Camera roll catch-up…

It’s a rainy Wednesday in my part of the world-windy, 40°, gray skies – a typical Midwest November. But truly, I can’t complain, we’ve had a lovely Fall – most days have been warm, sunny, and beautiful. 

Even after several frosts, the Swiss Chard is still happily growing in the garden.

And don’t let anyone tell you that potatoes from the grocery store that have sprouted in your kitchen can’t be planted in your garden – because they absolutely can!

I just thought this photo was pretty, as well as a bit mysterious-looking, it's what’s left after the leaves drop from a clematis bloom. 

         

And this is the moon coming up – honestly NO filters were used. I have no clue as to why it photographed looking so eerie! 

                                             

I truly think these are little fairies dancing in the autumn sun…

                                              

The field corn for this year is:

Going,

    

going, 

gone!

              

And this is the daily scene as harvest winds up - a lesson in patience as equipment slowly moves from field to field. No room for passing this fella!

                                  

Bailey ready for her first walk in 4 months after her heartworm treatment…

and Bailey after her walk!

                               

This pumpkin is from last year! The variety is called Hot Chocolate and I’m amazed it’s in such fantastic condition - you’d never know it’s not from this season. Last year I simply set it on a shelf in the basement where it happily lived until a few weeks ago. I’m going to try my luck again with a couple more I bought this year. It's heavy, so it's not dried out inside...no seeds to be heard when I shake it, but I do hope it dries and stays just like this.

              

               

And last but not least, my daughter and I went on a girls weekend to Taylor Swift’s final Eras Tour concert! Tickets were bought over 15 months ago - August of 2023 so, as the song says, "It’s been a long time coming!" 

We had the best time...it was a beautiful drive through farmland, perfect weather, and as always, my daughter is the best navigator, music coordinator, and snack distributor! 

Car decked out -

Friendship Bracelets made (93 to be exact!) -

Photo op outside the Marriott Hotel - ✔

                

And then to our seats!

                 

We had such a fun time - friendly crowds and a concert that lasted 3-1/2 hours with no breaks. So thrilled that she invited me to go with her - a night to always be remembered! 

Well, that's the latest from my corner of the world...hope all is well wherever you may be!

a break in the weather!

Happy Wednesday, and yay, a break in the heat, humidity, and endless string of rainless days!

We've had sunrises that are lovely,

beautiful sunsets that signaled an end to a scorching day,

and thankful twilight time...when there was finally some relief from the heat.

During the days we've seen the change of seasons
around us...

field corn is just about dry,

neighbors are harvesting,

and friends have stacked firewood.

Kittens are growing (and always hungry!)

and every outing means a visit to say "hi" to friendly cows who can be found grazing happily at a nearby farm.

A quick trip to town last night and I spied the prettiest silhouettes of a windmill,

and barn.

And on the way home, the skies became dark & cloudy, and finally we received much-needed rain!

Next time I'll share photos of the living history farm we visited (had a little trouble uploading photos this morning) and a new picture of Bailey.

Yes, she has the all-clear and is heartworm free! While they'll retest in a few months, for now all looks good and she's LOVING her freedom to run, jump, and play again! 

It's been a long 4 months of "house arrest" as we called it, and while lounging around in a darkened room watching relaxing, anti-anxiety videos for dogs (so glad there even is such a thing) was nice I'm sure, I know she's so happy to be back to her regular routine.

Thanks so much to all of you who sent her good wishes and asked how she was doing...it means a lot.

Enjoy the day friends, I'm off to continue to deep clean the basement (doesn't that sound FUN?)

this & that…

After days of sweltering, yes I’d even call it miserable, August weather, (but remember, I’m not a summer gal) today there was a welcome change. It was practically perfect - a cool northerly breeze, low humidity, 70 degrees - Huzzah!

Source: Google

I took advantage of this break in the weather and  spent the morning outside, and for the first time in weeks I didn’t feel like I was moving in slow motion. I even tested bread recipes, so happy it wasn’t too hot to have the oven on!

And so here’s a little Tuesday chit-chat about this and that…

After a very late start thanks to tiller troubles, the garden is finally coming along…

Flowers are in bloom…

(I forgot about this geranium
I’d overwintered in the basement -
 just discovered it - wow - are they tenacious or what?!)

The skies have been striking…I had to pull over to the side of the road and capture this:

With the promise of rain,

finally! 

Gotta love a volunteer tomato plant! I’m thrilled because I loved this Black Cherry plant last summer, but couldn’t find any starts this year. I’ll be keeping seeds this time!

A favorite antique/vintage shop sadly closed - the owner of the building was driving the rent up too high for vendors to stay in business. It’s been in a nearby little town for probably 30 years…such a shame.

I stopped in to say goodbye to the ladies who ran the store, and I picked up some graniteware pie pans I’d had my eyes on. I also took one more look at the dough bowl/trencher I’ve been wishing would go on sale for a couple of years. No one knew its history, and while it had a very old looking metal patch, in this clever world with so many excellent reproductions, I couldn’t be sure if it was even old. 

Well, since they were packing up it was now or never, so I decided to ask. The price was dropped 70% - one less thing to move I was told. So I decided it was coming with me. 

Janice - you’ll be the expert - no one knew its  backstory - did I get an antique? It looked and felt so dry that I gave it a coating of hemp oil - food safe, but with a matte finish. I didn’t want it to look shiny and new. 

I want to be able to safely use it and keep it from drying out. Any old yellowware bowl, butter churn, oil lamp, even my reflector oven/tin kitchen gets used (oh, some of the best roast turkey!) I’m gentle with them, but I want to keep their history alive. 

Here’s the before:

A close up of the patch:

And of some markings on the side:

Here it is after I oiled it:

Old? New?  No worries - either way you’ll find me living out my Laura Ingalls dreams while making bread. It’ll be great for those recipes that make multiple loaves…quick, where’s my apron?!

falling behind in posting!

Time flies, as they say, and it's so true! I've enjoyed keeping up with all the blogs I follow...your summer days are flying by as well filled with gardening, patriotic celebrations, and happy things!

And so, I must play catch-up...as they say, "Without further ado!"

winter wheat:  going, going, gone

but the corn is still 
growing strong 

Barnum is such a handsome
fellow, but still so shy...

Bailey celebrated her birthday!

Hmmm, looks like she's
sticking her tongue out, 
perhaps not a fan of party hats!

Fireworks across the
fields in a nearby town

The prettiest blue skies
by a lovely old barn

a mama looking 
quite protective...I kept
my distance!

summertime harvest!

I painted an old faux fireplace
and put it in the milkhouse...

no, a milkhouse wouldn't
have had a fireplace, but this
was doomed to the trash and it
just needed rescuing! 

It was fun to decorate
for the "not shop, shop"

being watched...

posies to help me forget
it's a sweltering summer day

and lastly, an old building
alongside a country road...
it just needed to be remembered

Well, that about catches you up on how I've spent my days. While certainly not exciting by Hollywood standards, the days are simple...trying to hold onto old-fashioned values in a hectic, modern world.

I hope you're all well, keeping cool (unless it's winter where you are, then keeping warm) and you're spending a bit of time each day doing something you love that makes you happy.

Let's make tomorrow a red-letter day!