Thankful Thursday

Cool, windy and wet...oh yes, fall is here! I am not complaining at all. I just have to be more diligent about planning and sticking to the plan. If I have something that needs done that requires sunshine I have to make sure it gets done when there is some. Because as we all know there will not be sunshine everyday. I miss it already! When the days shorten and sunshine wains, I admit that I struggle a bit in the "get up and go" department. So I am trying to get a headstart on it or a handle on it which ever way you wish to look at it. 

I have plenty to keep me busy and of course I am always coming up with more! But in all seriousness I do have a new adventure on my horizon. I will share more of that later on.

I have so much to be thankful for. I cannot list them all on here. But as you will see in my list I try to see the little things in life that are a blessing. So the normal things like family and health are just a given. But beyond that I like to look a little deeper and see some of the small blessings that the Lord allows me to have. Blessings are gifts so no matter how big or small they are special.

I am thankful for food in our pantry and the ability to know how to preserve our food and such.

For the trees changing colors and being able to enjoy the different seasons and what they each have to give me. (yes, even the snow!)

I am thankful for a washing machine. I know I could make it without one but I am glad I do not have to.

Friends are such a gift, and it seems the older I get the more he gives me.

Art supplies are something that I have an abundance of and I am so glad. because I am never without something to do.

I am also thankful for my new studio(corner in my garage) to create and not have to clean up everyday. 

So many things that the list could go on forever, but I will stop and let you have a chance. What are some of the little things you have to be thankful for?

Creativity

There is a chill in the air this morning but nothing like it was a few days ago. We are in the midst of an indian summer, they say it should last about a week to 10 days. So you will hear no complaints from my knee of the woods and I will be enjoying the outdoors as much as possible. 

It is a little chilly to have morning coffee on the porch. But lunch is a total possibility and afternoon might find me on the deck with a project in hand.

Here are a few items I have been working on. I have got to let some of this pent up creativity out of my head from time to time or it will explode! 

These pieces are whimsical and fun!

They are in an altered art style using paint, paper, ink and reclaimed wood.

They are perfect little shelf sitters or would make great paper weights. 

Christmas is just around the corner and if you see something here you like you can contact me or check out my etsy shop here.

Frosty Saturday

The frost was heavy this morning on the roof tops. In fact the temps are still dropping as I write this. At 6 am. it was 38* and now (8:30) it is 36*. Suppose to be even colder tonight. And then warm back up for the week.

So this morning will be spent in the kitchen, doing some cooking and using the heat to warm the house a bit. Not sure what just yet but I will share later on.

It will warm up later today (50's) so I will try to get some more of the fall cleanup completed. The part that gets me about the cleanup is that my father is 87 years old and he has a huge garden and his cleanup is complete and all his winter wheat is planted. But then I have to remember that he doesn't do things like cooking, house chores, etc.....! But still.

I love the weather it gives such a calmness to itself. Fall is like the sun setting on the season. It seems like a time to slow down and relax and reflect on oneself.

This is a picture of the Blackwater River in NW West Virginia.

Isn't this the cutest thing you ever seen. It always makes me sad that they will rot and be gone after someone works so hard to create them.

They are calling for our first frost on saturday night. I don't know why it surprises me as our projected first frost date is October 16th. So right on target I would say. But it still always seems to take me by surprise.

Fall cleanup is progressing but it seems I get 3 things done and find 5 more that needs done. Can you say never ending battle!

I want to get started on some handmade christmas items as soon as I get things completed outside. Are you making Christmas gifts this year? If so, for who and what are you making. I need some ideas for men in a bad way. 

Fall Menus and Fun.

Well the weekend was a good one. The weather was perfect and we were able to get out in it and do some walking and hiking. it is not going to be long before that will not be so much of an option.

So I need to share that as the seasons change so does the way we want to eat. Or should I say the way we want to prepare foods. This is not serving us well as I am seeing the pounds creep on the scales and I trying to take back some control over this. So this week's dinner menus are as follows.

Monday......pulled chicken in a chopped salad.

Tuesday........grilled pork chops and roasted veggies(zucchini, onion, carrots and broccoli)

Wednesday.....chicken veggie soup

Thursday.....veggie frittata

Friday.......roasted veggies(whatever is in the fridge) with turkey kielbasa in foil on the firepit.

Saturday.....some sort of soup or stew.

So are you eating or cooking different since the weather is changing? If so share with us and maybe we can get some ideas as well.

This and That.....It's a Winner.

I love fall with the colors changing and the color temperatures. Over the weekend we had a local Pumpkin Festival at the West Virginia Pumpkin Park in Milton West Virginia. Now while there are lots of activity at this park during the course of a year this is the "superbowl" event for them. It was a good time, and since I went on sunday it was a sunny day. The other 3 days were rainy. Here was the winning entry of the pumpkin growing contest.

It weighed in at 1061 lbs. Now that would make a lot of pies! And they actually auction it off with the money going to help maintain the park and then the pumpkin was donated to the City Mission and volunteers peeled and cooked pumpkin to have for pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Yard work has been underway. Trying to get things ready for winter. mowing a weedeating of the normal variety is complete, at least for now. I still have some trimming around the driveway and sidewalks to do.

I have been using some old t-shirts to make yarn with. I am adding this to my stash of yarn and will be sharing with you soon what it is used for. At least my first idea! Winter is the time when we can get to all those projects and I want to have plenty on hand. Yeah right! Like there is a chance I could ever even run low!

I have also been designing some new ornaments for my Etsy shop and those will be rolling out soon. So stay tuned.

Fall is Here

I think it arrived on the bus last night! I got up this morning to 47* and it is rainy and windy. The ground is so saturated and the rain is not stopping till some time on monday. But then they say we will have a gorgeous week of 70+ temps. 

So I need to make some plans. Make some lists. Thats right I am a list maker. I work so much better from a list. I write it down and then do it, don't have to keep thinking of what it was I needed to do. I like to think it saves me time in the long run.

1. clean flower beds and garden bed and put them to bed for the winter.

2. dig elephant ear bulbs when frost takes the foliage and mulch banana trees same time.

3.finish staining the new out building

4. Put in new section of fence.

5. gather swing and lawn furniture and stack and cover for winter

6. Keep leaves off the deck as they fall

7. Move a red maple tree and trim the dogwood and the silver maple

I am sure other things will pop up that need completed but this is the weight of them for now. 

How about you guys are you ready for winter yet? If not next week is suppose to be a pretty one, at least in my neck of the woods!

Changing Of The Mug

Where on earth did September go? It truly flew by. But, now it is October and the weather has really changed as well. It was in the 50's this morning and no sunshine is sight. So it is time for the "Changing Of The Mug". The new mug for the month is 

And the coffee inside it has a touch of cinnamon added.

As we begin a new month I want to take a moment and pause with thankfulness of a few things. This is by no means all that I am thankful for but a good start in remembering.

***the warm summer and the coolness that is coming now

***friends that help to fill my life with fun

***family that I love and get to pray for each day

***good health for myself and my family

***a wonderful husband(I did not say perfect)just exactly what God intended for me.

***a stash of fabric and yarns to work with.

***plenty of food in the pantry

So what does the changing of the season have you thinking about?