Sunday, October 31, 2010

Cool Weather


     Well, we've had our first frost, and our second.  I've brought in all the green tomatoes to ripen on the kitchen counter.  I also brought in all the house plants who were enjoying life on the front porch.  They obviously like it there as they always grow big leaves.  Not more than 3 hours of sun a day and the birds to talk to them.  But what's this, the Christmas Cactus has bloomed already.  I wasn't expecting that.  I'm sure it's because I didn't cut it back this year. Last year I was visiting in a house where one whole dormer was taken up with a Christmas cactus blooming in March.  It was huge, as big as a bushel basket and as happy as a plant ever is.  I decided then to stop cutting mine back and see what happens.  Now it hangs over the kitchen sink (so I don't forget to water it) and if I get too slouchy while washing dishes I hit my head on it.  It's the perfect level to admire the showy blossoms.








     I am in a swivet to finish my painting work in the garage before it gets too cold for the paint to dry.  Last year I contracted to faux-grain an antique trunk.  They sent it to be stripped and I didn't hear anything about it and now this year it has been sent over and oh, my it was much larger than I had anticipated.  My Husband was quite taken with it and got some new handles for it.  Then he fixed the wheels and leveled them.  It has rounds of wood set in the metal frame of the bottom  that roll only side to side, like old treadle sewing machines.  There is so much decorative metal work that I have spent rather a lot of time just putting on the base coat.    I would have painted some today but the rust proof primer still smells so I think it's not dry enough.  Here it is before the primer.




     I went to Spring Mill park this month with my friend and I noticed something I had not noticed before.  There is a tree there that has a mouth and he is definitely trying to say something!







     I think I mentioned that I have upped the budget for our groceries.  I seem to have settled on $30 a week per person.  We were ready for some luxuries.  Maybe it's the coming of winter, although I'm not sure ice cream should be considered a winter food!  At any rate we have a lovely menu for this week.

Sun.  Marinated Pork Roast, mashed potatoes, fresh peas and carrots, Ice Cream
Mon.  Clam chowder,cheese spread sandwiches, salad, dark chocolate candy bar
Tues.  Sliced roast pork, buttered rice, tossed salad with feta cheese, frozen fruit cocktail
Wed. Birthday,  Shrimp cocktail, steak, baked potato, salad, Pineapple up-side-down cake
Thurs. Chicken divan, with noodles and broccoli, salad, cake
Fri. Hamburgers on rye buns with sauteed mushrooms, roasted potato sticks, cake
Sat. company, Chicken fajitos with rice and refried beans, tortillas and salsa

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Log Cabin

     I have just finished washing the dishes in the double sink.  My dishwasher is 30 years old and doesn't work very well and I have fallen into the habit of washing the dishes by hand.  I like the water scalding hot and fill the second sink with rinse water which is scalding hot too.  As I wash glasses and plates, I put them in the hot rinse water and leave them for few minutes.  I feel that scalding is a good level of clean, not sterile but hot and drying in the rack as they are removed. 
     We had spinach, Swiss cheese and mushrooms in our omelet this morning, a patty of sage sausage, and oat bannocks for breakfast.  I got the recipe for the oat cakes out of  my currant mystery from the library, The Tale of Oat Cake Crag by Susan Wittig Albert.  It's a pastiche on Beatrix Potter.  I haven't read it yet but the oat cakes were stunning!
     Then I sat down to e-mail some people about a log cabin they have advertised.  Now we are happy in our little tract house with the wooden walls and the wood-burning stove.  But I have always wanted a log cabin.  When I was a child of about 4 or 5, my Mother and Step-father moved to south central Kentucky and bought an 8 acre tract of land.  The neighbors put up the cabin for us using logs from the lot and stones from a nearby creek.  I remember it distinctly.  Of all the homes I've lived in, and there are many, this one is the most vivid.  I believe now that living there was not easy.  At first we had no electricity but later we had light bulbs and a radio.  Never any plumbing.  Since I was a child at the time, I apparently made no judgements about that because for me that house was perfect!  There were two big oak trees in the front yard (like Laura's house in The Big Woods_) and from one my step-father hung a long swing.  Just for me.  I spent a lot of time on that swing.  I  played house with acorns and leaves while squirrels chattered at me from the high branches.  To this day I can hardly go for a walk without bringing home acorns in my pockets.  And I collect squirrels!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Getting ready for Christmas in October

     It is impossible to keep it from the dolls!  I have caused a major upheaval in the house.  Dolls are being moved, dressed, unpacked from boxes, and measured.  In a few instances I have actually held gift items up against dolls to see if they match, fit or seem appropriate to the style.  It's no use saying they won't know because they're just dolls, after all.  They obviously do know and it shows on their faces!  They all wear an expression of happy anticipation.  And anticipation, as you know, is the dolls most enjoyed state.


I have had to move in more shelves to hold more dolls.  Then there is the arranging:  Note that Marie Claire's dress is finished.  Miss Rita is entertaining the other dolls with her guitar.


     The guest room bed is laden with a mess of possible doll Christmas presents.


Preparatory to working on Christmas cards my husband lays out all his tools  on a dining room table still decorated with fall motifs.





Here are the finished cards.  Below are the tiny boxes I have been folding.  They come out of an old Dover publication.



 We ended up making about 55 cards.  I am not sure exactly how many dolls we have.  Current estimate is 37 but new ones keep coming to light.  Some of the dolls put away in boxes are slated to go elsewhere as I can no longer countenance keeping them shut up in boxes.  They all need happy homes.
     I am working on place cards, to be placed in front of each doll so we can keep track of who is who.  Presents are coming in from outside, for instance, my daughter is making some doll jewelry, and maybe an apron or two.  I want to fabricate some gift bags for large or bulky items which won't fit in the small boxes.  Tissue paper will be cut down to fit in the bags.  It becomes apparent that some of my friends wish to be present at the doll's Christmas so I think it will be a party!