It is that time of year again. The garden is pretty bare with summer stuff pulled up and perennials cut back, but pansies and ornamental cabbage will fill some of the blank spaces. I've been planting them when the weather is warm, then forgetting about them because they haven't really made much of an impression so far. They are just beginning to look a bit more colorful, but the blank areas after the lushness of summer
We have had days with highs of 72 and days with highs in the 50's. Back and forth from days feeling like oncoming winter and days feeling like spring. The garden seems confused and so am I, sitting outside and wondering what next.
I've been enjoying salads from my lettuce and kale.
Colorful salads make me happy, and the various lettuces,
purple kale, broccoli florets, walnuts, sliced eggs, and sliced petite carrots
make a colorful and crunchy salad.
Dressing-- my favorite is grape seed oil and lemon juice.
Add crunchy slices of French or Italian bread, and I'm happy.
Stinker investigates.
The weeping maple still has gorgeous leaves,
but the others have all gone with the wind.
I saw a primitive ladder on Pinterest and put in a request: "Dear Husband, would you make me one?" And he did. :) I improvised a wreath from greenery in the Christmas trunk and am quite happy with it.
I sort of know what I'm doing with the little mouse, but the clothing will take a long time.
Slow embroidery for a dress--
that may not be finished this month.
I may change my mind and dress the mouse
in something less time consuming, but the
embroidery is a relaxing process for me.
Erin has requested a mouse, and I made a new pattern and have been working on it. That's three new mouse patterns so far this year.
-----
The power of a letter and a girl who makes her wishes known. :) Go Riley! Congrats to Steph Curry for reading Riley's letter and responding.
How Restaurants Got So Loud. Mary commented on this problem recently, and I agree that loud restaurants are a blight to dining out--at least if you have any hope of conversation. In recent years, the noise factor in restaurants has increased, and there aren't many places where diners can really visit during a meal. Do you find this as frustrating as I do?
I'm dragging out Christmas decorations a little at a time. Have you started decorating yet? Did you start the day after Thanksgiving (or before), wait until Dec. 1, or keep putting it off?
How many of you need one of these?
Oh, I have Christmas lights up, but I just can't whip it up to put up a tree. We have so much furniture in our house and no little children that I just won't miss it. We have found that if we eat out early, or after dinner hour it is far more quiet and relaxing. Also upscale places are less noisy, but we usually can't afford them unless my grandson invites us. We are resorting to Carry-Out more and more.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
Presence or absence of children does make a big difference in so much about Christmas. I miss that time when the girls were little and Santa still came.
DeleteWe try to eat out early as well, Carol--fewer people, lower noise level. :)
There's lots to like about this post. First, the salad looks yummy...I want one! Of course I like the primitive ladder, but my favorite is slow embroidery for a dress. Really, there's no hurry is there?. Our favorite place to eat, other than at home, is "out in the pickup truck."
ReplyDeleteAh, pickup truck dining! Can't beat the company or the ambiance, can you? We've certainly done our share. The music is also a plus when pickup truck dining. :)
DeleteI totally am with you on the restaurants being too loud. I want to be able to hear the conversations at my table! Love the primitive ladder and your embroidery work is gorgeous! Can't wait to see what the finished product looks like. We haven't started decorating for Christmas yet but hopefully this coming weekend.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting that the article about loud restaurants appeared so soon after Mary and I complained about how difficult it is to engage in conversation when dining out. What used to be an opportunity to enjoy good food and friends and family is now often a shouting match. :) Theaters, too, often have the sound blasting at a painful level!
DeleteIt didn't seem much like Christmas a couple of days ago when we were having that wonderful spring-like weather, but it is cold this morning and feels more seasonal. Are you getting any cold weather in Austin yet?
Yes, I absolutely hate loud restaurants! My hearing is not the best when there's other loud noise, so I just have to look at people and nod when they talk to me! Not really hearing you-but I'll agree anyway!! I don't have one bit of decorating out yet. I'd like to do it, but just can't seem to get geared up for it.
ReplyDelete:) I do a lot of vacant smiling and head nodding, too, Debra! It isn't that I can't hear so much as I can't decipher the amid all the distracting noise. :) As I get older, paring down the decorations is a result, but I still enjoy sewing and crafting. Sitting quietly and embroidering and making stuff has always been a pleasurable part of the holidays.
DeleteEveryone else has their decorations up. We're holding out until nearer the time.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the restaurants. Whenever I go in to a restaurant I ask to be as far as possible from the speakers, and I have been known to ask the staff to turn down the music..
I wish I had the courage to ask the staff to turn down the music. It is annoying at this time of year to have every store blaring Christmas music. I love Christmas music, but there is too much of a good thing and constantly hearing favorite songs ruins the experience.
Delete