September 27, 2023
The Stitching Has Commenced...
September 26, 2023
Tuesdays With Tag - Don't Call 'Em Barn Cats...
Hi, Everybody!
It's rainin' today. Mom and Dad are happy because it's good for the garden (and Dad doesn't have to drag a hose over there to water plants). The furry residents? We're not so fond of it. Wet paws, wet coats, and we have to stay off the furniture.
Anyway, that's not what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about these two. Mom calls 'em "barn cats". Dad calls 'em "welfare clients". Bella and Carly call 'em "exercise for Labradors", and I call 'em "trouble".
Actually, Claudette and I have an agreement. She quits rubbin' up against me, and I'll quit walkin' away from her. Crystal lets me walk pretty close to her without her hissin', so I guess that's an agreement, too.
So, every night, Crystal crawls into the cat house Mom made out of the dresser (yes. It's currently on the porch). Every mornin', Mom calls her and she comes out the little front door of it. When Mom checks on her and Claudette last thing at night, Mom opens the big door and Crystal is on the upper level in her bed - cozy and safe.
Claudette, on the other hand, still prefers to sleep in the covered basinette next to the dresser. Sometimes both girls are in there, but usually Claudette prefers to sleep alone. Mom gives each of them a little pettin' and then tells them to stay on the porch overnight where they're safe. It seems to work for 'em.
First thing in the mornin', Claudette waits patiently for breakfast, and they're usually fed before us dogs get to run around outside. Once Claudette has her mornin' snack, she likes to come out into the field with us, and she rubs against Mom's legs while Mom holds my long lead so I can run around. I'm sure we look pretty cute out there.
Of course, the last thing on the agenda for what I'm now callin' the "porch pussies" is to try to get in the house. If Dad's not gonna be home for a little while, Mom lets 'em in to hang out inside a bit. If he's home, they're tough out of luck. Mom will sit with them and have her mornin' coffee or tea, but they have to stay outside.
Pretty soon it's gonna get cold enough that they're gonna have to move to the barn. On nice days, they'll still be on the porch (or sometimes in the house), but once the snow falls, Mom will be drinkin' her mornin' cuppa in the barn with these two.
I don't get it one bit, but for some reason she really likes them. Oh, well. Her heart's big enough for all of us. As long as I get regular snuggles and three square, I'm good.
September 25, 2023
Weekend Projects...
Handsome and I did some more canning this weekend, too. The result of our labor is twelve half pint jars of pizza sauce, and eight pint jars, plus one twelve ounce jar of salsa. This time we used Mrs. Wage's Pizza Sauce Mix, but only half of the 5 tablespoons of sugar it called for. The salsa is also a Mrs. Wage's mix that we've used before and love.
One thing I'm doing differently since learning it from my aunt, is that I'm not blanching and skinning the tomatoes prior to processing them. After washing and removing the stem and core, she cuts them into quarters and chops them up with her stick blender. While I have one, I chose to use my Cuisinart™ food processor instead. Once everything is chopped up, the skins just about disappear in the mix, and as they cook, the chopped tomato skins don't rise to the top as larger pieces usually might. They're well and truly incorporated into the tomatoes, saving so much extra time and effort. They also add just a bit more texture to the cooked tomatoes, which Handsome and I think is a plus. We'll continue to do them this way.
This week, in addition to my needlework assignment, we're planning to make applesauce. I still have canned mushrooms and canned potatoes on my list, but that won't likely happen this week. I'll be needle dancing instead.
I hope you're planning something that makes you happy for the next few days. If you're in the mood to share, I'd love to know all about what you'll be doing.
September 24, 2023
September 23, 2023
More Goodness From The Farm...
but by bedtime, the tomato slices had mostly settled in the jars. I'll likely do more as the season winds down, but I'm hoping some of the 'maters will still ripen so I can process them for other things. Even so, it will be lovely tasting summer in the depths of our Wisconsin winter. All the work now will certainly be worth it come those blustery days.
As I said, we also made bread and rolls, but I figure you're probably getting sick of seeing bread photographs, so I thought I'd spare you this time. No promises in the future, though. lol
This afternoon I'll be taking another class with Clara. This is for her koi brooch class. I probably already have this technique down, but I do so enjoy her classes, and well...I'm sure there's more than a little I don't know. I mostly take notes, so I can't promise I'll have anything to show you of our first session. If I do, it will be on Monday. In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
September 22, 2023
Finished!...
September 21, 2023
Mounting Next...
September 20, 2023
It's A Good (Safe) Tired...
September 19, 2023
Tuesdays With Tag - PSA #6...
September 18, 2023
More Flowers...
September 17, 2023
September 16, 2023
Here's What Happened To Me...
September 15, 2023
Update and a Sale...
September 14, 2023
Thursday Smile...
via Smile & Shine on FB |
I'm heading to my doctor's appointment this morning to get my stitches/staples removed. So far, I couldn't be more pleased with how my body is acclimating to this latest procedure. I don't want to jinx anything by being too optimistic, but I'm really optimistic.
I'll be resting and stitching once we get back to the farmhouse, and continuing to follow doctor's orders for complete (successful) healing. Thanks to all who send me regular messages filled with prayers and goodwill. I'm going to be sharing some recent surprises I received with you tomorrow.
For now, I'd better get moving as I have a bit of a drive ahead. Wish me luck, and I'll be looking forward to new updates tomorrow. (I hope you liked the image I'm sharing today!) hee hee
September 13, 2023
A New Project...
September 12, 2023
Tuesdays With Tag -
September 11, 2023
We Remember...
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Image via A Little Perspective.com |
I remember where we were and exactly what we were doing when the towers came down.
The sacrifices made by so many. So many lives lost.
I'll never forget. We'll never forget.
September 10, 2023
September 9, 2023
Handsome's Gift...
Although I'm able to walk along once in a while, most days Handsome takes the dogs out first thing without me - especially since my surgery. (Takes me a little longer to get going right now.)
Yesterday morning, he called up the stairs to tell me I needed to come downstairs, as he "had something for me". I walked down to see his cupped, outstretched hands. (Does that make anyone else nervous?) I did a quick inventory of anything that might freak me out to have dropped in my hands and simply asked, "Is it alive?", to which he responded, "Yes.".
I put out my open hands and he dropped this monarch into my palms. The poor thing had one completely crumpled wing. I asked where he found the butterfly and was told that it was struggling in the grass in our backyard.
The first thing I did was sent a text message to our younger daughter-in-law because she's raised them from the chrysalis to caterpillar to butterfly stage in years past for our granddaughters to watch, and I thought she might have some advise for how to help it.
The second thing I did was an online on "how to care for a monarch with a crumpled wing". What I learned is that there is really no way to help them, and that offering them the comfort of sugar water and/or flowers would give them some nourishment as they faced the inevitable.
I picked a couple of my marigolds from the garden, some honeysuckle that the bees are currently enjoying, a few dandelions and clover I found in the yard, and a few other wildflowers, along with a saucer of sugar water (same proportions as what I feed the hummingbirds), and placed the butterfly in my raised garden stock tank under the squash plants. My idea was that the cats wouldn't stumble across it there and hurry its demise.
When I went out later to check on it, I saw that it was trying to reach the topmost leaves of the squash plant, moving toward the sunlight. I left it there for the moment and went inside to think.
I don't know whether or not this is a male or female. I know there are ways to determine that according to some of the markings, but as I said, I wasn't sure. Even so, it occurred to me that perhaps this was a female whose creative imperative was driving it to lay eggs before it passed. As milkweed is the caterpillar's only food source, laying her eggs on a squash leaf would sentence the eggs to her same fate. (If it is indeed a female.)
Either way, their chosen plant should be its last resting place, so I put out my open hand and the monarch climbed into my palm. I walked to the place where the milkweed gets the last of the sunlight before the sun drops below the hillside behind our farmhouse, and placed my hand next to one of the top leaves of a still strong and upright plant. The monarch immediately walked off my hand to the leaf. I took this photograph and then watched as it opened and closed its wings as if to say, "thank you".
Soon, I'll go back outside to see whether or not this handicapped beauty is still alive. It's its not, but still there, I'll bring it inside to place with my embroidered butterfly. I've decided though, that my next big project will be to pull out the silk threads my RSN tutor, Owen helped me choose when I was in Kentucky to take his butterfly class. Together we chose silks so I could stitch a monarch. When I stitch it, it will be a tribute to Owen and this butterfly - who both touched my heart and are no longer with us.