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.

Lorelei and Jackson....

First of all, I want to thank my niece Allison for giving me permission to use these.  She took these photos of Lorelei and Jackson at the family picnic on September 21!  You are in for a treat cause she sure did a good job of capturing them!

Joy....

Just a little bit of fun rolling around on the ground...

Concentration

Lorelei is trying to blow up a balloon in these two photos I think...

Not sure what they were doing in this last one...

Okay....there is your spot of sunshine for the day! 

Gently curving road...

There is nothing quite as alluring as a gentle, curving road...it always draws me on.  I want to know what is ahead.  I am sure if I had been Robert Frost, I would have chosen the road with the bend in it.

Eagles!

 Headed north on St. Rd. 63, north of the Cayuga power plant, we spotted and eagle...

then I saw there were two, 

and the third is over at my Time Stand Still Photo blog.....I wished I could have got all three of them in one shot, but just couldn't manage it. 

Memories

Every time I see a log cabin,it reminds me of the time when I was young, we went to visit a friend of mom and dad's.  But I only have very vague memories...and I would dearly love to remember all of the visit.

He lived in an actual old log cabin.  I remember feeling like I was entering another world.  I was only inside the cabin for a little bit, but I remember feeling that the ceiling was lower than normal.  I felt closed in...I don't remember any windows.  There were things hanging from the ceiling.  I don't remember what all, but I think there were some plants hung upside down to dry.

Being a kid, I was sent outside to play...I remember being told to watch for snakes.  There was a great, big old evergreen tree in the front yard...just something about the memories I have make me think of Santa Claus....I think the man had a long white beard, so maybe that is why.  I think he was married, but I don't remember his wife.

I know he had bees...remember walking over to this building and inside was all kinds of frames...I think that is what they are called but not sure.  I am talking about the part of a bee hive that the honey is on.  I just remember think there was sooooo many...and he was building more...and the barn/building they were in was so light and airy compared to the log cabin. He also opened up a bee hive and pulled out one of the frames to show us the honey on it...I don't remember how close we were to it, but he did not put on any protective clothing that I can remember.  And he wasn't getting the honey...he was just showing it to us.

Well those are my memories for today...they are vague but I think of that place fairly often.  I always wonder just how accurate I am remembering it.  I also wonder what else I did while I was there.  I remember it is being nestled in close to the side of the hill/mountain.  Woods were all around.  And seems like we looked out over a little overgrown bottom to the building where he build his beehives.  And I cannot remember the beehives....just remember him pulling a frame out of one and the bees buzzing around him, but not really mad.

And one last thought--when was the last time you warned a child to watch out for snakes?

Scary girl!

Last night, Lorelei had her mom send me this picture...I told Sarah to tell her Pink Princesses were not supposed to make those kinds of faces.  Sarah said she did even more after I told her that.
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We have had some kind of sinus/cold type thing.  Roger lost his voice about three days ago...still has not got it totally back.  Lo had it too, and felt really bad for a few days and ran a temperature.  Hoping her aunt does not come down with it...she was in for a few days. 

When they went to pick her aunt up, Sarah told Lo that they were going to pick up a package.  When they got to the airport, Sarah told Lorelei that she must have taken a wrong turn, so pretended to look up something while they waited for 'Aunt' to get in...

Well, Lorelei started....Mommy, lets go see Aunt R....Sarah told her no, they couldn't....it cost too much money...Lo was like Mommy, Please, please for just one day!   And Sarah told her no, it was still expensive, and besides she couldn't miss school.

So her aunt called Sarah when she was ready off the plane, and Sarah drove up to pick her up...didn't tell  Lo what was going on...just had Lo's window down....when she seen her Aunt she got this big old grin on her face and said, "Mommy!  You tricked me." 

Roger and I both had the cold/sinus thing by then, so we didn't go over that night as we had planned.  So, they called later that night, and Lorelei was bouncing off the walls she was happy.
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This weekend marks the last of the Parke County Covered Bridge festival for this year....it starts the second Friday of October and lasts for 10 days.  The population of all of Parke County is a bit less than 20,000 people...no, that is not a typo.  It is a rural county.  But the Covered Bridge Festival brings in millions of visitors every year. 

Most little communities have some vendors set up, with Rockville, Mansfield, and Bridgeton being the biggest beehive of activity.  It is a lot of fun, and most everyone is there to have a good time...there's food to eat and lots of stuff to see:  crafts, antiques, books, junk...you name it and you can probably find it there somewhere.
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It has turned cool here...highs are in the 60's during the day.  Not sure what it gets down to at night but we have not had a hard freeze....we did kick the heat on last night.  Next week, some days the highs are predicted to only be in the 50's. 

She's coming again....

She is coming again after while!  Here she is dressed as Dorothy...she posed like this and said it was for her Aunt Becky!  Last year she ended up sick at Halloween and didn't get to go. And regardless of it having my copyright on it, the picture was taken by her mom.  I just forgot to remove that, and am in a hurry to get this posted.

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We had rain last night...but no big puddles or anything this morn.  We even had a little bit of thunder with it.  Seems like every time Lorelei comes, it either has just rained, or rains while she is here.  I hope last night is all we get, but the weather is giving and 80% chance for rain today.

I still cannot tell how the foliage is going to be....we see a few trees losing their leaves so early.  We wonder if they were damaged in drought last year and losing their leaves is part of the results.  The Virginia creeper is really beautiful...hoping I get out in the next few days to take a few shots...and berry briars are changed for the most part.  The sumac is in the process of going red...so at least some things are going to be beautiful!

Random 5 Friday

It is time to come up with my Random 5....and yes one of them has to do with the photo above.

1.  I think I take this same shot of milkweed pods every single year.  I just happened to notice that the other day.

2.  I really wish I was a neater person.  And I cannot seem to get started back at de-cluttering.  It would help so much to be free of the stuff I no longer use, or no longer need. I got rid of a lot of stuff from the kitchen, but find there is a bit more to do.  For instance, I have several odd-sized plastic containers.  We had them for when Roger was still working...for when he wanted to take lunch.  Now I don't need them, and find myself continually moving them from one spot to another.  So, out they are going.  I did actually throw away a couple yesterday, but I am going to get up there and go through it all. 

3.  The days are definitely getting shorter.  I don't like to get up till it is daylight...so, though I still wake up early, when I see it is not daylight, I usually get up for a few minutes, then go back to bed.

4.  Does any body else dread shopping?  I need to go to Walmart, but I dread going.  Just a few things I actually need, but I like to make the trip count.  So may do that after while.

5.  I want to try to make some little art quilts...but it is so hard for me to just let go and do.  Or when I make a scrap quilt...it is just hard to pick up any two pieces and piece together.  I wonder if that means I am a controlling person?

Random 5 Friday--You can go there to read other Random 5 posts.

Winter follows autumn....

Though I love autumn, and wish it lasted longer, I know that winter is on the way.  Even though I get tired of the cold, I so love winter wonderlands.  Ran across this and some others that caught my eye.  I thought I might as well share it while it is still warm enough for us to think it looks good.  By the way, it is not converted to B&W....but you would never guess that, would you?
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Yesterday I kept the home fires burning....well, I had a fire going in the firepit for a big part of the afternoon.  I had so much stuff that it would have taken all of a couple days at least to get shredded.  Plus Roger had bits and pieces of wood that were just too small to do anything at all with, so I got them burned up, too. 

Normally, we save them for having a fire outside at night, but we just had not got to do that but a time or two this year, so I got rid of them for him since his barrel for those was overflowing.  Even though it was something that needed to be done, I enjoyed having the fire. 

I don't know what it is about a fire, but I think almost everyone enjoys having a bonfire.  Some might think I am close to being a pyromanic, but I'm not.  It is just that a fire burning takes me back to childhood in so many ways....

September morning sky

Our family picnic that was held on the September 21 was about 3 hours south of us, so we had to rise and shine early and get on the road.  And boy, did we have a pretty sky most of the way!  At first it was to our left, so couldn't really get a good shot...but then when we headed south/southeast, it was a different story.

Is it not glorious!  I wish I had had a wide angle lens to show more of it in the shot. 
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Roger had a buddy come over yesterday afternoon...I spent the time in the basement.  I had a load of laundry to do, got into cleaning up some of the mess from my sewing.  Then put new thread and needle on my sewing machine and actually got to sew a few lines.  And I am hoping to get to do more today.

A little covered bridge....

According to the other shots taken on the day this shot was taken, it is over in Illinois.  But I cannot think where for the life of me.  Even though I am beginning to enjoy some fall color, I like the springness of this shot.
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Lorelei went home yesterday.  This was one of those times I didn't even get the camera out so instead I just have to tell about her first morning.  She got here Saturday night....she had been to her other grandma's for part of the day.  She calls her 'Grandma L with the pretty white hair!'  Makes me wish my hair would just turn white and be done with it.

Anyway, so she had had a full day Saturday...had seen her other grandmother--I can't remember what all she done there.  Then they had left there and went to the birthday party of one of her dad's friends.  And had children her own age to play with there.  A very full day.  So she went to bed and was not up to her usual standard of talking and talking.

She slept in till 10:30, comes in here and gets on my lap and tells me good morning, talks a second and gets down to go play.  In just a couple minutes she comes back and says, "Guess what I want for breakfast!"

I guess bacon.

She says , "NO!"

I guess smoky links...again I get a very excited no...

So I say sausauge....

She says, "And what else?'

I say, "And Biscuits and Gravy!"

Oh, does she ever get a gleam in her eye....


since Roger had been up and down all night, I was trying to put her off till he felt like getting up...I let her have a little chocolate milk.  Thinking she would be okay....and she did go on an play for a while.  But sometime later...maybe 45 minutes or an hour, she comes to me and says, "Mamaw, can you fix my food....if you don't I am going to starve to death!"

So I fixed it, and her Papaw was up by then....we sat down to eat....and she would take a bite and say, oh, Mamaw, this sausage is just so good, or oh, Mamaw this gravy is good!