November-Getting Ready for the Holidays

It is windy out there! You be careful, please. Sorry about the bruise. I'll bet that is sore.

It is getting chilly. I presently have both cats in the chair with me. They are getting big enough now, it's a little crowded. LOL

Usually Sam the big lab never wants in the house unless it is lightening really bad, but he wanted in tonight, guess he doesn't like the crazy winds. He has a dog house, it is big enough to be a play house...lol but guess he just wants to closer to us tonight.

I will have to walk the fence row tomorrow and bring back everything...lol

Debra you are so lucky...wow Sure glad DH got the old dead pines taken down. Wind right now is straight out of the west and so strong.

Joyce, doesn't it feel great,wonderful, fantastic not to have to worry about a tree falling on your house?

I just brought Tucker him from outside. He woke me up because I fell sleep before I let him out last night. I can really tell winters on its way. Brrrrrr. This has been one of the longest Indian summers I can remember.

Debra,
Thanks. I probably knew you meant my pictures at the time :o)

Patti,
I don't think the straw sprouts will do any harm.
I missed that, that Will already got a job. I think it's good to work up to the semis.
ROTFL! It's not funny when animals turn up their nose, but ours decided every other day, they still like the old food too. Talk about dancing around the animals! It wasn't ""Beyond"" cat food we got, it was "Good Life."
So far the cortisone pills are clearing it up.

Betty,
Maybe someday I'll take you up on the seeds. I would need to find poles and a place to grow them. How many seeds do you plant and do you freeze them for winter eating? How much room do they take? Maybe you can show me a picture of your set-up next year.

Will,
Again, not funny, but I had to laugh when I read ''plus now it smells!'' Warranties are a good thing but now you will have to reload all your numbers in. Samsung is a good name. Did you dry your phone in rice? Maybe it would absorb the odor and you would have a back-up phone. Go ahead and get that new one even if you have to send this one in.

Pepper,
We went back to a fake tree again. I miss the smell of the Balsam Pines we used to get. Plus, their branches were strong enough to hold heavy ornaments. I am relieved to not water them anymore tho.

Happ,
Now it's poor you cleaning up the cone, instead of poor Slick, lol! I am so glad he's healing up. He'll be as good as new!
Yep, I'd try to use the old program you have. DH uses paint that comes with our programming. I don't have the patience to fix cracks.

Pepper,
I would have worn thermals to be taken off later when I got hot. It would be a prickly job, but I would enjoy it. Getting pine sap on my skin or clothes might not be quite so much fun...

Debra,
I don't think I've ever had an update on Irfanview and we've used it for quite a few years too.
I am Sally :o) Calling me Billy, BillyP, BP, Sally, all good :o) Your choice.

Happ,
That is freaky! What kind of scanner do you have. We just got a new HP. Naturally you don't get any manual with it. Maybe I better download one to see what options it might have.
You are so busy, as usual :o)

Patti,
You are so lucky to have Jamey!!
My cousin's autistic son will also get stuck on things. I like that song. Santana makes good music!
Trouble is, it's WAY too early to get a tree and try to keep it alive till Christmas. I know people like to put them up the day after Thanksgiving, but that is just a long time till Christmas.

Happ,
Happy Dance for Slick!!
I think a charcoal grey might be a nice grout accent.

Oh Betty,
That is so sad. HUGE HUGS to you, Nicole and Chloe. He was a pretty boy.
Tears for his little burial. How beautiful.

Happ,
When I was a kid, my Grandma used to raise white rabbits with pink eyes to sell for butchering. A friend up the street from me had a huge black rabbit. I was fascinated by it, but never asked for one. It never occurred to me. Besides we had outdoor cats. Love the name Liberace!

Oh my GOSH Debra!
I hope you aren't too bruised up!

Betty,
I get HPS but have never ordered from them. I have ordered from Jungs.

Happ,
I'm glad Sam came in. I'm sure he did feel better. I think high winds just spook all animals. Too many noises too many things blowing by. It makes me feel unsettled too.

We just got rain, but other places had tornado sightings. I woke up at 10:30 pm and heard the wind. We still have wind and had 5/8'' rain. I'll take it!

Last year we has a dusting of snow on the 11th.

I baked the last pink banana squash yesterday and got 8 cups from it. I'll make 3 pies and we will just eat the rest.

Gotta get moving.

Have a great day!!

WHOA, WHAT IS PINK BANANA SQUASH? i THINK I WOULD LIKE THAT ..

She lives!

Very good, but very big.
http://jordanseeds.com/Banana-Pink-Jumbo-Winter-Squash.html

Today has been a crazy day. I found out that a friend of mine's mom died yesterday (cancer and other issues). She actually called my mom because she didn't think she would be able to tell me. If her conversation with my mom was any indication I know she wouldn't have been able to. This is the friend who has the two black labs that I take to the dog park. So been dealing with that and telling some other friends and former coworkers of hers today for her. I go visit her tomorrow.

The good news is the wind died down some today. lol. Only in the 20-30 mph range today. Supposed to die back down to normal range tomorrow which will be really nice!! And I'm hearing we might have a possibility of snow next week with the next big system moving in. Maybe.

Aww that is sad, I'm sorry. I am glad you are there for her and glad u care for those dogs too. Hoping you do not get snow.

They're saying we are getting our first hard freeze tonight. And yes, I actually saw the word snow in the forecast. Only 20% – it will miss us.

Pepper, I am sorry about your friend's mom. It's hard. My thoughts are with you and with your friend and her family.

I received a call from Jamie about 10 o'clock on 11/11. I met Jamie through my friend, Dana, who I met when I was 16. I guess you can do everything right and still have things go wrong.
Dana is about 105 pounds, vegetarian, has only smoked about a year in her entire life - and that was 50 years ago, and teaches yoga classes five times a week. Apparently, Dana had been rushed to the hospital and had a pacemaker put in. She has been having problems with getting dizzy, up to and including passing out, but the doctors told her she was dehydrated. I guess they missed the diagnosis on this one. Equally upsetting is the fact that they were going to release her last night. I haven't talk to her yet but will be doing so later this morning.

36°/49°/29°
Relative Humidity: 64%
Today...Brisk... Northwest wind 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.
Tonight...Clear. West wind 5 to 10 mph shifting to the south after midnight.

Debra,
Laughing, I see Bernie caught that one :o)

Brenda,
I think Indian Summer was early this year and I thought we usually got a couple good days from it. Sometimes it can get pretty dang warm.
My Farmer's Almanac Calendar says If All Saints (Nov. 1) brings out winter, St Martins (Nov. 11) brings out Indian Summer, so it was early.
My beds are going to sleep too. Last thing I planted was a tiny Beauty Berry my neighbor gave me. Now it and everything else got rain and should be wet until the next rain. I hope November is grey and rainy! Our creeks and rivers are showing sandbars.

Oh Pepper,
Your poor friend. It sounds like she's going to need a friend for a while to get thru this. I'm so sorry for her loss.

Wow Patti,
That was a bad call on the Dr's part. And I would think she would know whether she was dehydrated or not. I'm aware of my intake. Sometimes you have to push those Dr's. I am so lucky to have a good Dr who listens to me. Trouble is, I'm so well informed that she really doesn't get to treat me much, lol!
I hope she heals well and is fine after this. Kudos to her for being so healthy otherwise.

I have a potassium blood draw this morning and later need to clean and set up for the kids coming tonight. Actually we'll pick up the twins from pre-school and DD will bring the boys after wrestling club is over.

The wind has died down here too. I hope it's not going to be a really windy year.

Have a great day!

Well, I'm in shock.

They released Dana from the hospital yesterday, late, and she got home about 8 o'clock last night. I talked to her a few minutes ago and she said she has a 3 inch cut on her left shoulder where they inserted the pacemaker. She also said she slept better last night then she has slept in weeks and weeks. I'm going to go by there later this afternoon and Tucker and I will be spending the night with her tomorrow night. Tucker and Tasha will certainly like that – they are friends too. I am so grateful she is home and doing so well. I guess getting a pacemaker is no big deal anymore. I'm also glad she has excellent insurance. She and another friend are taking Tasha for a walk. She was told to exercise, starting immediately.

wow. really? in and out for a pacemaker? that is great! Glad she is okay and feels better. Also glad you are going to be with her. You are a great friend.

Was a beautiful sunny day here today - not sure the temp, didn't have time to check see what it was. Just knew I wanted to be outside doing something. I did find plenty to do - mostly raking. The deer have been eating the tops of my strawberry plants (NOT GOOD!). So with my rakings, I covered the strawberries.

Sorry to hear all the bad news. We never know. . . . . and life is short. Glad the pacemaker is an after fact and she is on the mend.

We are expected to get 5 or 6 inches of rain somewhere Mon - Thurs next week. WHEE! Billyp, If I could I would send some your way. While out and about today I saw this yellow sulpher (sp) flutterby, my thought was that he was way behind the others.

I've been JUNKIN and here is one of my finds. DH drilled a drainage hole and I planted the hen without the chicken. I think this little ole frog has some personality. Another good buy I found at a thrift store was an old picnic basket. I touched it up with a little paint today and I think it's ready for a picnic - huh! I cannot attach another picture, so I'll piggy back the photo.

The other thrift bargain - I used the blue tape as I was painting - then peeled it off.

Gee - the pictures are not posting????? CRAZY - Friday the 13th!!

oh my goodness, I have that same basket, it is really old! Mine was my moms LOL

OK - THANKS Debra you have dated the basket for me. Someone had taken really good care of it.

Brenda, I saw you won a couple entries in the photo contest!! Congrats!

Well congratulations Brenda on several accounts, winning in the photo contest and the great buys at the thrift shop. Love the Frog... ;) Wish you lived closer we could go junkin together...partners in crime.

I didn't get much accomplished today, not sure why not but just didn't. I did design and make a Christmas ornament and realized my soldering skills are pretty bad but practice makes you better, studied some videos on some subjects I needed to check out, picked up stuff but really not much got done.

Tree is actually a swirly green color, iphone doesn't take good pics, nor do I...lol

Pep are you still working on the puppy situation?

well how does anyone know who won what on the photo contest? I haven't seen a link?
Love the fact that you are making an ornament, Joyce, keep going!
Brenda, my basket has all the same stuff we took out on camping trips, 55 years ago. sheese!

I can't save links on my tablet. Debra, I looked at tags and found the winners. Considering they made such a big deal of this and so many participated, I find it weird that they would not promote it now. There are some beautiful photos.

Congratulations Brenda!

Have been awake since about 2:30 AM. I just remembered I have laundry in the washer from two days ago. LOL I guess I'll be redoing that load. Sure wish I had a fresh tomato for a BLT.

Amanda, I love that name. What is the status on the dog and what did your dad think of the carpet cleaner? Inquiring minds want to know. LOL

I think I'll try to watch a movie. Maybe that will help me sleep. I have the "the red shoes" saved on the DVR. Made in 1946. A movie about a ballerina and a ballet composer. A love story? I don't think I'm in the mood for that. Maybe I'll watch "Tootsie". I've only seen it about a dozen times. It's a good one.

DG site updates discussion. Terry has the link to the photo winners - it's up at the top, it may even be a sticky.

To see the photo contest info - go to HOME, then from there on the right of the screen click on CONTESTS.

THANK YOU for all the kind words ~ I'm excited to be a photo contest winner. A BIG "THANK YOU" for voting. Hope if some of you entered, you were a winner, as well. I think I voted in every category. Some really great photos.

happ - Your tree is quite the undertaking. You impressed me! Pretty and very detailed! Yes, if close, we could go junkin. What fun! Now that you have all the tools, etc., readily available, hope you will make more ornaments and take pictures and share. You may just motivate me to do something outside my box.

Debra - Wow - 55 years old (at least). I didn't have a clue the basket would be that old. I don't think this basket has seen many picnics - maybe a few. Anyhow - it's a KEEPER. I'll probably use it to store linens or something in when it's not out on a picnic. . .

Patti - Don't you be sleeping today - so you can sleep tonight. I sometimes read (mostly gardening) when I cannot sleep.

Hoping I can convince my DH to take me 30-60 miles to the north to a couple Wal-mart stores this morn so I can look for "Purple Sensation Allium" bulbs. Our local box store had them, and I bought, but I would like to plant and share some for my daughter, sister and an elderly friend.
We'll see how that goes. . . . and just maybe I can junk somewhere along the way.

LOL Brenda, I have to much to do to sleep during in the day.

Debra, have you seen our weather forecast? It looks like we might actually get rain Sunday night, Monday, Tuesday and maybe even Wednesday. I hope they are right, but I'm not going to hold my breath. LOL

Housework and laundry today. I hear it calling my name. Later!

Patti, my mom received a pacemaker in her early 60s. That has been about 15 years ago. She stays busy tending to their 2 horses and a dozen chickens in all kinds of weather. Every 5 years, she goes in for a battery replacement.

Sorry that I haven't been on much. Raising 4 kittens sure keeps you busy. They are eating baby cereal mixed with formula now and litter box trained just in the past couple of days. I moved them into the rabbit's lodging. I'll have to post picks from my phone. I am using my tablet right now. Thanks for the condolences for Mr. Beans. He lead a long happy life for a Dutch rabbit.

The storms weren't so severe once they reached the St. Louis area. I did have to set the lawn swing back up. It is almost time to put it away in the garage for the winter. Switching to my phone now to post the kitten picks. The frost still hasn't killed my veggie garden yet, but could happen soon.

The kittens new lodging. Turning them sideways. I will download the pics to my laptop and try posting again.

I haven't told him about the carpet cleaner. We decided that we wouldn't tell him and my mom would act like she knows nothing at Christmas. lol

As for the puppy situation, it's going to be a no go for now. Main reason is there is no way to keep our dog in and other dogs out without building a pen or fencing in the whole yard. The way my yard is built a fence is really impractical and will make mowing hard. My dad also doesn't want to build a pen which is understandable so I'm back to the drawing board. I'm slowly getting a natural bush fence going in the back which will help with the dogs some but only from using our yard as a highway. lol

There is a house as I am going to the city, that put up a chain link fence and then planted shrubs all thru the fence, the shrubs are now bigger than the fence and is very nice looking. I would of never thought about doing that but it looks great.

Kitties are so cute but they always are and so much fun to play with.

What a beautiful day yesterday was, I know a little windy but really for November wow. I went to two craft shows with friends and bought some Christmas presents, went to lunch, and yes we also went junking...lol I found a couple of things at the junk store I just couldn't live without..lol More project stuff.

The Christmas ornament is really rough but was fun making. I am trying to do some decorative soldering but I am not there but practice makes better right? I bought the stuff to pour to make my Chiefs stone, so I guess once it warms up that is what I will be doing...fingers crossed it comes out 1/2 way ok.

I love those allium bulbs, I bought a few in the past and they did multiply thru the years. Costco when I worked downtown use to have big bags of them. Which I have a big bag of daffs that need in the ground but I need rain in order to get them in the ground!

Tomorrow you will have your rain. lol. Tomorrow is also when our next batch of Christmas trees come in. Yipeee....not!!

Cleaned up the yard from the wind storm yesterday. Had a lot of limbs down. My nephew was here so I made him come out and help us and as soon as he got a handful his mom showed up. He immediately threw his over the fence and ran to her and stayed inside. He hates to do any work. So when they finally come out to leave I yelled thanks a lot. lol. He then sat in the car for another 20 minutes until we were done. My dad went and had a talk with him then. It took an hour to clean up the yard and this was after unloading 60 bags of compost.

good grief,, Amanda I am so glad your Dad went to have a talk with him! The fence can wait, and I am glad you are going to surprise your Dad with that carpet cleaner. Rain? HA! I'm not holding my breath. I watered a bit last night.
We worked in the yard so much I am sore and woke up with a very sore elbow? I am not used to my elbow hurting? Going to try a patch and see how that works. So windy out and the birds are all over everything this am.
I like to see your projects Joyce. I wish I had half the inclination you have!

I have been gathering pine cones from work. Soon, those pine trees will be gone, so the things I am making from the pine cones will be even more special.

Found the link, ( photo contest) Loved the bluebird, and the frogs the best. So cute!

Betty, taking care of newborn anythings can be very time consuming. Keep posting pics as you go. How cute!

I guess I don't know what allium bulbs you are talking about, all mine have bloomed white so far, so I don't buy any... LOL

Patti, I found the borage seeds.. and a few others I had forgotten about, they were in the fridge. :P

I will save you one of the Joe's Whoppers when we pick them, Patti. Joe has two bags of leaves ready for you so far, one more to go..

The Purple Sensation - Alliums I had planted last fall (pixtures below). I didn't waste time looking for more bulbs at local store this fall for next year show. I really enjoyed them and they stayed in bloom for a long while. They also made beautiful dried seed heads.

Joyce - thanks for the tidbit on alliums multiplying. I'll sure hope for that.

Those windstorms do play havic - when it comes to picking up sticks. Hopefully you didn't loose any trees. We have a sycamore tree and I swear every time I turn around it throws out more dead branches to be picked up. My exercise routine. . . . I guess.

Puppies and kitties - BOTH ARE AWESOME!

Beware of choosing the PREVIEW option when sending pictures, you'll easily loose them.

Brenda mine don't multiply fast but they do multiply, I know I didn't buy as many as bloom because they are sort of expensive. I don't have squirrels or anything like that to dig them up. I did try to overwinter lilies in pots one year and the mice ate everyone of them! I had built a fort type with mulch. Don't do that again.

Well I made the base of the chiefs stone, I am so sorry I didn't make it out of plain concrete but live and learn. Should of made it out of concrete and then put the thinset on top of the concrete base like I originally thought about doing. Thinset is EXTREMELY sticky mixed according to the web site instructions is is not pourable. I did get it out of the bucket and did get the tiles on top. I forgot one little tiny thing that will probably kill me in the end. I forgot to oil the form before putting the thinset in it. Heck I may never be able to get it out of the mold.... oh well. I did this all in the storage shed. I thought I should reinforce my form because I am use to working with concrete but thinset was so thick and stick running wasn't a problem. In about 2 days I will go back and grout it, if I can get it out of the mold. I bought white and black grout.

Kitty has just had enought...lol

That looks fantastic! so does the kitty LOL I am impressed, Joyce. No way could I accomplish that .. I hope everything comes "out" for you.

That KC stone looks to be quite the undertaking. Good job! Will keep fingers crossed for you that it will come away from the mold.

Debra it is not hard to do, just a little time consuming. I can give you some of the do's and all the don'ts...lol Well probably not even so time consuming once you figure out the don'ts... Sometimes when I am not sure what to do I have a tendency to procrastinate and over think. Then I go forward and screw up...rofl. Like not greasing the mold. geehz, something so simple.

Brenda did you make it to all your Walmarts?

No rain here yet, but the winds...Guess I shouldn't complain since it is so warm.

Oh Pepper, hope you have a nice day doing the Christmas trees but I am not sure it is suppose to be too good. I can do heat, but cold and wet I get really grouchy...!!

Very annoying with these photos turning sideways. Harry the cat, that is his baby bed, but he still likes trying to sleep in it.

happ thanks for asking - I made it to two Wal-marts to the north (45 miles) and they have overwhelmed their garden areas with Christmas. I asked - but no allium/tulip bulbs. DH offered to take me farther. The only thing I found in garden bulbs were some nearly petrified iris roots, that should have been thrown away a long time ago. I decided on another year. . . . . We win and we loose.

Try a Menard's. Ours has lots of spring blooming bulbs.