Bits and peices.

It's been another busy week.  We had a couple of almost summer like days so I hauled out some outside lights to put up for the holiday season.    I figured why not take advantage of the warm weather rather than wait until December when the cold weather had set in. We also had a new set of back steps built so himself stained those again taking advantage of the lovely warm days. 

I bought a small electric fireplace a couple of weeks ago.  It seemed to be too low on the floor and looked lost.  I wasn't too happy with that so I bought some wood, built a platform for it, stained it and now am very happy indeed.

I might have mentioned that the Blue Jays are being proper bullies with regard to the feeders.  They've been eating up all the sunflower seeds and driving away the little birds.   I found a feeder in a seed catalogue that was for small birds and the bully birds couldn't get at the seeds.  It's one of the best investments that I've made in a long time.   The little birds love it and are going in and out all day long.  The jays are a little peeved but they do get enough to eat from the other feeders.

I did get a chance to make a straw man (King of Winter) for Samhain (Halloween).  We will welcome him at that time and he'll watch over the home during the winter months.   I've bought a pumpkin that I hope to stuff and bake at that time.  I've tried this recipe before and it turned out quite well. 

The "Benevolent King Cat" is regaled in it's bone necklace and skull necklace. 

The pumpkin.    

I also received some news this week that has me very excited.  My granddaughter is flying in for Christmas so if all goes well,  my daughter, granddaughter and grandson will be with us for a few days.  Now my mind is going crazy thinking of the kinds of cookies, etc. I can make.  I remembered my grandmothers shortbread cookies.  She'd cut them out with cookie cutters and put a bit of cherry in the center of each one then bake.  I knew I had her cookie cutters put away so found them and plan to do the same thing.

They are so old but the memories, ah, the memories!

Just a bit about the garden.   Most of the phlox is still in bloom and some of the other perennials.   A lot of the trees have finally changed colour with lots of leaves on the ground.  The fall smell is heady.  I love it.   The Burning Bush is putting on a nice little display as you can see from the picture. 

The crows arrive every morning at around 7:30 these days.  You can almost set your watch by them.  Then again around 4:30 pm.   Along with the Blue Jays, there are loads of Nuthatches and Chick a Dees.  Woodpeckers of course and recently I had two Common Jays drop by.

October.

I can't seem to be able to keep up with anything here lately, ie: reading my favorite blogs, blogging myself, etc.  I've been to the city, saw the parents and my brother who was visiting.  Had a lot of fun there.  Then spent a couple of days with my daughter.  That was good.  She had a party with a Moroccan theme.  Quite a crowd showed up and everyone had made a Moroccan dish.  A fire was lit in the fire pit outside, some people were out there chatting, others in groups all over, chatting.  It was a good evening.   Just one little incident that I still laugh at.  I was sleeping on a futon in the yoga room so before most had left I went up to bed.  I was beat!  Got my pyjamas on and got nicely tucked away when the bed fell over and I ended up sprawled across the floor.  The lamp flew off the end table and hit the floor with a crash.  I expected a crowd of people to come running up the stairs to see what had happened but no.....I told my daughter the next morning and she said they heard a noise but well, thought nothing of it.  haha. 

I've been so busy trying to get the garden put to bed for the winter.  I've done quite a bit this past week but unfortunately I've hurt my hip once again.  This happens every October.  Something I do in the garden triggers it.  So, I don't know how much more will get done.  Thankfully the worst of the work is over so I might just sit back now and say the heck with the rest of it until spring. 

Not much in the way of leaves changing colour and everything looking very autumn like this year.  Most of the leaves seem to have dried up and just fallen off.  I noticed the same thing happening in the city. 

I've decorated the mantle this year.  It looks rather pretty.

All in all it's been a good year weather wise.  One of the best summers in a very long time.  Hoping the winter is not too harsh.