Call #2.

We got our Rav 4 near the end of 2007....we started out parking it on one side of the garage.  Roger has a shelf on the wall that is up out of the way...he puts some of his better boards there. It was on the passenger side. Can you guess what is coming?

Roger was out working in his shop and had all the doors open.  Bubbie was in there messing around...he and Puss Puss have a habit on jumping on whatever vehicle they choose and getting up in the rafters and then walking over to where they are on top of the shop.  So, he is in the process of exploring.

 Roger seen it happen...Bubbie went to either jump up or jump down from that pile of boards and he hit them just right till the pile of boards fell, and Bubbie fell with them...and the pile ended up on top of him...only, they didn't really hit him.  Something was there to keep the weight of them from landing on him or he would have been either a dead kitty or hurt kitty.  (They did put a sharp little dent in the door of our Rav4.)  Roger could not believe that Bubbie walked away with not even a scratch.  Close Call#3

We come to today...Roger and I were getting ready to go shopping.  I knew I had let Bubbie and Puss Puss out earlier...so I went to the door to let them in--only Puss was at the front door.  So I let her in.  I looked around for Bubbie but he is not in sight.  I went to the back door and he's not there either, so being that he has thick hair and doesn't seem to mind the cold, I thought he could just stay out.  I went out and pull the door closed behind me.

Our storm door is hard to shut....the wind has caught it so many times, and we have fixed it a number of times...but it just will not close unless we give it a firm push.  Well, I just came out and put my back to the screen door and give it a push....I had a coke in one hand and my purse in the other is why I was pushing with my back.

Anyway, I gave a push and it would not close...pushed again, and I was thinking what in the world is going on now...I thought the wreath had come down and was somehow caught between the doors.  No, it was Bubbie.  He had not made a sound...but he was scared of me!  It had to have hurt. 

I unlocked the door, and held the screen open for him to go inside, but he would not risk going in till I went inside....and held the door open from there.  It really is a wonder I didn't hurt him.  So I call that Close Call #4....thought in reality I don't think he could have died from it.

O Christmas Tree

I am not sure how this will show on everyone's computer...it looks fairly good on my computer. Let me know if it is dark or light on yours.  It was taken at night several years ago.  The photos I took of this tree remain some of my favorites. 
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I actually started wrapping presents today.  I always think of how we used to be so saving with wrapping paper when I was a child.  We didn't just rip open the presents, not like we do these days.  And we tried to save the best of the paper from one year to the next.  And we saved all the ribbons.

We almost always got a new jigsaw puzzle...it was such a treat to get one.  I think we used a big piece of cardboard to work them on, but I have no idea where it came from.  Or maybe it was a piece of thin plywood.  I really cannot remember which....but was thinking cardboard for some reason.

Anyway, we always laid out all the pieces face up, and tried to put like colors together, then found all the edge pieces and worked that part first.  Next we would each choose an area to work on.   I can remember my brothers getting aggravated at me for reaching across their view. 

I had a habit of when I actually put a piece in and it fit, I would give the board a little tap.   They always teased and said I did it to draw attention to the fact that I had just found a piece.  Who knows--maybe that is why I did it subconsciously.

I still love jigsaw puzzles to this day.  Just as when I was a kid, I have my favorite colors to work, or more to the point, colors that are much harder for me to work.   I find it hard to do anything else if I have one out, so I don't work one too often.  That was part of the reasons for wrapping presents...to feel freer to start something fun.  I wrap presents on the dining room table, but that is also where I like to work puzzles.  Thus, the wrapping needs to be done.

Covered bridge at Bridgeton, Indiana

We went on a drive...took the backroads to Bridgeton, Indiana and on to Mansfield.

Even though it was bitter cold, Roger cast around a few times below the dam a few times.  Did not get a single hit.  The fish were probably frozen too!
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I started getting this ready to post last night but did not finish. It looks to be another day about the same as the past two.  There is just another light skim of snow.  Up where we went yesterday had had more snow than here...I think they had had at least two or three inches.
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The house sparrows come in flocks....it is sometimes hard for other birds to get anything.  Then it will go a spell with not a single one out there.  I suppose they go visit other feeders at that time.

Not sure what this day is going to hold...I suppose I best get off here and get ready for it.  I still have the ham to get...and presents to wrap. 

What is on the design wall...

I almost swore to  myself I would not do another crumb quilt after the last one...but I didn't know what I wanted to start on...I did find some unfinished crumb blocks that I didn't know I had.

So the next think I knew, I had committed to make enough to make small quilt.  This time the blocks are 12 inches finihsed. This is 60 inches square and I am thinking I will add borders of some sort.  I want it to be a rectangle instead of square so trying to decide how I am going to come to that end.  You can click on these to expand the view.
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For all you cat lovers...or anyone that has ever had any experience with cats...I happened on this book of poems written by the cat...I am hoping it brings up the page where all you have to do is scroll down and read a few of the poems.  Two or three of them Bubbie must have collaborated on for they sure fit him.

Just a line or two....

We went to Sarah's for Thanksgiving...was so good to see everyone.  Lorelei is growing by leaps and boounds.  Or it seems so.

Her dad had taught her to play part of Mary Had a Little Lamb in about ten minutes...probably knows the rest of it by now.

She has a stack of flash cards with words...and recognizes them on sight.  So hard to believe she can done do that.

Dependable things...

I have watched this tree for years...every year it just outshines almost all the trees around.  There is another downtown that must be its twin.  I snapped this one as we came home in the rain on October 31. 
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Another thing that is dependable is that for Thanksgiving and Christmas, sometimes for the family reunion, and for my girls' birthday--I will be making what we call the Pudding Cake.  We call it cake because it is in a cake pan.  It is not really a cake at all.  It has other names...one I have heard it called is Robert Redford dessert.

The bottom layer is just a simple crust made with flour and butter.  One could use a graham cracker crust if they wanted.  The next layer is cool whip, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.  And for the next layer whatever instant pudding flavor one likes.  The girls and I prefer chocolate or lemon....Roger likes butterscotch.  Once the pudding is poured and spread over the cream cheese layer,  spread cool whip on top of the pudding, just as if it were icing.

I use a 9 x 13 pan, and I do the crust layer, and the cream cheese/cool whip/powdered sugar layer.  Then I use aluminum foil and fold it at least half a dozen times till it kind of sturdy.  And I fold the ends in till it spans across the pan.  I then place it down in the cream cheese layer midway....for one end, I make instant chocolate pudding.  The folded foil holds it in that end.

Then I make the instant lemon pudding and pour on the other end...then pull the folded foil out.   Then we can have either flavor.  I bet I have made at least 150 of these in my lifetime...maybe more.  Every now and then I make one just because!

Just a post while I am in the mood...

I took these pictures a week ago...notice the color of the tree, then notice all surrounding trees.

Can you believe the color...I know part of the reason it stands out is because everything else is so drab...

But it is just glorious.  There are always a few of these trees around.  I have no idea what they are....I thought they were maybe linden trees but in googling them, don't think they are.  Whatever they are they have so much color...
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I was going to skip a day or two posting and now it has been about a week.  Just got sidetracked and didn't get back to it.  And may not again till after Thanksgiving.

I cannot say where the time went...we did the gutters of the house.  That was one day.  We have awnings over the porches, I got up and cleaned one while Roger did the garages and the rest of the house, and then he got up and did the other awning.  But I was so tired that night I didn't want to even think.  It was one of those brisk days...

While I was up there, I heard this noise...a bird...I knew it was familiar but couldn't think what.  I glanced around and didn't see anything..went back to work. Heard it again...looked around, and there went a bunch of sandhill cranes.  I made a point of going to the strip pits a day or two later, but they were not out there.  I was so in hopes they had stopped there.
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I have been getting a little Christmas shopping done...I don't mind telling you I was beginning to panic a little. So glad to have a start.

Shhhhh--don't tell anyone but we put our Christmas tree up today!  I think it is the first time I ever wanted it up before Thanksgiving was over.  But this year Thanksgiving is so late, I just went ahead and decided I wanted it up...Roger carried it up from the basement and we got it done this morn.

anyway, in case I don't get to say it before Thursday, I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

We survived the wind...

Yesterday afternoon, a storm moved through our area...the worst of it missed us.  The wind was some of the worst I have seen...I have never seen a storm move through as fast.  But we were on the tail end of it.  Our local weatherman said that the wind was reaching 75 mph at ground level.  North of us about 20 miles, two trailers were turned over.  And two or three counties south of us had a tornado touch down.

When it cleared out the first time, I jumped in the Rav to head north to capture a few pics.  The storm was still happening about 3 or 4 miles north of us.  As up you can see by the above pic, I got in the edge of it.

Then I take a few more pics as I begin to look south.

I know it has not been long ago that I gave a cloud show over on my Time Stand Still blog, but I just cannot resist when they are like this.

I will leave you with this final one...

It was starting to move in on me by this one...I grabbed a couple shots and headed for home.  The wind was fierce by then and raining hard....but by the time I got south just a couple miles, I had driven out of the worst of it.

Be sure to click and enlarge to get the expanded view.

Like this old barn

Just like this old barn, I am feeling a bit worse for wear.  Friday evening, after Roger left to go hunting, I decided to rake a few leaves.  Didn't make much headway...10 big garbage bags and that did not even get the ones in front of the garage.  Keep in mind we don't have any trees in our yard any more, other than a dogwood and a smoke bush.  So they are all from neighbor's trees.

Well, I was tired that night....but other than that nothing worse.  Though there is no use complaining, I still am having trouble with my shoulders...it went from the right shoulder back to the left. As a general rule it is just stiff, though I do get it flared to hurting/aching sometimes.  The raking actually seemed to make them feel better the first evening, but then that night I got moved the wrong way and they are both flared back up

Yesterday morn, I got up and ran and got the ham for Thanksgiving, then in the evening we worked on the leaves.  Roger got the blower out this time....we bagged 14 more bags, and then put a LOT on the garden spot.

By last night I was so stiff and sore I could hardly move.  Aspercreme has been applied...to my shoulder/arms.  I took ibuprofen hoping the stiffness would be gone by this morn, but it is still there.  Anyway, that is one reason I have not been around to visit...have been busy, and when I have come in the past two nights I have not wanted to do anything that required thinking or effort. 

Random 5

A scene from a week or two ago....

It is time for Random 5...I didn't know if there was going to be one so do not have them prepared.  Consequently, I have to come up with them on the spur of the moment.

1.  First of all, this makes my 6th time of doing a Random 5 post.  I thought I had only did two or three.  It is one of my favorite memes. 

2.  The pretty leaf season is almost entirely gone.  Every once in a while we come across a tree that still has some color, sometimes even a lot of color.  We wonder how they have survived when everything else is bare.  Tuesday when we went to Arthur, IL we even saw a couple or three trees that were still green.  We really wondered about that.

3.  You can actually see my dining room table for a change.  I am not quite sure when we began putting stuff on the dining room table, but it has become a real bad habit.  I assume when both girls moved out is when it started.  And got worse.  Now, there is usually coloring books and crayons sitting on it.  Add a book or two or three of mine, and the sales ad from the local grocery store.  So I cleaned it off yesterday and really want to stop using it as a catch all.

4.  The mouse I use is really aggravating....it is so heavy that I will set it aside and be in the middle of something, and it will click where ever the cursor is.  Or the page will close down.  On its own, or sometimes I just bump it from the side and it does it.  So aggravating.  Yet it has the back button and the forward button on the side by the thumb that I use so much and was the one most comfortable to my hand.  I do not like using the touchpad unless it is the only option available.

5.  Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.  I didn't make that up, but it always makes me chuckle; also a bit of truth in it.  It always amazes me how I can be sitting sewing, and lose my scissors or thimble or thread or something.  Times when I have not gotten up for anything...not moved from my chair.  Yet will completely lose something.  And will have to spend 15 or 20 minutes to find the item.


Random 5 Friday

Smiling face...

I took a few pics of Lorelei on Halloween, and in all of them, she either has her eyes closed or something.  It didn't help that I was having trouble getting focused.  Anyway, I sat down behind her while she greeted the other kids and managed to get this one.
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It is another day on the cold side, but the sun shines so that is good.  Thinking I might as well throw a load of clothes in, till I can hang them out.  I really miss doing that as much in the winter...I will hang a load out in the summer, come in and tell Roger all is right with my world.  LOL   I even liked hanging clothes out when I was a kid.

I am not sure what the day is going to hold otherwise, but if I am going to do laundry, it is time I get started.  Just thought you might like having that smiling face greet you this morn.

What is it...

We pass this on the way to Arthur, Illinois.  I have been going to Arthur for probably close to 25 years.  Every time I pass this, I wonder what it is.  I wonder was it here before the rest of the place...or was it build when the house was built.

This last capture is not that great.  I tried to lighten it till you can see it better.  It was a total mess...Roger actually tried to slow down some to allow me to get pics, but the top one was the best I could do.

Anyway, I think I have posted a pic of this place some time before.  I am still no closer to know anything about it.  I swear, I think if someone was outside ever, I would be tempted to stop and ask about it.  Normally we are going so fast that it is just there and gone before I can think about anything.  Such as I don't even know if it and the home are built of the same brick.  And my eyes are always on it, so don't even know if I would see someone if they were out there.
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We did get a skim of snow...had big old flakes last night.  And the wind was so cold today it would just go right through a person.  Not sure what tomorrow will bring.  I think it is supposed to still be cold. 

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Sarah said Sunday night, she ended up reading 10 of the books to Lorelei, and 7 or 8 last night.  That girl does love a good story.

Aren't libraries wonderful?

This photo was actually taken by Sarah, not by me.

Glanced at my email yesterday evening and Sarah had sent me this.  My brother, Neal, had told Sarah about their library having a book sale.  At the end of the sale, they allow people to fill a bag with as many books as they can and the price is $4!  She got this pile of 30 books for just $4....can you believe that?  And Lorelei is just happy as a clam.

I think Lorelei is running true to her family genes....I think out of the eight of us, only one brother doesn't love to read.  He just don't read a lot of books, but reads magazines.  I for one, have spent a lot of happy hours in libraries.  I don't so much any more since having the kindle.  But I still use the library to borrow digital content.

Isn't digital wonderful?  I borrow books for my kindle and audio books for my Mp3 player and never have to worry about getting them returned to on time.  And there is even some music available to borrow, but I haven't taken advantage of that yet.
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Chilly and overcast this morn with a 40% chance of rain.  What is more it is supposed to change to a wintry mix tonight, though the accumulation is supposed to be slight.  There is always they chance that they could be wrong...we might not get any at all, or we could wake up to a winter wonderland tomorrow! 

It is early, but we have had snow earlier.  One time on my birthday, which is near the beginning of Novemeber, I remember it has snowed a skim.  How do I remember that you ask.  At the orchard, we alway saved the Granny Smith apples till the very last thing to pick...always tried to get them in before a hard freeze.

Well, that year we waited too late...but the boss wanted to pick them in the hopes that we could at least used them in cider.  So I was picking apples with just a bit of snow on some of them, my little gloves that I loved for picking were getting soaked and my hands were freezing.  I would get down off my picker and run back and hold my hands close to the motor/exhaust to get them warmed up every little bit.  Oh, and by the way, we could not use them in cider....I don't remember why, but remember it was wasted effort. 

Since it is autumn....

I am still in a musical state of mind...so since it is this time of year, I thought I might as well post this one.  I just came across it on YouTube...I may have posted it before so just ignor it...
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I am slowly starting to sew a little bit again and enjoy it.  But don't say it too loud or I might go back into  my funky mood.

Guess what I found!!!!

Back when we were young and first married, we bought this album.  In vinyl...well, I have looked for digital versions off and on since we first got a computer.  I don't know if it was because I didn't put the 'The' in the search or what, but never could come across it.



I just wish this had been the video of my favorite song on the album.

Tonight I was messing around, first found a video of one of the songs we liked, or at least I liked.  I am not sure if Roger did, but think he did.  So headed on over to Amazon, and bought the two songs that I absolutely loved and thought I would never have again.  I just can't wait to play them for Roger in the morning and see what he thinks!

If you had to name your favorite song, could you do it?   Could you even name your 5 favorite songs....or your 5 favorite artists?  If I was forced to name a favorite song, it would be Good To Be Home by the Everybodyfields.  There is not a good version on YouTube now.  But truthfully, there are others that I love just as much, it just happens to be one that I listen to more often than any other.  Favorite artist would be impossible to name.

How could I choose between Neil Young, Eagles, Merle Haggard (his old songs), Poco, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Alison Kraus, Tim Grimm....Coldplay, Three Doors Down--just to name a few.


I leave you with this video...I don't think I have ever had the nerve to post it before.  I know it is different.   I heard this song while working at the orchard...I even remember the part of the orchard I was in when I heard it. I heard it on a local college radio station.  As I said, it is sort of odd, but just listen to the words...and that line 'Let the baby sleep'--well it grabbed me way back then...maybe before Sarah and Jeremy had even met.

Random 5

It is time for Friday's Random 5...I have remembered it two weeks in a row now!

I don't know how everyone else does their Random 5...but I use random thoughts from the week.  I have to write them down, or else I forget them. So sometimes I have them already to paste into blogger, others I have to think of one or two.  Today, I have them all, plus a bonus!

 1.  One positive thing about winter for me, it makes it easier for me to stay inside and sew.  When it is nice outside, I like to be out, or at least upstairs where I can see the sunshine.  I keep thinking I need to have a sewing table to set up on the porch so I can sew outside in nicer weather.

2.  I have problems remembering things fully.  I remember just enough bits and pieces of things to drive myself crazy trying to remember the whole story.

3.  I had a lot of nicknames when I was in grade school.  Two I will not tell.  The rest I loved and was right proud of...Spider, Cricket, Roadrunner, Briar Patch.  Not sure what that says about me that I loved them...but I did.  I suppose it was who gave them to me that made me like them....though I am not really sure who started the thing of calling me Roadrunner.  But it was because I made a made dash out the door, soon as we were dismissed from school of the evening. 

4.  Can I say that I am having a real hard time making myself do anything.  Not even things I want to do.  Whether it is things I just want to do or things I need to do, there are so many I have a hard time making a decision what I want to do first.

5.  I always either watch something on Netflix or something from YouTube...almost every single night.  In fact, I usually watch till I fall asleep while watching.  If I watch Netflix, it is usually some mystery with British characters...or an episode of All Creatures Great and Small.  If I watch YouTube, it is quilt related videos 90% of the time.



Bonus:  Roger still calls Lorelei 'the baby' when talking about her.  I told him the other day, by the time she is 16, she is not going to like being called the baby.  But in reality, knowing her and her love for her Papaw, she probably won't mind it coming from him.
Linking to Random 5...

Amazing sky

 Click to enjoy an expanded view.

The other day as we headed to see Lorelei and her mom and dad, this is the sky.  Only you are only getting a hint of it.  There was roll after roll of clouds just like this one.  Well, at least 4 or 5 but my lens was not wide enough to capture it.
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 It is rainy and wet outside this  morn.  The cats still ran outside when I opened the door for them.  I don't know what they think they will find when they get out.  Maybe they are just taking advantage of the few 'warm' days that remain.  When we had the cold snap, they were content to be inside with us.  With it being in the 50's the past couple of days, they have about ran us ragged wanting in an out. 

I am not sure what this day is going to hold for us...Roger won't be hunting in the rain.  I can't help thinking about all the tales he can tell about deer hunting...things that have happened to him and his friends.  But the funniest is always the cat/tree stand tail  The one posted here. Most of you have seen it, but you might enjoy it again.

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Another time, back when money was hard to come by, Roger built his own tree-stand.  It was heavy...and did not fold down, making it hard to carry through the woods.  Then he had to find a tree big enough, yet not too big.  He would place the platform against the tree.  There was two pieces of angle iron that reached back past the tree. One side had another piece of angle iron that was hinged.  He would swing it to the other piece that portruded past the tree and fasten it.  I do not remember how it fastened.

Now, he had this webbing, something really strong.  He attached two 'loops' to the platform.  That is the best term I can think of to describe it.  He slid each foot into a loop and  he was ready.  He would reach up as high as he could...I don't recall if he just used his arms/hands or if he had something else that helped grip the tree, he would reach up as high as he could and then lift the tree stand with his feet.  This tipped it enough till the bar across the back did not bite into he tree any more, and he could pull the tree stand up a bit at a time.  Then when he stood on it to reach up again, his weight on the tree stand made the bar across the back bite into the tree and it could not slide down...

One time, he came home and told me he had about tore  his arm out of its socket!  I don't remember if it occurred when he was climbing up, or coming down the tree, but the webbing his feet were in....one side pulled loose...or one of his feet came out of the loop..he happened to have hold a tree limb with one hand.  There he was hanging by one arm....all his weight plus the weight of the tree stand.  And the tree stand was heavy.  It  was hanging from the one foot all cockeyed. 

I remember he talked about hanging there with one arm and trying to flip the tree stand with the one foot till he could get some kind of hold with his other foot.  I don't remember much else, but remember it was not so funny at the time, but later it is one of the tales that brings much laughter.

Another gray day....

This was our Roger's window one day last week.  Click to enlarge it.  You know winter is fast approaching when you see scenes like this.   It is another day just about like the picture, only it is not actually raining right now.  But the roads are wet, and it looks like it could start at any moment.

Is anyone else watching The Voice?  We did not watch the first couple of seasons, but really enjoy it now.  I haven't got a favorite for sure.  There is one that--I cannot think of his name, but if you watch it and I say the nerdy one, you will know who I mean.  He has an awesome voice.  Now there is one I don't like/enjoy...a female.  But won't say her name...I may end up liking her before it is over with.

I am reading An American Journey:  Travels with Friday in Search of America and Americans.  Just so you know, Friday is what he has named his bike.  I am really enjoying it.  He did a ride when he was a kid after reading Steinbeck's Travels with Charley.  Fifty years later, at the age of 65, he decides to do another trip, this time instead of a couple hundred miles, it is a thousand miles.  I am not half through the book, but have really enjoyed it so far.

Sarah was putting away her Halloween decorations.  While she was busy, Tootie took the opportunity to sneak off to the bathroom.....

to do her own make-up.

I thought you might enjoy the results...

That smile is enough to light up the room.
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 I hope to get to visit and comment tomorrow...hope everyone has had a good weekend.  I sure have.

Fridays's Random 5...

If you click to enlarge, I think you will be able to see the fine mist of rain in the above pic.  This was taken today...it has not stopped all day long, but for the most part was more of a misting rain...sometimes harder than other.

That being said, it is time for Random 5 Friday...I have jotted down the first three as they occurred to me during the week.  I would have forgotten them if I had tried to remember them.  So here they are...

 1.  This may have been mentioned by someone else, since I have not been joining Randon 5 very long, I have missed it if they have.  But has anyone else noticed that it is mostly or all women that join Random 5?  I don't think I have seen one single male, or if I did, they joined without listing 5 things.  What do you think this says about men and women in general?

2.  I believe that the actual physical heart does almost break sometimes during a time of loss...this from experience.

3.  Blogger really messes with me.  I am positive I visit blogs...yet will go back the next day and there will be two or three posts that did not show up the previous days.  Or sometimes it will happen just in one morn...I will visit a blog...nothing new.  Then will click on it again, and there is a post that was made the previous day.  (I still view blogs by visiting the actual blog--not through a reader of any kind.)

4. There is nothing quite like music to take me back to my youth.  Been listening off and on all night to music...some of it old stuff from  our youth...Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Poco, Eagles, etc.  Dan Fogelberg's Run For the Roses...can anyone listen to it without crying?  If you have never heard it...you should go listen to it. I find the songs that touch me most brings a tear to my eyes. 

5.  Did not do any sewing at all today...did mess some with fabric.  It ended up we had to run an errand or two, and of course, we took a round about way home on one of those.

Linking to Random 5 

Comparing color

This shot was taken October 22, 2009....

And this one was taken today....

Isn't digital photography wonderful!  For knowing the date the pics are taken? 

It has been overcast and the sidewalks and roads have been damp all day long, but I have not seen it actually raining.  It was warm enough to sit on the porch and read a while.  It is usually too cool to eat breakfast outside now....I miss that and miss sitting out there to read.

Tomorrow they are saying we may get up to two inches of rain.  At least I have a good excuse to go down and fool with my sewing.  I did a bit of cleaning down there this evening, but only a drop in the bucket. 

Of all things I found some crumb blocks that I had started the other day--started but not finished-- and I have been fooling with them again.  I really don't want to get into making another quilt of them so not sure what I will do with these few blocks.  I am making the bigger than my usual 6½ inches...though I can see myself cutting them apart to go back together a different way.

$3.00

Another shot from the flea market...I did not notice that the price was there until I downloaded my pictures.  I might have re-arranged if I had.
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It was overcast all day this day.  I had to run to Walmart to grab a couple Halloween card for Lorelei and Jackson...Jackson's will be late.   But better late than never.

Usually our little town has two nights for trick-or-treating, but this year they are only allowing one night.  Two nights is really nice, though....it gives the kids a chance to go and to stay home and give out candy.
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It was overcast all day long, but just tonight started raining a little bit.  I am glad Roger got the garden spot cleaned off yesterday, and got the yard mowed.  Knowing our luck, we will still need to mow it again.

Stove...

This old stove was at the Veedersburg flea market.  I have never seen one quite like this. I do not know why I didn't take a photo from the end.  Well, I know, but it is no excuse.

We did not make it up there till late in the day on the last day it was open.  We were trying to hurry through and not miss any of the booths still there...some had already left.    And others were packing up.

Notice the name Acme Wildwood on the side...I can not see or hear the word Acme without I am back in grade school and it is Saturday morning and I am glued to the TV watching the Road Runner show.  (Only in winter were we clued to the TV on a Sat. morn...in summer, we were either playing or had work to do.)


Did anyone else enjoy  it as much as we did...all of us loved it.  And Neal and I still laugh about it. 

And remember how when we were kids, there were cartoons on Saturday mornings, and on most evenings there was either a half hour or hour of them...and we thought we were so lucky to have that much. We would never have imagined having TV channels just for kids all day long.

Vision of loveliness....

We were through Marshall, Illinois back in August.  It is a small town...no bigger than the town I live in, if as big.  But it has the feel of a bigger, busier place.  In the business section of the town, there were these big pots of petunias along the sidewalks...such glorious bursts of color.  They were just so beautiful.  I love it when a town does this...flowers just add something to a town.
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The toot is sleeping still.  She has such a big heart.  She wants to come, but she misses her mommy so bad.  Well, Sarah made the mistake of telling her she could come and spend Friday night, and then said she would come on here yesterday.  Thinking Lorelei would get here and quickly forget it.  Instead, that is all she talked about was that her mommy was going to come.

She went to bed fine, but woke up about 2:00 a.m. wanting to know how much longer till her mama came...and saying she missed her....yet all the time she is doing this, she would pause and say, "Mamaw, know what?"  and I would say, "What?" and she would tell me she loves me.  So after a few distressing minutes, I started telling her things her mommy and Aunt R did when they were children, and things I did...  And she was all ears...every time I paused she would say, "And what else, Mamaw?"

Then I started telling her things Otto would say if he could talk...oh, my did she ever laugh. I have got to remember that one...it would probably be fun to do on drives.
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It is a beautiful day here, today.  I am hoping to either get something done this coming week...hoping I can get my creative juices flowing.  And also I would not mind taking a day trip somewhere, but not sure where.  I guess a lot will depend on the weather. 

Flea Market Cat

When we were at the flea market this past weekend, one of the first things we saw was this cat.  We had seen him last year and talked to a lady about him.  This time we talked to a gentleman.  Both told the same tale.  They have been coming and setting up at the flea market for about ten years, and each year when they get set up, here comes this kitty and it stays with them the whole time.

It actually belongs to a home just two or three houses away from the flea market.  It comes and makes itself at home, and everyone stops to pet it.  The man said it is fine unless it is three or four little kids and then it gets up and moves.  Last year it was in an actual booth....

How about you...do you like to see a cat or dog in a place of business?  I really think most people prefer it.  We had a dog at work that was the official greeter.  There was one woman from here in town that would complain about him...but she complained about simple stuff.  She had had heartache in her life, and I am sure that played a part in her attitude.

Even though I was out picking apples, pruning, or some other type of work most of the time, I don't know how many times I would walk up to the house for lunch or for something else...I would see people stop, and one would get out to run inside and pick up something.  You could tell by the other's posture that they were planning on staying in the car.  But they would see the old dog, and either get out to go pet him, or else open the door and call him over.

I think they are an ambassador of good will...be it cat or dog.

A little randomness for Friday....

I actually remembered it is time for Random 5 for Friday...so here goes.  I may be slow visiting because Lorelei will be coming tomorrow, but I will eventually get around to visiting.

1.  Pumpkins, squash, gourds, etc are some of my favorite subjects to photograph.

2.  Why is when I have stuff going on and no free time, I want to go down and sew and be creative, then when I have free time, I don't have the urge?

3.  I am not ready for cold weather, but think it is here anyway.  None of my kitties spends the night outside any more.  They go out, but always come back in to stay.

4.  I LOVE potato soup...probably as much as I love vegetable soup.  At least with the cooler weather, Roger is ready for it.  I like soup any time of year. 

5.  I ALWAYS  have a book I am reading... always.  If I finished a book this morn, I would be started on another before night. And if I haven't started on a new one, something is wrong. Right now I am reading A Week In Winter by Maeve Binchy.  I am really enjoying it...I know I have read 3 or 4 others by her, but have no idea why I haven't read them all.


Linking to A Rural Journal's Random 5....

Looking at the photos I have of old barns taken while we were in Tennessee, couple with the thought of every time Neal and I talk, we talk about things we ate as kids...and talk about what we wish we had now.  So thought I would give a partial list of some of my favorite foods I ate as a kid.

Bacon and biscuits, biscuits and gravy,

Cocoa

Fried taters, fried green tomatoes,
Soup beans and cornbread

Fried chicken, chicken gravy,

and mashed potatoes...

Blackberry cobbler, fried apple pies,

Stack cakes.
..

What more could a person ask for...

Fresh tenderloin, breaded and fried, with a hot biscuit,

Biscuits and homemade jelly

Potato soup, mustard greens, bacon and cornbread,

Chicken-n-dumplings...

Green beans and fried okra...

Corn on the cob, or corn cut off the cob...anyway that is fresh from the garden..

.

These are just a few of my favorite memories, with most of them being things I loved to eat....the exception being stack cakes.  I could eat it, but I didn't love it, though I did love the dough, raw, as my mom made the cakes.

Of all the things listed, I would most dearly love to have my mom's chicken and dumplings and some of her bisuits.

Edited to add...Blogger won't let me space this as I would like...this is my third try of trying to edit it.  If it does not 'take' this time, I will leave it however blogger does it.